Phrase · 🧩 Everyday idioms
Quem vai pagar o pato sou eu.
I'm the one who'll take the blame.
C2complaining about blameinformalpt-BR-spAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Quempronounwho, whoeversing.vaiverbis going toir · present · 3rd sing.pagar1verbpayinfinitiveodeterminerthemasc. · sing. · definitepato1nounduckmasc. · sing.sou2verbamser · present · 1st sing.eupronounI1st sing. · subject.
- pagar → pato: pagar o pato = to take the blame
- Quem → sou: quem… sou eu (cleft)
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1«pagar o pato» = to take the blame for others; Spanish has the same idiom.
- 2Cleft «quem… sou eu»: the verb agrees with «eu» (sou), not with «quem». Clefts & focus (é que, foi … que, o que … é) →