Phrase · 🧩 Idiomatic speech
Tive que engolir sapo na reunião de ontem.
I had to bite my tongue at yesterday's meeting.
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Why every word is where it is
Tive1verbI hadter · past · 1st sing.que1conjunctiontoengolir2verbswallowinfinitivesapo2nountoadmasc. · sing.naprepositionat theem+a · fem. · sing. · definitereuniãonounmeetingfem. · sing.deprepositionofontemadverbyesterday.
- Tive → engolir: ter que + infinitive
- engolir → sapo: idiom
Word for word: “I had to swallow a toad at yesterday's meeting.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1ter que + infinitive = "have to".
- 2engolir sapo = put up with something unpleasant without reacting.