"Eu escrevo uma carta para meu neto."
Translation:I write a letter to my grandson.
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You can use "para o meu neto". In BR-PT the article is optional and it doesn't really make a difference if you use it or not, it's completely your choice.
I did too, but for me the task was to write what was said (although they say: what you heard) and she didn't say it. I often don't hear the added articles and assumed it was there! I should have played the slow version before hitting that button!
For my grandson should be correct also, right? As in, a gift for my grandson, a letter or card for my grandson
I can't tell if "for" is completely wrong, but "to" is more appropriate here. "For my grandson" can be interpreted as "in behalf of my grandson" (which in Portuguese would be "pelo meu neto").
I gave a lingot to someone for an explanation about when to use definite articles with adjectives of objects: when the adjective is not a posessive pronoun, it is optional, but when the adjective is a possessive pronoun, it is required. that is what he said (and it was voted up a lot). Here is "meu neto" instead of "o meu neto", and you would think by the rule I just learned, it would have to be "o meu neto".
What is the actual rule for this? Acutall.. wondering if anyone knows of an online official grammar of portuguese where that sort of thing can be looked up.?
The definite article is used before possessive adjectives but it can be omitted when referring to close relatives. It is often omitted in the Brazilian form of Portuguese.
Are words like 'neto' only used in the gender neutral sense when the speaker doesn't know the gender of the person in question? I ask because in English it would be perfectly acceptable to say 'I write a letter to my grandchild' if the grandchild were female, but I assume it would sound strange to refer to a female grandchild as 'meu neto' in Portuguese... or would it?
You're right. When you don't know the gender or want to make a general statement, use "neto", but if you know she is a girl, use "neta".
I tried using "card" instead of letter, which was given wrong. But, card is given as one of the definitions of carta. So, I am assuming that there is a special context for that usage. Can anyone confirm?
Yes, "carta" is used as card when it is related to playing cards. But you write "cartas".
Please can someone explain the difference between "para" and "por"? I'm confused!
to write a letter for someone, means that person can not write themselves. You can however buy a card for someone, or a gift. Not beeing a native english speaker this is what I understood as grammatically right.
You are correct. When I was a boy, I used to write letters for my grandmother because she was illiterate. After I moved away, I wrote letters to my grandmother, which someone else would read to her.
One note: the articles and contractions mess me up. However reading up on the grammatical rules just makes my coco hurt. I keep trying to remind myself: how do kids learn to talk? They say something, then someone corrects them. Eventually they learn what sounds right. That's the approach I want to try to emulate.
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That would be "for my grandson" -- meaning that you are writing in place of him because he cannot do that.
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What rhyme or reason is therr for using (or not) the definite article? If none, why do they bother marking it right or wrong?
Help-me please ? I do not understand english , i understand portuguese , i am from brazil