Breakdown of Devemos brindar ao ano novo!
novo
new / young
o ano
the year
a
to / at (direction)
dever
should / ought to
brindar
to toast
Questions & Answers about Devemos brindar ao ano novo!
Why isn't there a subjunctive verb in this sentence if we are learning the Present Subjunctive?
This sentence uses the verb dever (must) followed by the infinitive brindar (to toast). Expressing direct obligation with verbs like dever or ter de takes the infinitive, not the subjunctive. If you wanted to practice the subjunctive here, you would need a trigger phrase, such as É preciso que brindemos (It is necessary that we toast).
Why do we use ao before ano novo?
The verb brindar requires the preposition a (to) when you are toasting to something or someone. In this sentence, it combines with the masculine singular article o from o ano (the year) to form the mandatory contraction ao.
Does devemos mean 'we must' or 'we should'?
It can mean both depending on the context! The present tense verb dever covers both 'must' (a strong obligation) and 'should' (a recommendation). To make 'should' sound softer and more like a polite suggestion, Portuguese speakers often use a different tense called the conditional, instead of the present tense devemos used here.
Why does the adjective come after the noun in ano novo?
In Portuguese, descriptive adjectives usually come right after the noun they describe. While some adjectives can go before the noun for special emotional emphasis, ano novo is a standard, fixed expression that always follows the regular noun-adjective order.
Learn Devemos brindar ao ano novo and more in Portuguese
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free