Phrase · 📖 Telling a story
Já tava escurecendo quando a gente chegou na praia.
It was already getting dark when we got to the beach.
B1setting the sceneinformalpt-BR-spAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Jáadverbalreadytava1verbit wasestar · imperfect · 3rd sing.escurecendo1verbgetting darkescurecer · gerundquandoconjunctionwhena gente2pronounwe3rd sing. · subjectchegouverbarrivedchegar · past · 3rd sing.na3prepositionat theem · fem. · sing. · definitepraianounbeachfem. · sing..
- tava → escurecendo: periphrasis
- a gente → chegou: subject
- chegou → na: preposition
Word for word: “Already was getting-dark when the people arrived in-the beach.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1tava escurecendo: no subject, like weather verbs. The imperfeito sets the scene. estar + gerund (progressive) →
- 2a gente chegou = we arrived, with a 3rd-person singular verb. Subject pronouns & the spoken person system →
- 3chegar na is everyday speech; careful writing uses chegar à praia. Verbs with prepositions (regência I) →
Variations
- Já estava escurecendo quando a gente chegou à praia.
- Já estava escurecendo quando chegamos à praia.
- Quando a gente chegou na praia, já tava de noite.