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Questions & Answers about Este café está quente.
Why is está used here instead of é?
In Portuguese, estar indicates a temporary condition or state, while ser is used for permanent or inherent characteristics. Since the temperature of the coffee can change, we use está to show its current state of being hot.
Why do we say este instead of esse when referring to the coffee?
Este means "this," referring to something close to the speaker, while esse means "that," referring to something close to the listener (or not as close to the speaker). Because the coffee is presumably in your hand or right in front of you, este is used.
What is the difference between está and esta (without the accent)?
Está is a form of the verb estar meaning "is" (e.g., "it is hot"). Esta (without the accent) is a demonstrative pronoun or adjective meaning "this" (feminine), as in "esta xícara" ("this cup").
Is the word café always masculine in Portuguese?
Yes, café is a masculine noun in Portuguese. You would use masculine articles and adjectives with it, for example, "o café," "um café," and "café quente."
How do you pronounce quente in Brazilian Portuguese?
It's typically pronounced something like "KEN-chee". The first syllable has an open "e" sound (like in "get"), and the "t" has a soft, "chee"-like sound before e or i in Brazilian Portuguese.