Breakdown of Abre uma lata de sumo.
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
um
a / an / some (all forms)
o sumo
the juice
abrir
to open
a lata
the can, the tin
Questions & Answers about Abre uma lata de sumo.
Why is the verb abre used here instead of abra for the command 'Open'?
Could abre also mean 'he opens' or 'she opens'?
Yes! In Portuguese, the informal tu command is exactly the same as the present tense form for ele/ela/você (he, she, or formal you). Since the English translation says 'Open' and there is no subject like ele before the verb, we know it is being used as a command here.
I've heard the word suco for juice. Why does this sentence use sumo?
Sumo is the standard word for juice in Portugal. Suco is the word used in Brazil. Since you are learning European Portuguese, you should always use sumo.
What exactly does lata mean? Would I use it for any juice container?
Uma lata specifically refers to a metal tin or can. If your juice came in a cardboard carton, you would call it um pacote de sumo, and if it were in a glass or plastic bottle, it would be uma garrafa de sumo.
Learn Abre uma lata de sumo and more in Portuguese
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free