🤔📍🎉⭐▶️❓

How to Say ‘Do you know where the main parade starts?’ in Portuguese

Sabe onde começa o desfile principal?

SAH-buh OHN-deh koo-MEH-sah oo desh-FEEL preen-see-PAHL

[SAH-buh OHN-deh koo-MEH-sah oo desh-FEEL preen-see-PAHL]

💬 Usage Tip: After onde, the verb comes before the thing: começa o desfile. Swap in any event, as in onde começa o concerto "where the concert starts".

Phrase Breakdown

Sabe onde começa

SAH-buh OHN-deh koo-MEH-sah

Do you know where it starts

'Sabe' is the polite 'you know'. The 'ç' in 'começa' sounds like 's'.

Example

Sabe onde começa a fila?

Do you know where the queue starts?

Words in this phrase

Sabe

[SAH-buh]

do you know

Formal 'you' form of 'saber'.

Example

Sabe onde fica?

Do you know where it is?

onde

[OHN-deh]

where

Asks about location.

Example

Onde fica a loja?

Where is the shop?

começa

[koo-MEH-sah]

starts

Third-person form of 'começar', to begin.

Example

O filme começa às nove.

The film starts at nine.

o desfile principal?

oo desh-FEEL preen-see-PAHL

the main parade?

This is the subject of the question. Let your voice rise at the end.

Example

Viu o desfile principal?

Did you see the main parade?

Words in this phrase

[oo]

the

A masculine singular definite article used before nouns.

Example

O prazer de participar foi grande.

The pleasure of taking part was great.

desfile

[desh-FEEL]

parade

A procession moving through the streets, typical of Carnival.

Example

Vamos ver o desfile amanhã.

Let's see the parade tomorrow.

principal

[preen-see-PAHL]

main

The most important or largest one.

Example

A entrada principal é ali.

The main entrance is there.

Guides for Portuguese learners

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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