Portuguese Phrase
Meu parceiro costuma cozinhar o jantar.
Meaning
The sentence means “My partner usually cooks dinner.” It conveys a regular, repeated habit rather than a one‑off event.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re talking about daily routines, especially when describing who prepares the evening meal in your household or when comparing cooking habits with friends.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Meuparceirocostumacozinharojantar.
Possessive adjective
"Meu" agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies; here it is masculine singular to match "parceiro".
Noun gender
"Parceiro" is a masculine singular noun meaning partner, boyfriend, or companion.
Costumar (present)
"Costuma" is the third‑person singular present indicative of "costumar", used to express a habitual action.
Infinitive after "costumar"
When "costumar" is followed by another verb, that verb stays in the infinitive (here, "cozinhar").
Definite article with meals
Meals are usually preceded by the definite article: "o jantar" (the dinner).
🗨In Conversation
Quem costuma preparar a refeição à noite?
Who usually prepares the evening meal?
Meu parceiro costuma cozinhar o jantar.
My partner usually cooks dinner.
✕Common Mistakes
Meu parceiro costumo cozinhar o jantar.
"Costumo" is first‑person singular; the subject here is "parceiro" (third person), so you need "costuma".
Meu parceiro costuma cozinhar o janta.
The noun "jantar" is masculine and requires the definite article "o"; also, "janta" is a colloquial abbreviation that is not used in this formal structure.
Meu parceiro costuma cocina o jantar.
"Cocina" is Spanish; Portuguese uses the infinitive "cozinhar".
↔Alternatives
Meu companheiro costuma fazer o jantar.
My companion usually makes dinner.
Meu namorado costuma preparar o jantar.
My boyfriend usually prepares dinner.
Ele costuma cozinhar o jantar para nós.
He usually cooks dinner for us.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, "jantar" is the main evening meal and is often eaten later than in many European countries, sometimes as late as 9 p.m. Using "parceiro" is neutral and can refer to a boyfriend, girlfriend, or any significant other, making the sentence suitable for both formal and informal contexts.