De and dos - when referring to plurals

Portuguese Questions
1

Can you remind me why it is:
A zona dos restaurantes
but
Uma caixa de asprinas.
Why dos in one and de in the other when both refer to a plural. Thanks

2

@kambalange, this forum post should help: When is definite article needed to contract with de

Basically, it’s about how generic or specific the phrase is intended to be. For example, “a zona dos restaurantes” is more specific/concrete, like making a direct reference to the restaurants that are specific to this town. But you can also say “Zona de restaurantes” or “Zona de restauração” and instantly sound more abstract (the area where restaurants are, whatever restaurants they might be). “Caixa de aspirinas” is generic, “caixa das aspirinas” is somehow specific to those tablets at hand.

3

Thanks Joseph. Very clear but way too subtle for a native English speaker - we just don’t seem to have these subtleties in English. It’s a bit like the subjunctive tense - I understand the theory in the lessons but will really struggle to recognize when I should use it. Most times it seems like normal present or past tense to me😊

1 Like
4

Sure, you’re welcome. I know what you mean. And I would actually say that’s the beauty of it all! :slight_smile: