Portuguese Year 4: Sentences that link ideas: then, so, in order to
Portuguese, Year 4 (Portugal): Join two ideas in one sentence to show a sequence, a consequence or a purpose.
One sentence, two ideas
A complex sentence joins two ideas. You can link them to say the order in which things happen (sequence): «Quando acabei o trabalho, fui brincar.» (When I finished the work, I went to play.) To say what results from something (consequence): «Chovia, por isso ficámos em casa.» (It was raining, so we stayed at home.) Or to say the aim of an action (purpose): «Fui à biblioteca para ler um livro.» (I went to the library to read a book.)
A text that flows
Without links the text comes in jerks: «Choveu. Ficámos em casa. Vimos um filme.» With links the reader understands how the ideas relate: one comes before another, one results from another, one serves another. The text becomes clearer and richer. Words like «depois», «quando», «por isso», «então», «para» and «para que» do this work.
Three pairs of short sentences
Step 1: «Choveu muito. Ficámos em casa.» The second results from the first, so I join them: «Choveu muito, por isso ficámos em casa.» (consequence) Step 2: «Ficámos em casa. Queríamos ver um filme.» The second says what for: «Ficámos em casa para ver um filme.» (purpose) Step 3: «As pipocas ficaram prontas. Vimos o filme.» I say the order: «Quando as pipocas ficaram prontas, vimos o filme.» (sequence) (It rained a lot, so we stayed home. We stayed home to watch a film. When the popcorn was ready, we watched it.)
Consequence or purpose?
People mix up consequence and purpose. «Por isso» says what happened as a result: «Estudei, por isso passei.» (I studied, so I passed.) «Para» says the aim, which may not even happen: «Estudei para passar.» (I studied in order to pass.) A test: if you can say «with the aim of», it is purpose; if you can say «and the result was», it is consequence. Another mistake is to link everything with «e depois»: try «quando», «por isso» and «para».
Explaining, telling and giving reasons
You use these links when you explain why you were late («Perdi o autocarro, por isso cheguei tarde»: I missed the bus, so I was late), when you say what something is for («Uso a mochila para levar os livros»: I use the bag to carry my books) and when you tell the order of a recipe or a game: «primeiro… depois… quando ficar pronto…». In any story these links make it flow.
Test what you learned
Which words show the purpose (finalidade) of an action?
- a) para / para que
- b) por isso / então
- c) quando / depois
Correct answer: a) para / para que — Yes: «para» and «para que» say what an action is for: «Fui à biblioteca para ler.»
Join the sentences with a relation of consequence: «Tinha sede. Bebi água.» (I was thirsty. I drank water.)
- a) «Tinha sede para beber água.»
- b) «Tinha sede, por isso bebi água.»
- c) «Tinha sede quando bebi água.»
Correct answer: b) «Tinha sede, por isso bebi água.» — Yes: «por isso» shows that drinking is the result of being thirsty.
«Estudei muito para passar no teste.» (I studied a lot to pass the test.) What relation does «para passar no teste» express?
- a) Consequence (the result)
- b) Sequence (the order)
- c) Purpose (the aim)
Correct answer: c) Purpose (the aim) — Yes: passing the test is what the studying was for, and it may not even happen.
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