Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Leste a etiqueta? Então podes explicar-ma, por favor? - Did you read the label? Then can you explain it to me, please?

Leste a etiqueta? Então podes explicar-ma, por favor?

Did you read the label? Then can you explain it to me, please?

Breakdown of Leste a etiqueta? Então podes explicar-ma, por favor?

Questions & Answers about Leste a etiqueta? Então podes explicar-ma, por favor?

What does -ma stand for in explicar-ma?

-ma is a contraction of two object pronouns: me (to me) and a (it). The a is feminine because it refers back to a etiqueta (the label). Instead of saying explicar-me a, Portuguese combines them into -ma.

If we were talking about a masculine object instead of a etiqueta, how would -ma change?

If the object were masculine, like o texto (the text), the pronoun for "it" would be o. When you combine me (to me) and o (it), it becomes -mo. You would say explicar-mo.

Why is -ma attached to the end of explicar?

When you have a phrase with a helper verb (podes) and an infinitive verb (explicar), it is very common in Portugal to attach the pronoun to the end of the infinitive with a hyphen. You are also allowed to attach it to the helper verb instead (podes-ma explicar).

Is Leste in the past or present tense here?