Portuguese Phrase
Eles impedem que as coisas se mexam lá dentro.
Meaning
‘They prevent the things from moving inside there.’ The sentence expresses that a group (they) is actively stopping objects from shifting or being mobile within a confined space.
When to use
Use this structure when you need to talk about an obstacle, rule, or mechanism that stops movement inside a container, room, machine, or any bounded area. It’s common in technical explanations, safety briefings, or everyday talk about cramped spaces.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Elesimpedemqueascoisassemexamládentro
Eles (subject pronoun)
Third‑person plural personal pronoun, used for a group of people or things previously mentioned.
impedem (verb)
Present indicative of impedir ‘to prevent’; agrees with the plural subject ‘eles’.
que (subjunctive trigger)
Conjunction that introduces a clause requiring the subjunctive mood after verbs of prohibition, doubt, or desire.
as coisas (noun phrase)
Definite article + plural noun; the object that is being prevented from moving.
se mexam (reflexive verb in subjunctive)
Reflexive form of mexer ‘to move’; in present subjunctive (3rd person plural) because it follows ‘impedir que’.
lá dentro (adverbial phrase)
Combines the locative adverb ‘lá’ (there) with ‘dentro’ (inside) to specify the interior space being referred to.
🗨In Conversation
Os cabos estão presos dentro da caixa.
The cables are stuck inside the box.
Sim, eles impedem que as coisas se mexam lá dentro.
Yes, they prevent the things from moving inside there.
✕Common Mistakes
Eles impedem que as coisas se mexem lá dentro.
After ‘impedir que’ you need the subjunctive, not the indicative.
Eles impedem as coisas se mexam lá dentro.
The conjunction ‘que’ is required to introduce the subjunctive clause.
Eles impedem que as coisas se mexam, lá, dentro.
Do not separate ‘lá’ and ‘dentro’ with a comma; they function together as a single locative phrase.
↔Alternatives
Eles evitam que as coisas se movam lá dentro.
They avoid the things moving inside there.
Eles não deixam as coisas se moverem lá dentro.
They don’t let the things move inside there.
Eles bloqueiam o movimento das coisas dentro da caixa.
They block the movement of the things inside the box.
Cultural Tip
In Portuguese, verbs of prohibition (impedir, evitar, proibir) always trigger the subjunctive in the subordinate clause. Native speakers often drop the reflexive pronoun in informal speech (e.g., ‘impedem que as coisas mexam’), but the full form ‘se mexam’ is grammatically correct and sounds more precise, especially in written or formal contexts.