Phrase · 🛒 At the market & supermarket
Me vê meio quilo de tomate e uma dúzia de ovos.
Can I have half a kilo of tomatoes and a dozen eggs?
A2ordering quantities at a market stallinformalpt-BR-spAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Me1object pronounme, for me1st sing. · indirect objectvê1verbgive (lit. see)ver · imperative · 2nd sing.meio2adjectivehalf (a)masc. · sing.quilonounkilomasc. · sing.deprepositionoftomate3nountomato(es)masc. · sing.econjunctionandumadetermineraum · fem. · sing. · indefinitedúzia4noundozenfem. · sing.deprepositionofovos4nouneggsovo · masc. · pl..
- Me → vê: me: indirect object, before the verb
- vê → quilo: object of vê
- quilo → tomate: quantity + de + noun
- uma → dúzia: fem. sing.
- dúzia → ovos: quantity + de + noun
Word for word: “Me see half kilo of tomato and a dozen of eggs.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1Me vê… (lit. see me…) = can I have…? The standard request at markets, bakeries and snack bars, pronoun first. Object pronouns as spoken →
- 2meio quilo = half a kilo, with no article. Numbers, time, dates & prices →
- 3de tomate: with weights Brazilians usually keep the fruit or vegetable in the singular.
- 4uma dúzia de ovos = a dozen eggs: Portuguese needs de after quantities.
Variations
- Me dá meio quilo de tomate e uma dúzia de ovos.
- Queria meio quilo de tomate e uma dúzia de ovos.
- Vou levar meio quilo de tomate e uma dúzia de ovos.