Learn Portuguese (Portugal): A viagem correu bem?

A viagem correu bem?

Did the trip go well?

Breakdown of A viagem correu bem?

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Questions & Answers about A viagem correu bem?

Why is the verb correr (to run) used here instead of a verb meaning to go?

In Portuguese, correr is the standard verb used to describe how an event, process, or situation turned out. While English uses the concept of going (Did it go well?), Portuguese uses running (correr bem means to go well, and correr mal means to go poorly).

I thought words ending in a consonant were often masculine. Why is it a viagem?

While many words ending in -m are indeed masculine, words that end specifically in the suffix -agem are almost always feminine in Portuguese. Other common examples you will see at this level are a mensagem (the message) and a garagem (the garage).

How do we know correu is in the past tense here?

Correu is the simple past form of correr for he, she, or it. For regular verbs ending in -er, you drop the ending and add -eu to talk about a completed action in the past. Here, the subject is A viagem (it), so we use the -eu ending.

Could I say A viagem foi bem? instead?

While native speakers would understand what you meant, it sounds unnatural. When asking about the outcome or progression of an experience like a trip, a meeting, or an exam, Portuguese speakers almost exclusively use correr rather than ir (to go).