Breakdown of Nós queríamos duas chávenas de chá e uma fatia de bolo.
e
and
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
nós
we
um
a / an / some (all forms)
dois
two
o bolo
the cake
querer
to want
o chá
the tea
a chávena
the cup
a fatia
the slice
Questions & Answers about Nós queríamos duas chávenas de chá e uma fatia de bolo.
Why does the sentence use queríamos (we wanted) when the English translation says "we would like"?
In Portuguese, it is very common to use the Pretérito Imperfeito (the imperfect past tense) to make polite requests. Saying queremos (we want) in the present tense can sound too direct or demanding in a cafe or restaurant. Using queríamos softens the request, just like saying "we would like" does in English.
Why is the number two written as duas instead of dois?
Is chávena the usual word for "cup"? I thought the word was xícara.
Yes, chávena is the standard word for a tea or coffee cup in Portugal. If you have learned xícara before, that is because it is the word most commonly used in Brazilian Portuguese.
Why do we need the word de in chávenas de chá and fatia de bolo?
In English, you can often put two nouns right next to each other to create a compound idea (like "teacup" or "cake slice"). In Portuguese, you cannot do this. You have to link the item and its contents or type with the preposition de (of). So, you literally have to ask for cups of tea (chávenas de chá) and a slice of cake (fatia de bolo).
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