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A aluna gosta de estudar na biblioteca.

A aluna gosta de estudar na biblioteca.
The (female) student likes to study in the library.
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Questions & Answers about A aluna gosta de estudar na biblioteca.

Why is there an a before aluna?

In Portuguese, singular countable nouns almost always need an article (or another determiner) when used as a subject.

  • a = the (feminine singular definite article)
  • aluna = female student

So A aluna literally means “the (female) student.”
If you say just Aluna gosta..., it sounds incomplete or like a very stylized headline, not normal everyday speech.

What is the difference between aluna, aluno, and estudante?
  • aluna – female student (feminine)
  • aluno – male student (masculine)
  • estudante – student (can be male or female; grammatically it’s treated as:
    • o estudante = male student
    • a estudante = female student

So you could also say:

  • A estudante gosta de estudar na biblioteca. – The (female) student...
  • O estudante gosta de estudar na biblioteca. – The (male) student...
Why is it gosta de and not just gosta?

In Portuguese, the verb gostar almost always requires the preposition de before what you like.

  • gostar de algo – to like something
  • gostar de fazer algo – to like doing something

Examples:

  • Ela gosta de música. – She likes music.
  • Ela gosta de estudar. – She likes to study.

So gosta de in gosta de estudar is the natural, correct structure.
Leaving out de (gosta estudar) is incorrect.

Can I say A aluna gosta estudar na biblioteca without de?

No. That sounds wrong to native speakers.

You must say:

  • A aluna gosta de estudar na biblioteca.

Because gostar needs de before both nouns and verbs:

  • gostar de chocolate
  • gostar de viajar
  • gostar de estudar na biblioteca
Why is it estudar and not estudando?

Estudar is the infinitive form (“to study”), and that’s what you normally use after gostar de to express likes:

  • gostar de + infinitive
    • gosta de ler – likes to read / likes reading
    • gosta de dançar – likes to dance / dancing

Estudando is the gerund (“studying”), which is mainly used for ongoing actions:

  • Ela está estudando. – She is studying.

So for general likes, you use gostar de + infinitive, not the gerund.

What person and tense is gosta? How is gostar conjugated?

In this sentence, gosta is:

  • present tense
  • 3rd person singular (he / she / it / you-formal)

Basic present conjugation of gostar:

  • eu gosto – I like
  • você / ele / ela gosta – you / he / she likes
  • nós gostamos – we like
  • vocês / eles / elas gostam – you (pl.) / they like

So:

  • A aluna gosta... = “The (female) student likes...”
What does na mean, and how is it formed?

Na is a contraction:

  • na = em + a

Where:

  • em = in / on / at
  • a = the (feminine singular)

So na means “in the / at the” for feminine singular nouns:

  • na biblioteca – in the library
  • na escola – at school
  • na cozinha – in the kitchen
Why is it na biblioteca and not em a biblioteca?

In standard Portuguese, when em comes before a definite article, you must contract:

  • em + a = na
  • em + o = no
  • em + as = nas
  • em + os = nos

So instead of em a biblioteca, you say na biblioteca.
Em a biblioteca sounds wrong in normal speech and writing.

Do we always use the article with places like biblioteca? Could I say just em biblioteca?

In this kind of sentence, you normally use the definite article:

  • na biblioteca – in the (specific / known) library

Saying just em biblioteca is unusual and sounds incomplete or very abstract (like “in libraries in general” in a technical or formal text).

For everyday meaning “in the library,” you should say:

  • A aluna gosta de estudar na biblioteca.
Can the word order change, like A aluna na biblioteca gosta de estudar?

Yes, you can move phrases around in Portuguese, but it changes the feel slightly.

  • A aluna gosta de estudar na biblioteca.
    Neutral: “The student likes to study in the library.”

  • A aluna, na biblioteca, gosta de estudar.
    This sounds like you’re emphasizing the place (in the library) more, and it’s less natural as a simple, neutral sentence.

For basic sentences, keep the original word order:
Subject – verb – rest of the sentence → A aluna gosta de estudar na biblioteca.

How would the sentence change for a male student or for multiple students?

For a male student:

  • O aluno gosta de estudar na biblioteca.
    • O (masculine singular article)
    • aluno (male student)
    • gosta stays the same (still 3rd person singular)

For female students (plural):

  • As alunas gostam de estudar na biblioteca.
    • As (feminine plural article)
    • alunas (female students)
    • gostam (3rd person plural)

For male or mixed group (plural):

  • Os alunos gostam de estudar na biblioteca.
How would I turn this sentence into a yes/no question in Portuguese?

You usually keep the same word order and change intonation, or add a question mark in writing:

  • A aluna gosta de estudar na biblioteca?
    – Does the student like to study in the library?

You don’t need to invert the subject and verb like in English.
Just raise your voice at the end when speaking.