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- "I do not like jeans."
"I do not like jeans."
Translation:Eu não gosto de jeans.
17 Comments
When we use "de" there is no article.
Using "dos" has an article (os = the).
Use no article for general meanings: gosto de jeans (jeans in general)
Use articles for specific pieces: gosto dos sapatos (those specific shoes)
"Jeans" is a special case here. It doesn't mean a piece of clothing in Portuguese, but only a material. It's not seen as a plural word, and it's used mostly as an adjective, such as in "calça jeans".
It's possible then to say "gosto do jeans", but it's a specific jeans/denim.
In Portuguese, the word "jeans" refers to the material: denim.
When you say jeans in English, mostly you mean pants made of denim. In Portuguese, the most common way to say that is saying "calça jeans". There are other pieces using that, such as "jaqueta jeans" (a jacket made of denim).
Saying only "calça(s)" mean any type of "pants/trousers".
Saying only "jeans" needs a lot of context, unless you are referring to the material.
It would make sense to say, "I do not wear denim" but "jeans" as a Portuguese word, even a loan word for denim is interesting as it is then a plural word used in the singular sense.
Though I must admit, I did love my "jeans" jacket. Both "jeans jacket" and "jean jacket" are used in the US, with the latter getting more traction.