Questions & Answers about Tu despachas-te de manhã.
Why is there a hyphen and -te at the end of the verb?
The -te is a reflexive pronoun meaning yourself. Because the subject is Tu, we use the pronoun te. In European Portuguese, reflexive pronouns attach to the end of the verb with a hyphen in basic affirmative sentences like this one.
Does the verb despachar always mean to hurry up?
Not always! When used normally, despachar means to dispatch, send, or sort out (like sending a package). But when you use it as a reflexive verb (despachar-se), it specifically means to hurry up or get ready quickly.
Could I drop the word Tu and just say Despachas-te de manhã?
Yes, absolutely. The verb ending -as and the reflexive pronoun -te both make it completely clear that you are talking to Tu (informal you). Dropping the subject pronoun is very common and natural in Portuguese.
Why do we say de manhã for in the morning instead of using em or na?
de manhã is a fixed expression in Portuguese. While you might expect na (in the), parts of the day use specific prepositions. We say de manhã for in the morning, but notice that we use à for the others: à tarde (in the afternoon) and à noite (in the evening/at night).
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