O valor do curso é alto.

to be

Breakdown of O valor do curso é alto.

• o curso: the course
• o valor: the price
• alto: high

Questions & Answers about O valor do curso é alto.

Why do we combine de + o into do in O valor do curso?

In Portuguese, whenever de (of/from) is followed by the masculine definite article o (the), they merge into do. So instead of saying O valor de o curso, it becomes O valor do curso. This is simply a contraction rule in Portuguese to make speech and writing flow more naturally.

When should I use valor versus preço in Portuguese?

Both can refer to how much something costs, but preço is more directly about its purchase cost, whereas valor can be broader, implying its worth, importance, or value. For example, you can say O preço deste livro é alto, while valor might be used not only for the monetary aspect but also its perceived importance (e.g., Esse livro tem um grande valor cultural).

Why do we use é rather than está to say O valor do curso é alto?

In Portuguese, ser (conjugated here as é) generally expresses more permanent or inherent characteristics. A price or value is considered a defining feature rather than a temporary state. If you used está, you’d be suggesting it’s a temporary condition that might quickly change, which is less common when talking about a course’s cost unless you’re stressing that it’s unusually high at the moment.

Is there any difference between saying O valor do curso é alto and O preço do curso é alto?

They are largely interchangeable in the sense of expressing that the course is expensive. However, valor often emphasizes a broader sense of worth, sometimes implying that the course might also carry a certain prestige or importance. Preço is more direct and usually just refers to the monetary cost.

Could you say O valor do curso é grande instead of alto?

While you might be understood, grande is less natural for referring to how high a cost or value is. In Portuguese, alto is the preferred adjective for describing that something costs a lot or has a high price/value. Grande more often describes physical size or a more abstract notion of something being significant in magnitude (like um grande problema).