Off: Como utilizar

What a fantastic tool!!!
Thank you so much. I had looked it up, but it was still a bit unclear.
Sometimes I get the meaning, but find it difficult to explain why it is like that.
Again, thanks a lot.
Ana

Marcio_Farias escreveu:Just an addition to donay's post.

"Off" suggests an absence/detachment/position/distance away from a place or point, either physically or spatially. It does not necessarily carry a negative connotation.

The three of us talked a bit lively, but João said good-bye and walked off to the bus stop. (João moved away [an unspeakable distance, a distance we could not immediately measure] using his legs.)

The use of off keeps me wondering how American and British kids eventually master it. I might have simply stated, "... walked to the bus stop" and think yes, off does not make a difference. If it, in fact, does, then we might think better of it and use it. In pretty much the same way native English-speaking kids use when they learned it. Long exposure to the language may help us get the knack of it, I guess. But off to another topic we'd better move.

Hi Thomas,
Thank you so much. It's my first time at the Forum, I believe I am a little lost.
Anyway, that was very kind of you to add so much more of this weird but necessary preposition. I am impressed with it.

donay mendonça escreveu:Ana Maria Costa,


In order to get breastfeeding off to the best start possible.
Para começara a amamentação da melhor forma possível.

This year, production is off to a slow start.
Este ano, a produção começou devagar.

Comentário:

Neste caso, trata-se de uma expressão idiomática(idiom), que é "get/be off to a good,bad,etc start", usada no sentido de "começar bem, mal, etc".

Bem Vinda Ao Fórum!

Donay,
Thank you. That's all I needed. I had looked it up but you went straight to the point.
Fantastic tool.

Ana Maria Costa,


In order to get breastfeeding off to the best start possible.
Para começara a amamentação da melhor forma possível.

This year, production is off to a slow start.
Este ano, a produção começou devagar.

Comentário:

Neste caso, trata-se de uma expressão idiomática(idiom), que é "get/be off to a good,bad,etc start", usada no sentido de "começar bem, mal, etc".

Bem Vinda Ao Fórum!

Just an addition to donay's post.

"Off" suggests an absence/detachment/position/distance away from a place or point, either physically or spatially. It does not necessarily carry a negative connotation.

The three of us talked a bit lively, but João said good-bye and walked off to the bus stop. (João moved away [an unspeakable distance, a distance we could not immediately measure] using his legs.)

The use of off keeps me wondering how American and British kids eventually master it. I might have simply stated, "... walked to the bus stop" and think yes, off does not make a difference. If it, in fact, does, then we might think better of it and use it. In pretty much the same way native English-speaking kids use when they learned it. Long exposure to the language may help us get the knack of it, I guess. But off to another topic we'd better move.