Breakdown of Quando o dinheiro desapareceu, eu não notei nada.
eu
I
não
not / no
o dinheiro
the money
quando
when
nada
nothing / anything
notar
to notice
desaparecer
to disappear
Questions & Answers about Quando o dinheiro desapareceu, eu não notei nada.
Why does the Portuguese sentence use a double negative ("não notei nada")?
In Portuguese, double negatives are completely standard and required when a negative pronoun like nada (nothing) comes after the verb. Because nada follows the verb notei, you must put não before the verb. It literally translates to "I didn't notice nothing", which is the correct and natural way to say "I didn't notice anything" or "I noticed nothing" in Portuguese.
Since this lesson is about nenhum, could I say "não notei nenhum" instead?
Not in this context. Nada means "nothing" in a general, abstract sense. Nenhum means "none" or "not a single one" and has to refer to a specific noun. If you said "não notei nenhum", it would mean "I didn't notice any of them" (for example, if you were looking for specific errors or details). To just say "I noticed nothing" overall, nada is the correct word.
What tense are the verbs desapareceu and notei in?
They are both in the simple past tense (Pretérito Perfeito) because they describe completed, one-time actions in the past. Desapareceu is the "ele/ela/você" form of the regular -er verb desaparecer (matching o dinheiro). Notei is the "eu" (I) form of the regular -ar verb notar (to notice).
Is it necessary to include the word "eu" in this sentence?
No, it is optional. You could simply say "Quando o dinheiro desapareceu, não notei nada." Because the verb form notei only ever goes with eu, the "I" is already obvious from the verb ending. It is included here just to add a little emphasis, contrasting the money disappearing with your lack of noticing.
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