Portuguese Phrase
O que seus pais fizeram?
Meaning
This is a direct question asking about actions completed by someone's parents in the past. It utilizes the third-person plural form of the irregular verb 'fazer' in the preterite tense.
When to use
Use this phrase when inquiring about a specific past event involving a friend's parents or asking about their general activities during a past timeframe like a weekend or vacation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
O queseuspaisfizeram
O que
A common way to say 'what' when starting a question in Portuguese.
Fizeram
The preterite (past) third-person plural form of the irregular verb 'fazer' (to do/make).
🗨In Conversation
O que seus pais fizeram no feriado?
What did your parents do on the holiday?
Eles ficaram em casa descansando.
They stayed at home resting.
✕Common Mistakes
O que seus pais faziam?
'Faziam' is the imperfect tense, used for ongoing or habitual past actions, rather than a specific completed event.
O que seus pais fazem?
'Fazem' is the present tense; use 'fizeram' to talk about the past.
↔Alternatives
O que os seus pais andaram fazendo?
What have your parents been doing lately?
Como seus pais passaram o dia?
How did your parents spend the day?
Cultural Tip
In many Portuguese-speaking cultures, especially in Brazil, asking about family members is a standard part of social interaction and shows genuine interest in a person's life. Using 'seus' is common in Brazil, whereas in some parts of Portugal, 'os teus' or 'os vossos' might be preferred depending on the level of formality.