Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Eu deito o livro na mesa.

Eu deito o livro na mesa.

I lay the book on the table.

Breakdown of Eu deito o livro na mesa.

in the / on the / at the (f.sg)

Questions & Answers about Eu deito o livro na mesa.

How would I change this sentence to say 'I am laying the book' using the present continuous from this lesson?

You can change it by using the correct form of estar (to be) followed by a and the dictionary form (infinitive) of the main verb, which is deitar. The sentence becomes: Eu estou a deitar o livro na mesa.

Why does the sentence use na for 'on the'?

In Portuguese, the preposition em translates to 'in', 'on', or 'at'. When em is followed by the word for 'the', they must merge together. Because mesa is a feminine word, it takes the feminine article a. Combining em and a gives you na.

Is it okay to just say Deito o livro na mesa without Eu?

Yes, it is perfectly fine and very common! Because the verb ending in deito already tells us that 'I' am the one doing the action, the pronoun Eu is optional and often dropped in everyday speech.

Are there other common ways I will see the verb deitar used as a beginner?

Yes! While it means 'to lay' or 'to place' here, you will very frequently see it used to mean 'to go to bed' when it is paired with a reflexive pronoun (like deitar-me for 'I go to bed').