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Questions & Answers about A árvore é grande e bonita.
Why do we use "A" instead of "Uma" for the word "árvore"?
In Portuguese, A is the definite article that means the, while Uma is the indefinite article that means a. When you say A árvore, you’re referring to a specific tree. If you were being non-specific, you could say Uma árvore.
Why does "árvore" end with "e" but is still feminine?
Portuguese nouns don’t rely solely on their last letter to determine their gender. Some feminine words end with e (e.g., árvore, pele, classe). You typically learn the gender with the word itself. Here, árvore is feminine.
Why is it "é" instead of "está"?
Portuguese has two verbs for "to be": ser and estar. Use ser (conjugated as é) for permanent or inherent qualities. Use estar for temporary states or conditions. Since the size and beauty of the tree are generally seen as characteristic traits rather than temporary states, é is correct.
Why do we say "bonita" and not "bonito"?
Adjectives in Portuguese usually match the gender of the noun they describe. Árvore is feminine, so we use the feminine form of the adjective: bonita. If we were describing something masculine, like o carro, we’d say o carro é bonito.
Can I say "A árvore é bonita e grande" instead of "A árvore é grande e bonita"?
Yes. In Portuguese, there’s flexibility with the order of adjectives, especially when they are placed after the noun. Both orders are correct, and the meaning remains essentially the same — the tree is both big and pretty.
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