O médico ouve o peito do menino.

Questions & Answers about O médico ouve o peito do menino.

Why is there no word for 'to' after ouve?
In English, we say 'listens to', but in Portuguese, the verb ouvir (to hear/listen) takes a direct object. You don't need an extra preposition. You just say the doctor 'hears the chest' (ouve o peito).
Does ouve mean 'hears' or 'listens'?
It can mean both! The verb ouvir usually means 'to hear', but it is also commonly used for 'to listen', especially in medical situations like this one. Another verb, escutar, specifically means 'to listen', but ouvir is completely natural here.
Why does it say do menino instead of using a possessive word like 'boy's'?
Portuguese doesn't have an apostrophe-s ('s) structure for ownership. Instead, you express possession using the word de (of), making it 'the chest of the boy'. Because menino is a masculine noun, de merges with the word o (the) to form do.
What is the base form (infinitive) of ouve?
The base verb is ouvir. It is an irregular verb, which means it doesn't follow the normal spelling patterns. For the 'he/she/it' and você forms in the present tense, it changes to ouve.

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