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Questions & Answers about Este carro é rápido?
Why is rápido in its masculine form here?
In Portuguese, adjectives must agree with the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the noun. Since carro is a masculine noun, you use the masculine form rápido (instead of rápida, which is feminine).
Can I switch the word order to ask the same question in Portuguese?
Yes, you can also say O carro é rápido? or É rápido este carro? — but Este carro é rápido? is a very natural way to ask.
How is este different from esse?
Este generally refers to something close to the speaker, while esse usually refers to something closer to the listener. In many regions of Brazil, people use esse in most situations, but este is still correct and means “this” (near the speaker).
Why do we use é here instead of está?
É comes from ser, which often describes permanent or inherent qualities (like “fast”). Está comes from estar, which you use for states or conditions that can change (like mood or location). Since speed is an inherent characteristic of the car, é is used.
Should I raise my intonation at the end of the sentence to show it’s a question?
Yes, in spoken Portuguese, you typically raise your intonation to indicate a question. There’s no need for additional words like Será que... or a “do/does” equivalent. Just raise your voice at the end of Este carro é rápido? to make it sound like a question.