O filme é tão bonito.

The movie is so beautiful.

Breakdown of O filme é tão bonito.

• ser: to be
• o filme: the movie
• bonito: beautiful
• tão: so

Questions & Answers about O filme é tão bonito.

What does tão mean here, and how does it differ from muito?

Tão in this sentence translates to so in English (as in “so beautiful”). It intensifies the adjective bonito. Muito can also intensify adjectives, but it usually translates to very (e.g., muito bonito = “very beautiful”). Tão often conveys a stronger sense of emphasis or surprise, whereas muito is more neutral.

Why is it O filme and not A filme?

The word filme is a masculine noun in Portuguese, so it takes the masculine article o. Nouns don’t always follow a predictable ending for gender in Portuguese; sometimes you just need to memorize them. Other masculine nouns that end with -e include o nome (“the name”) and o telefone (“the telephone”).

Why do we say é and not está?

Portuguese has two verbs that mean to be: ser and estar. Use ser (é) for permanent or long-lasting attributes (like describing a film’s defining qualities). Use estar (está) for temporary states or conditions (like someone’s mood or a short-term situation).

Can bonito be changed to bonita?