Question 1

Why do we use por isso here to mean "so"?

Accepted Answer

Por isso translates literally to "for that" and is the most common way to say "so" or "therefore" when showing the consequence of an action. It is very simple to use because it just sits between the two actions without changing the word order or the verb tenses.

Question 2

Doesn't tocar usually mean "to touch" or "to play an instrument"?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but tocar is also the standard verb used for things that "ring" or "go off," like alarm clocks, phones, and doorbells. Here, não tocou simply means "didn't ring" in the past tense.

Question 3

I thought adormecer meant "to fall asleep." How does it mean "overslept" here?

Accepted Answer

Adormecer is a tricky verb because it has two meanings: "to fall asleep" and "to oversleep." You have to rely on context to know which one is meant. Since the first half of the sentence talks about an alarm clock failing to ring, the context clearly tells us that the person slept too late.

Question 4

Why isn't the word eu (I) used before adormeci?

Accepted Answer

The -i ending on adormeci already tells us that it is the "I" form in the simple past tense. Because Portuguese verb endings clearly show who is doing the action, dropping the pronoun is the most natural way to speak and is a good habit to reinforce at this level.

O despertador não tocou, por isso adormeci.

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