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Portuguese Phrase

Que músculos esse exercício trabalha?

/ke ˈmusku.los ˈe.sɨ iɡˈzeɾ.sɨ.t͡ʃi ˈtɾa.ba.ʒi/

Meaning"Which muscles does this exercise work?"

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Meaning

The sentence asks which muscle groups are activated by a particular exercise. It’s a common question in gyms, personal training sessions, or fitness forums.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you want to know the target muscles of a specific workout, whether you’re asking a trainer, a workout video host, or a fellow gym‑goer.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Quemúsculosesseexercíciotrabalha?

1

Que (interrogative pronoun)

Used to ask about a specific thing or group; here it asks 'which'.

2

músculos (noun, plural)

Plural form of 'músculo' meaning 'muscle'.

3

esse (demonstrative pronoun)

Points to a specific exercise that is near the speaker or already mentioned.

4

exercício (noun)

Means 'exercise' or 'workout'.

5

trabalha (verb, 3rd person singular present)

From the verb 'trabalhar' meaning 'to work'; here it means 'to engage' or 'to work (muscles)'.

6

? (question mark)

Marks the sentence as a question.

🗨In Conversation

A

Que músculos esse exercício trabalha?

Which muscles does this exercise work?

Ele trabalha principalmente o peito, os tríceps e os ombros.

It mainly works the chest, triceps, and shoulders.

B

✕Common Mistakes

Qual músculos esse exercício trabalha?
Use 'que' for asking about a set of items; 'qual' expects a single choice.
Que músculos esse exercício trabalham?
The verb must agree with the singular subject 'exercício'.
Que músculos aquele exercício trabalha?
If the exercise is far or not previously mentioned, use 'aquele' instead of 'esse'.

↔Alternatives

Quais músculos são trabalhados por esse exercício?
Which muscles are worked by this exercise?
Que grupos musculares esse exercício ativa?
Which muscle groups does this exercise activate?
Esse exercício foca em quais músculos?
This exercise focuses on which muscles?

Cultural Tip

In Brazilian Portuguese, the verb 'trabalhar' is commonly used to talk about muscles being 'worked' during a workout. In Portugal, you might also hear 'exercer' or 'ativar' in a similar context. Keep the tone friendly; using 'esse' signals a casual, conversational register typical in gyms.