Summary p244

244_CONVER$ATIONAL PORTUGUESE

Common exceptions:

adjectives of nationałity, a usualiy being addec to the masculine form:

frances French francesa

portugues Portuguese portuguesa¹

a is added to some adjectives ending in r:

leitor reader leitora

diretor² director direiora²

orador speaker, orator oradora

3. Santo is used before names beginning with a vowel and before Tomds and Grał, and Sao is used before most other names; Santa is usec before feminine names:

Santo A ntónio³o Santo Grał

Sao Paulo Sao Francisco

Santa Barbara

Saint Anthony the Holy Grail

Saint Paui Saint Francis

Saint Barbara

17. POSITION OF ADJECTIYES

1. Descriptive adjectives (which tend to distinguish persons or things from others of the same type or class) and adjectives of nationałity usualiy come after the noun they modify:

uma casa branca a white house

CONYERSATIONAL PORTUGUESE

245

urna anedota engraęada a funny anecdote, joke um bairro residenciał a residential district,

suburb

romances contemporaneos contemporary novels

2. Adjectives which indicate a characteristic quality of the type or class usualiy precede the noun:

o poderoso ditador the powerful dictator

a verde grama the green grass

3. Limiting adjectives, such as the demonstrative adjectives, possessive adjectives, numerals, and adjectives of quantity usualiy precede the noun they modify:

este conselho nossa comersa a primeira decisao dez dedos muitas lutas

this advice our conversation the first decision ten ftngers many struggles

4. Some adjectives have a different meaning accord-ing to their position; after the noun modified they have their literał (usual) meaning, and before the noun they have a figurative (extended meaning):

um homem pobre um pobre homem

presentes caros meu caro amigo

a cidade tóda⁴toda cidade

a poor (financially) man a poor (to be pitied) man

expensive gifts my dear friend

all the city every city

portuguesa (0.

director, directora (0.

Antonio (0.

toda 0.