Portuguese Phrase
Os donos têm que consertar os problemas graves.
Meaning
The sentence states that the owners are obliged to fix the serious problems. It emphasizes responsibility and urgency, especially in contexts like property management or business maintenance.
When to use
Use this phrase when discussing the duties of landlords, business owners, or anyone in charge of a property or system that has significant issues that need immediate attention.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Osdonostêmqueconsertarosproblemasgraves
Definite article (plural)
"Os" is the masculine plural definite article, used before plural nouns like "donos" and "problemas".
Noun (plural)
"donos" means "owners"; it is a regular masculine noun in the plural form.
Verb "ter" (present)
"têm" is the third‑person plural present of "ter" (to have), used here to form the obligation construction "ter que".
Conjunction "que"
"que" links the verb "ter" with the infinitive that follows, creating the meaning "have to".
Infinitive verb
"consertar" means "to fix/repair" and stays in the infinitive after "ter que".
Adjective agreement
"graves" is the plural form of the adjective "grave" and must agree in gender and number with "problemas".
🗨In Conversation
Os donos ainda não consertaram os problemas graves do prédio.
The owners still haven't fixed the serious problems in the building.
Eles têm que consertar os problemas graves o quanto antes.
They have to fix the serious problems as soon as possible.
✕Common Mistakes
Os donos tem que consertar os problemas graves.
Use "têm" (plural) because the subject "os donos" is plural.
Os donos têm que conserta os problemas graves.
After "ter que" the verb must stay in the infinitive, not conjugated.
Os donos têm que consertar os problemas grave.
The adjective must agree in number with "problemas"; use "graves".
↔Alternatives
Os proprietários precisam reparar os problemas sérios.
The proprietors need to repair the serious problems.
É obrigação dos donos consertar os problemas graves.
It is the owners' duty to fix the serious problems.
Os donos devem solucionar os problemas graves.
The owners must solve the serious problems.
Cultural Tip
In Brazilian Portuguese, "ter que" is the most common way to express obligation, similar to "have to" in English. "Consertar" is used for fixing physical objects or systems, while "resolver" or "solucionar" can be used for more abstract problems. Remember that adjectives like "grave" change to "graves" to match plural nouns.