Breakdown of O centro de saúde abre às oito.
oito
eight
abrir
to open
às
at the (fem. pl.) / to the (fem. pl.)
o centro de saúde
the health centre
Questions & Answers about O centro de saúde abre às oito.
Why do we use às instead of just a or em for "at"?
When talking about time in Portuguese, you combine the preposition a (at) with the feminine plural article as (the) because you are referring to hours, which is a feminine plural word (as horas). The words a and as merge to form às.
Can I just say oito instead of oito horas?
Yes, it is very common and completely natural to leave out the word horas (hours) when telling time, as long as the context is clear.
Where is the word for "it" before abre?
Portuguese usually drops subject pronouns like "it". The verb abre comes from abrir (to open), and its ending already shows it is in the "he/she/it" form, which connects back to the subject O centro de saúde.
Does centro de saúde mean the same thing as a hospital?
Not exactly. A centro de saúde is a local community clinic for regular doctor visits, prescriptions, and non-emergencies. A standard hospital is just called a hospital in Portuguese.