Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Tens aí o livro?

Tens aí o livro?

Do you have the book there?

Breakdown of Tens aí o livro?

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Questions & Answers about Tens aí o livro?

Why isn't there a word for "Do" or "you" in this sentence?

In Portuguese, you don't need helper words like "do" to ask a question. You just use a questioning tone of voice. Also, the pronoun tu (you, informal) is left out because the verb form Tens already shows exactly who you are talking to.

Which verb does Tens come from?

It comes from the highly irregular verb ter (to have). Tens is the present tense informal "you" form (tu). Even though your current lesson focuses on regular -ar verbs in the past tense, ter is an essential verb that pops up everywhere!

Why use aí for "there" instead of ali or lá?

Portuguese has different words for "there" depending on distance. aí specifically means "there, right by you" (the person listening). If the book were further away from both of you, you would use ali or lá.

Could I change the word order and put aí at the end?

Yes, saying Tens o livro aí? is also perfectly correct. Portuguese word order is very flexible, and short location words like aí can often move around in the sentence without changing the meaning.