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A encomenda é frágil. O carteiro entregou-ta ontem?

A encomenda é frágil. O carteiro entregou-ta ontem?
The parcel is fragile. Did the postman deliver it to you yesterday?
From Lesson 94:First and second-person object contractions (mo, to)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about A encomenda é frágil. O carteiro entregou-ta ontem?

What does -ta mean in this sentence, and how is it formed?
-ta combines two object pronouns into one short word. It is made of te (to you) and a (it). The a is used because it refers back to a encomenda, which is a feminine word. Together, entregou-ta translates to delivered it to you.
If the postman delivered a masculine object, like a package (o pacote), how would that pronoun change?
It would change to -to. The a in -ta specifically replaces the feminine noun a encomenda. For a masculine object, you would combine the indirect object te (to you) with the direct object o (it, masculine) to make -to.
Why is -ta attached to the end of entregou with a hyphen?
In European Portuguese, pronouns usually attach to the end of the verb. Even though this is a question, it is a simple yes/no question without a question word like when, where, or why. Because there is no special word to pull the pronoun to the front of the verb, it stays tacked onto the end just like in a normal statement.
Why is there no word for did in the Portuguese question?
English uses did as a helper verb to turn a past tense sentence into a question, but Portuguese does not do this. You simply use the normal past tense verb, entregou (delivered), and rely on a questioning tone of voice when speaking or the question mark when writing.

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