Word
A vizinha também nos cumprimenta.
Meaning
The neighbor (f) also greets us.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of A vizinha também nos cumprimenta.
também
also / too
nos
us
cumprimentar
to greet
a vizinha
the neighbor (f)
Questions & Answers about A vizinha também nos cumprimenta.
Why is the pronoun nos placed before the verb?
In European Portuguese, pronouns normally attach to the end of the verb. However, certain words act as magnets, pulling the pronoun to the front. The adverb também is one of these magnet words, so it forces nos to move, resulting in também nos cumprimenta instead of cumprimenta-nos.
Does cumprimenta mean she compliments us?
It looks like compliment, but the verb cumprimentar is a false friend! It actually means to greet or to say hello to someone. If you wanted to say she compliments us, you would use the verb elogiar.
Is the magnet rule for também optional in casual speech?
No, in European Portuguese this rule is strictly followed even in everyday, casual conversation. Saying também cumprimenta-nos sounds very unnatural to a native speaker, so it is important to get used to this word order.
What if I drop the subject A vizinha? Does the pronoun stay before the verb?
Yes! If you just want to say he or she also greets us without mentioning the neighbor, the sentence is Também nos cumprimenta. Because the magnet word também is still there, it keeps pulling the pronoun nos to the front.