"Eles leem nossas cartas."

Translation: They read our letters.

[breachingblue]

It is interesting that the definite article is not used with 'nossa', yet it is apparently required for 'sua' and 'tua'. For example:

Eu leio as suas cartas
Ela lê a tua carta
Você fala com os seus gatos?

But not:

Eles leem nossas cartas

[diegopmelo]

Yes you are right. generally in portuguese BR, we use the definite article.. " Eles leem as nossas cartas" ir more commom than "Eles leem nossas cartas"... but depends on situation

[RafaelT96]

Thanks a lot, you just answered my question ... I was confused about that one, and just keep using the article!

[luisa2579]

So in the previous example ' Nossos gatos nao bebem leite' would it be correct to say ' Os nossos gatos nao bebem leite'?

[camillecramos]

yes. both are correct :)

[jahu]

Why isn't it used here? And is Portugalese Portuguese (making up words here) different?

[SariahLily]

Apparently (according to another comment I read), the article before the possessive pronoun is required in Portugal, but optional in Brazil. Duo seems to be teaching Brazilian Portuguese, so it is optional in Duo.....except when they forgot to program both versions in (hence the report feature).

[filbert660395]

it is necessary in front of a possessive pronoun in both BPR and EUPR. only in front of a possessive adjective is it optional, in which it is favourable in EUPR to add one.

[rangatang]

how would you say card like a birthday card or a christmas card? Is cartas by itself not enough?

[vivisaurus]

To add to what diegopmelo said, "cartão" is the singular of "cartões". =)

[diegopmelo]

you can use Christmas card.....in portuguese BR.. you can use "cartões".... "cartões de aniversário" or "cartões de natal".....

[BradleyHes]

I thought nossos was masculine as is Eles. So why is it nossas?

[mia_adrianna]

I am not 100% sure but I think the subject is the cards and because cards is feminine that is why they use nossas instead of nossos.Sorry if this was not too helpful

[Monimaboo]

Actually "they" ( eles) is the subject of the sentence and "letters" (cartas)is the object. "Our" nossas in this case is agreeing with cartas which is, indeed, feminine. Hope that helps.

[mia_adrianna]

Why is there no article in front of nossas, is putting in the article optional?

[Paulenrique]

Yes, it is optional.

[donaJenni]

They should not reject "as nossas cartas". It is correct!