Question 1

Why do we use para before proteger here?

Accepted Answer

In Portuguese, to express the purpose or reason for doing something (like saying "in order to" in English), you use the preposition para followed by the infinitive (unconjugated) form of the verb. So, para proteger means "to protect" or "in order to protect".

Question 2

Why is the word o placed before the verb faz?

Accepted Answer

Usually, object pronouns like o (meaning "it") come right after the verb in European Portuguese. However, negative words like não act as "magnets" and pull the pronoun to sit directly in front of the verb. That is why we say não o faz instead of não faz-o.

Question 3

Why is there an a before natureza? Doesn't the English translation just say "nature"?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but Portuguese requires a definite article (o, a, os, as) before nouns that refer to a general concept or abstract idea, like natureza (nature), amor (love), or vida (life). Since natureza is a feminine word, we use a.

Question 4

Is faz the same verb used for "to make"?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Faz is the "he/she/it" form of the irregular verb fazer. In Portuguese, fazer translates to both "to do" and "to make" depending on the context. Here, o faz means "does it".

Ela não o faz para proteger a natureza.

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