O carro é vermelho.

to be

Breakdown of O carro é vermelho.

• o carro: the car
• vermelho: red

Questions & Answers about O carro é vermelho.

Why is O used before carro?

In Portuguese, O is the masculine singular definite article that means the in English. Since carro (car) is a masculine noun, O is the appropriate article.

What does carro mean and what role does it play in the sentence?

Carro translates to car in English. In this sentence, it is the subject that the sentence is about.

Why is the verb é used in this sentence instead of another form like está?

É is the third person singular form of the verb ser, which expresses inherent or essential characteristics. It’s used here to state that being red is an inherent quality of the car. In Portuguese, ser is preferred for defining qualities, while estar is reserved for temporary states or conditions.

How does the adjective vermelho agree with the noun carro?

The adjective vermelho means red and is in its masculine form to match the gender of carro. In Portuguese, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. If the noun were feminine, the adjective would change accordingly (for example, A casa é vermelha).