O alvo está longe.

In Portuguese, it is very common to use the definite article where English might not.

• o alvo = the target
• alvo by itself can mean target in a more general or dictionary-like sense

So O alvo está longe. most naturally means The target is far away.

Portuguese has two main verbs for to be: ser and estar.

Here, estar is used because longe describes a location or spatial situation:

• está longe = is far away

As a general rule:

• ser is used for identity, essence, permanent traits, time, etc.
• estar is used for location, condition, and temporary states

So:

• O alvo está longe. = The target is far away.
• Using é longe can exist in other contexts, but it usually means something like it is far in a more general sense, often about a place or distance overall, not the current location of a thing.

Está is the third-person singular form of estar in the present tense.

Full present tense of estar:

• eu estou = I am
• você / ele / ela está = you / he / she is
• nós estamos = we are
• vocês / eles / elas estão = you all / they are

Since o alvo is singular, we use está.

Longe means far or far away.

In sentences like this, it often behaves like an adverb or location-related word:

• está longe = is far away

You can also see it with de:

• está longe de casa = is far from home
• longe daqui = far from here

For a learner, the most useful thing is to remember estar longe as a very common expression meaning to be far away.

Because Portuguese expresses that idea differently. Longe already covers the meaning of far / far away in many contexts.

So:

• está longe = is far / is far away

Portuguese does not need a separate word matching English away here.

Yes. O alvo está distante is possible and means something very similar.

A few nuances:

• longe is very common and natural in everyday speech
• distante can sound a little more formal or descriptive depending on context

Both are correct, but está longe is probably the more basic and common phrase for learners to know first.

A rough pronunciation guide:

• O ≈ oo / oh (short, unstressed)
• alvo ≈ AHL-voo
• está ≈ es-TAH
• longe ≈ LON-zhee or LON-jee, depending on accent

A rough full version: oo AHL-voo es-TAH LON-zhee

A few notes:

• The stress in está is on the last syllable: -tá
• In much of Brazil, the g in longe sounds like the s in measure or the zh in vision

Yes, alvo is masculine, which is why it uses o:

• o alvo = the target

Often, nouns ending in -o are masculine, though not always. Here you simply learn it as part of the noun.

Because it is masculine singular, the article is:

• o = the

Usually alvo means target, not goal in the general abstract sense.

Depending on context, alvo can refer to:

• a physical target
• a military target
• the target of criticism or attention
• a figurative target

If you mean goal as an objective or aim, Portuguese often uses other words such as objetivo or meta.

So the most direct meaning here is The target is far away.

You can change word order in Portuguese, but the normal, neutral order is:

• O alvo está longe.

Something like Está longe o alvo is possible in some contexts, but it sounds marked, poetic, or focused in a special way. For a learner, stick with:

• subject + verb + complement
• O alvo está longe.

You would make both the noun and the verb plural:

• Os alvos estão longe.

Breakdown:

• o alvo → os alvos
• está → estão

Notice that longe does not change here.

You can add a phrase with de:

• O alvo está longe daqui. = The target is far from here.
• O alvo está longe de nós. = The target is far from us.
• O alvo está longe da cidade. = The target is far from the city.

This is a very common pattern:

• estar longe de + place/person

Yes, very important.

The accent in está shows the stressed syllable and helps distinguish the correct form and pronunciation.

• está = is
• stress falls on the last syllable: es-TÁ

In Portuguese, accents are not optional decoration. They are part of correct spelling.