Portuguese Phrase
Verifica primeiro os cabos de energia.
Meaning
‘Check the power cables first.’ This is a direct, informal instruction telling someone to inspect the electrical cords before proceeding with any further troubleshooting or operation.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are giving safety or troubleshooting advice, especially in contexts like fixing a computer, TV, or any appliance that isn’t turning on. It’s common among friends, family, or colleagues in a casual setting.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Verificaprimeirooscabosdeenergia
Imperative (tu)
‘Verifica’ is the informal second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘verificar’, used in Brazil for casual instructions.
Adverb of order
‘primeiro’ means ‘first’ and is placed before the object to stress the sequence of actions.
Definite article + noun
‘os cabos’ uses the plural definite article ‘os’ to refer to specific power cables.
Prepositional phrase
‘de energia’ specifies the type of cables, literally ‘of energy’, i.e., power cables.
🗨In Conversation
O computador não liga.
The computer won’t turn on.
Verifica primeiro os cabos de energia.
Check the power cables first.
✕Common Mistakes
Verifique primeiro os cabos de energia.
‘Verifique’ is the formal imperative; using it with ‘primeiro’ sounds overly formal in casual conversation.
Verifica os cabos de energia primeiro.
The placement is grammatically correct but less natural; native speakers usually put ‘primeiro’ right after the verb.
Verifica primeiro o cabo de energia.
If you’re referring to multiple cables, use the plural ‘os cabos’; singular ‘o cabo’ changes the meaning.
↔Alternatives
Cheque primeiro os cabos de energia.
Check the power cables first.
Primeiro, verifique os cabos de energia.
First, verify the power cables.
Antes de tudo, verifica os cabos de energia.
Before anything else, check the power cables.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘Verifica’ is the informal imperative used with ‘tu’. In Portugal, speakers often prefer the formal imperative ‘Verifique’ (you) or the infinitive construction ‘Verificar os cabos de energia primeiro’. Also, placing ‘primeiro’ before the object is common in spoken Portuguese to stress the order of steps.