A taxa de condomínio está alta.

Here, a means the, not a/an.

That is because taxa is a feminine singular noun, so the definite article is a = the.

• a taxa = the fee
• uma taxa = a fee

So A taxa de condomínio está alta means The condo fee is high, not A condo fee is high.

Taxa usually means fee, rate, or charge, depending on context.

In this sentence, taxa de condomínio is the regular fee paid for building or condo maintenance, shared services, staff, security, etc. In natural English, this is often translated as:

• condo fee
• condominium fee
• building maintenance fee
• sometimes HOA fee, depending on the situation

So taxa here is not just any random tax or rate; it refers to a specific recurring charge.

De often means of or for, and it is commonly used in Portuguese to connect one noun to another.

So:

• taxa de condomínio = literally fee of condominium
• more natural English: condo fee / condominium fee

This structure is very common in Portuguese:

• conta de luz = electricity bill
• taxa de inscrição = registration fee
• salão de beleza = beauty salon

So de condomínio tells you what kind of fee it is.

In Brazilian Portuguese, condomínio can refer to:

1. the condominium system/ownership
2. a residential building or complex
3. by extension, the monthly condo/building fee, in some contexts

In this sentence, taxa de condomínio clearly means the fee related to the building or condo complex.

In Brazil, people may also casually say things like:

• O condomínio está caro.

Even though condomínio literally means condominium, in everyday speech it can stand for the monthly fee.

It uses está because the sentence describes a current condition or state: the fee is high right now.

Portuguese often distinguishes between:

• ser for more permanent or defining characteristics
• estar for temporary states, conditions, or how something is at the moment

So:

• A taxa de condomínio está alta. = The condo fee is high.
  This sounds like a current situation or evaluation.
• A taxa de condomínio é alta. = The condo fee is high.
  This can also be possible, but it sounds more like a general characteristic or a more permanent fact.

In real life, both can appear, but está alta is very natural when commenting on a price or fee that has gone up or feels high now.

Because alta agrees with taxa, and taxa is feminine singular.

In Portuguese, adjectives usually agree in gender and number with the noun they describe:

• taxa → feminine singular
• therefore → alta

Compare:

• A taxa está alta. = The fee is high.
• O preço está alto. = The price is high.

So the adjective changes:

• alto with masculine singular nouns
• alta with feminine singular nouns

No. Here alta means high, not tall.

Portuguese alto/alta can mean:

• tall for people or objects with height
• high for prices, fees, temperatures, levels, etc.

In this sentence, because it refers to a fee, alta means high/expensive.

For example:

• Ele é alto. = He is tall.
• A temperatura está alta. = The temperature is high.
• A conta está alta. = The bill is high.

Yes, and it changes the meaning slightly.

• A taxa de condomínio = the condo fee / condominium fee in general
• A taxa do condomínio = the fee of the condominium / the fee for that specific condo building

Why?

• de + o = do
• so do condomínio means of the condominium

If you are talking about a specific building already known in the conversation, A taxa do condomínio está alta is very natural.

So both are possible, but:

• de condomínio sounds more like a type/category
• do condomínio sounds more specific

It is correct and natural, but in everyday Brazilian Portuguese, many people simply say:

• o condomínio

meaning the monthly condo/building fee.

For example:

• O condomínio está alto.
• O valor do condomínio está alto.
• A taxa de condomínio está alta.

All are understandable. A taxa de condomínio está alta is a little more explicit and formal-sounding than just O condomínio está alto.

The normal Portuguese sentence order here is:

article + noun phrase + verb + adjective

So:

• A taxa de condomínio = subject
• está = verb
• alta = adjective/complement

This is the standard order for a sentence like The fee is high.

Portuguese usually places the adjective after ser/estar in this kind of structure:

• A casa está limpa.
• O carro está caro.
• A taxa está alta.

Putting alta before está would not work in a normal statement.

A simple pronunciation guide is:

a TAH-sha dji kon-do-MEE-nyu es-TAH AW-tah

A few notes for Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation:

• taxa sounds roughly like TAH-sha
• de often sounds like dji before certain sounds in Brazilian speech
• condomínio has stress on mí: con-do-MÍ-nio
• está has stress on the last syllable: es-TÁ
• alta sounds like AWL-ta or AHL-ta, depending on accent

This is only an approximation, but it helps.

The accent mark shows the stressed syllable.

• está is stressed on the last syllable: es-TÁ

Without getting too deep into spelling rules, many Portuguese verbs need accent marks in certain forms to show correct stress and distinguish them from other words.

So the accent in está is important and should be written.

Yes, if the context is already clear.

• A taxa está alta. = The fee is high.

This works if everyone already knows which fee you are talking about. But without context, taxa is vague because it could mean many kinds of fees.

Adding de condomínio makes it specific:

• A taxa de condomínio está alta.

It is neutral and completely natural. It works in both spoken and written Brazilian Portuguese.

It is not slang, and it is not especially formal. You could use it:

• in conversation
• in a complaint
• in a message to a friend
• in a written note

If you wanted to sound a bit more casual, you might hear:

• O condomínio está caro.
• Nossa, a taxa do condomínio está muito alta.

Sometimes, yes, but the structure changes.

You would usually say:

• A taxa de condomínio está alta.
• O condomínio está caro.
• A taxa de condomínio está cara.

Both alta and cara can work with prices/fees, but they are not exactly identical in feel:

• alta focuses on being high
• cara focuses on being expensive

Also notice agreement:

• taxa is feminine → cara
• condomínio is masculine → caro

So these are all possible:

• A taxa de condomínio está alta.
• A taxa de condomínio está cara.
• O condomínio está caro.

You can add muito before alta:

• A taxa de condomínio está muito alta.

That means The condo fee is very high.

Other useful intensifiers:

• bem alta = quite high / really high
• alta demais = too high
• muito cara = very expensive

For example:

• A taxa de condomínio está alta demais. = The condo fee is too high.

Yes, it can.

Because it uses está alta, it may suggest a current situation, often with the idea that the speaker feels the fee is high now, possibly after an increase.

If you want to make that idea clearer, you could say:

• A taxa de condomínio aumentou. = The condo fee increased.
• A taxa de condomínio subiu muito. = The condo fee went up a lot.
• A taxa de condomínio está mais alta. = The condo fee is higher.

So the original sentence does not explicitly say the fee increased, but it can strongly suggest that kind of context.