Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Compro um pacote de café.

Compro um pacote de café.

I buy a packet of coffee.

Breakdown of Compro um pacote de café.

of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)

a / an / some (all forms)

Questions & Answers about Compro um pacote de café.

Why is there no word for 'I' (eu) at the start of this sentence?

In Portuguese, the ending of the verb usually tells you who is doing the action. Since compro is the 'I' form of the verb comprar (to buy), adding the pronoun eu is optional. Native speakers usually leave it out unless they want to emphasize who is doing the action.

How do we know to use de between pacote and café?

The preposition de means 'of', and just like in English, it is used to link a container to what is inside it. So um pacote de café translates exactly to 'a packet of coffee'. You will use de for many similar phrases, such as um copo de água (a glass of water).

How is the letter 'e' at the end of pacote pronounced in European Portuguese?

An unstressed 'e' at the end of a word is heavily reduced in Portugal. It sounds like a very quick, faint 'ih' or is sometimes dropped almost completely. Therefore, pacote sounds closer to 'pah-COT' rather than having a strong vowel at the end.

Does the word café only refer to the drink?

No, café can mean the drink itself (coffee) or the physical shop where you go to drink it (a café). In this sentence, because it comes in a packet (pacote), it is clear we are talking about the coffee you make at home.