Phrase · 🗺️ Regional speech
Cê pode me emprestar aquele trem de cortar unha?
Can you lend me that nail-clipper thingy?
C1social interactioncolloquialpt-BR-regAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Cê1pronounyouvocê · 3rd sing. · subjectpodeverbcanpoder · present · 3rd sing.me2object pronounme1st sing. · indirect objectemprestar2verblendinfinitiveaqueledeterminerthatmasc. · sing.trem3nounthingmasc. · sing.de3prepositionforcortar3verbcuttinginfinitiveunha3nounnailsfem. · sing.?
- Cê → pode: subject–verb
- me → emprestar: proclisis to infinitive
- trem → unha: descriptive compound
Word for word: “Can you lend me that thing for cutting nail?”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1Cê = spoken você; opening a question with it sounds very mineiro. Subject pronouns & the spoken person system →
- 2emprestar = "lend" (Spanish prestar); me goes before the infinitive. Object pronouns as spoken →
- 3In Minas, trem stands in for any noun you can't recall: trem de cortar unha. Regional & social variation in grammar →
Variations
- Você pode me emprestar o cortador de unha?