A verdade é importante para todos nós.

to be

Breakdown of A verdade é importante para todos nós.

• para: for
• importante: important
• a verdade: the truth
• todos nós: all of us

Questions & Answers about A verdade é importante para todos nós.

Why does the sentence use a before verdade?

In Portuguese, the definite article a (feminine form of o) is typically used to talk about specific nouns or concepts. Here, a verdade means the truth in a general or universal sense, much like saying the truth in English.

Is there any difference between é and está in this context?

Yes. É comes from the verb ser, which is used for permanent or lasting states, inherent characteristics, or general truths. Está, from the verb estar, conveys temporary conditions or states. Since truth is inherently something that doesn’t change, Portuguese uses é instead of está.

Why do we use para instead of another preposition?

Para generally translates as for when indicating a purpose, intention, or recipient. In this sentence, para conveys the idea that the truth is important for all of us. Another preposition, like por, would suggest a different nuance (e.g., because of all of us, or on behalf of all of us), which isn’t the intended meaning here.

What does todos nós literally mean, and could it be said differently?

Todos nós translates to all of us. The word todos means all, and nós means we/us. You sometimes hear a gente (we/people) in colloquial Portuguese, but todos nós is completely standard and formal.

Why is importante not changed to match masculine or feminine forms?

In Portuguese, some adjectives, like importante, end in -e and do not change form to reflect masculine or feminine nouns. They remain the same whether the noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural (although in the plural it becomes importantes).