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- Topic: Portuguese >
- "Eu como um ovo por dia."
35 Comments
869
"Per" and "a" are not options given for the translation of "por." Either they need to be added, or other answers need to be acceptable.
- 776
"per" needs to be added. The other options don't work in this context.
"A" should not be, because it doesn't really mean "a". It's one of those cases where you can use a less literal translation. It actually means "per day". "A day" is only acceptable because we often change "per day" to "a day" in informal speech in English.
In south Brazil like Curitiba, I believe de is pronounced with a d sound although they of course understand both pronunciations. I am told that each area has its own pronunciations.
- 144
do you mean in English? "i eat" is simple present so "eat" doesn't need to be conjugated; if you mean about portuguese, the verb is conjugated in simple present "eu como"
Is that normal that “dia” sounds /djia:/? Where is it spoken like that?
Di at the beginning of dia makes a 'dji' sound. I believe that's general to Portuguese
I don't think necessarily. My family in the North usually speaks with that "Dij" sound, but I've heard it pronounced enough the "English" way that it's hard to tell which is more frequently used.
Why is por = 'a' in this sentence, I thought por was of? couldn't the sentence have 'uma dia' at the end?
- 776
It literally means "per" in this sentence. It's just that "one _ a day" is used informally in English to mean "one _ per day".
Per should be included as an alternate translation for por. (Usually "de" means of, and "por" can mean by, for, etc., but prepositions are tricky and do not always translate consistently across languages.)
Dia, despite the "a" ending is masculine so even if it were to be used it would be "um dia" but not every word in each language has an English literal equivalent.
Another possibility for this translation into English is, "one egg each day"
It changes the meaning a bit to talk about frequency during the day, rather than how often someone eats an egg in general.
We can see this more easily when we increase the number. Once a day versus one per day next to twice a day (perhaps one each at breakfast and lunch) versus two per day (maybe both of them in the same meal).
It would be rather unusual in daily speech for someone to say "I eat one egg per day". This is a literal translation from Portuguese produced by DL's software.
"Per" is encountered in formal documents, reports, etc. Unless we want to be emphasize enumerating items, "a/an" is what one hears in spoken English..
I eat an egg a day. - I eatan eggaday. (It makes English smoother.)
Miles per hour; miles per gallon; liters per 100km; per diem; price per person; calories per serving; servings per container, or in question forms, how many pieces per pound; how many trains per day; what is the price per liter; what is the budget per day; and so on. I think putting a/an before any of these would be stretching English a bit (though it is often done).
There are lots of ways to say the same thing. An egg a day; an egg each day; an egg every day, one egg per day; and there really is no wrong or right among them. Something used formally, does not mean it cannot also be used (and well understood) in everyday conversation.
I think perhaps the flow you are getting from your preferred method comes from the English idiom of, An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
But this exercise is not a Portuguese construction:
Yo como un huevo al día
https://www.duolingo.com/comment/996610
Ich esse täglich ein Ei.
https://www.duolingo.com/comment/1012225
Io mangio un uovo al giorno.
https://www.duolingo.com/comment/1526015
Tôi ăn một quả trứng mỗi ngày.
https://www.duolingo.com/comment/4780167
https://www.duolingo.com/comment/3714050
Я ем одно яйцо в день
https://www.duolingo.com/comment/3331107
آكل بيضة واحدة في اليوم
https://www.duolingo.com/comment/4910722
나는 하루에 계란을 한 개씩 먹습니다
https://www.duolingo.com/comment/15422559
There are more (especially for learning English from other languages), but each of them have "one" and "per" in the sought solution (or to translate from).
Which flows with your idea of emphasizing enumeration (not an everyday word in itself :D).
All your many links point to DL software taking the same English sentence and translating it. That does not prove anything about what is natural, spoken English.
As I mentioned, per is encountered in documents, schedules, newspaper articles and scientific texts, but is less common in spoken language than using "a/an". Linking words via connecting sounds to achieve a certain smoothness and rhythm is an essential part of the spoken language.
"I eatan eggaday " is easier to say than "I eatan egg per day." The consonents link with the following vowel to smooooth out the language and make it less choppy. Sometimes new sounds are created when consonents and vowels are linked. This is not "my" preferred method. There are many textbooks devoted entirely to this facet of learning since it is an essential component of teaching ESOL. Rachel's English on youtube is a good site to hear more examples of connecting sounds to achieve natural spoken English. Here are two sites - British and American - that give a bit of information.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/features/connected.shtml
http://www.elementalenglish.com/connected-speech-linking-american-english-pronunciation/
Previously you wrote:
This is a literal translation from Portuguese produced by DL's software.
Which is why I provided the links I did. This is a standard sentence from English used in several of the different language programs, so it is not a Portuguese translating issue. The "per" is original to the sentence.
For many saying, a day, an hour, a gallon, a person, and so on seems more awkward (and less refined) than per or each.
The great thing about English is there are several ways to say things (just ask the Brits, Kiwis, Aussies, and Canucks). Very few phrases need to be said exactly as one person (or even dozens whether they present as experts or not) believes they should be. Language is not religion.
Thank you for sharing those links. :)
It is also, "um dia" because "dia" despite the "a" at the end is masculine.
Bom Dia!
Because DL wants the literal translation. The Portuguese for 'about' doesn't appear in this sentence.
There is a difference between "everyday" (no space) and "every day" (two words).
"Everyday" is an adjective and can only be used to modify a noun. "Her everyday breakfast is an egg with toast", "She eats breakfast at 7 as a part of her everyday routine."
"Every day" can be used as an adverb phrase with the same meaning as "daily". "I eat an egg every day" (two words) should be accepted. If it's not, report it.
- 138
What might be wrong when I translated as "Everyday I eat an egg" instead of I eat one egg per day", Any suggestions please...
Your sentence would be translated to Todo dia eu como (um) ovo. The meaning is different - and you would be missing the whole per/a/por thing, which is the whole point of this exercise C:
- 138
Ah! Seems like the precise usage was expected. Hence per day would have been appropriate than everyday (all days). Many Thanks,
