É importante alongar o corpo antes de fazer exercício.

Portuguese uses ser in É importante because this is a general statement: It is important...

• ser is used for general qualities, definitions, and lasting characteristics.
• estar is used more for temporary states or conditions.

So:

• É importante alongar o corpo... = It is important to stretch the body...
• Está importante would sound wrong here.

The accent shows both pronunciation and meaning.

• É = is (from the verb ser)
• e = and

So the accent helps distinguish two different words:

• É importante = It is important
• e importante would be wrong here

In pronunciation, é has an open vowel sound, roughly like eh.

Here, alongar means to stretch.

In Brazilian Portuguese, alongar is very commonly used for stretching the body, especially before or after physical activity.

Examples:

• alongar o corpo = to stretch the body
• alongar as pernas = to stretch the legs
• alongar antes de correr = to stretch before running

So in this sentence, it refers to physical stretching, not making something longer in a literal sense.

Portuguese often uses the definite article with body parts when the owner is obvious.

So instead of saying:

• stretch your body

Portuguese often says:

• alongar o corpo = literally stretch the body

Because it is clear that the person is stretching their own body, seu is unnecessary.

This pattern is very common with body parts:

• Lave as mãos. = Wash your hands.
• Ele levantou a cabeça. = He raised his head.
• Preciso descansar os olhos. = I need to rest my eyes.

Yes. Both are possible, but they feel a little different.

• alongar o corpo = to stretch the body
• se alongar = to stretch oneself

So these are both natural:

• É importante alongar o corpo antes de fazer exercício.
• É importante se alongar antes de fazer exercício.

The version with se alongar is often a bit more natural in everyday speech, while alongar o corpo sounds slightly more explicit.

Because antes is followed by de before an infinitive verb.

The pattern is:

• antes de + infinitive

Examples:

• antes de sair = before leaving
• antes de dormir = before sleeping
• antes de comer = before eating

So:

• antes de fazer exercício = before exercising / before doing exercise

Leaving out de would be incorrect here.

Both can exist, but they are used a little differently.

• fazer exercício often means to exercise in a general sense
• fazer exercícios often suggests doing exercises, possibly individual exercises or workout movements

So in this sentence:

• antes de fazer exercício = before exercising

If you said:

• antes de fazer exercícios

that could sound more like before doing exercises/workout drills.

In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, the singular is very common when talking about exercise in general.

Yes, very common.

Portuguese often uses fazer with nouns where English uses a single verb.

So instead of one verb meaning to exercise, Portuguese very often says:

• fazer exercício
• fazer atividade física

You may also hear:

• se exercitar = to exercise
• malhar = to work out

But fazer exercício is simple, neutral, and very common.

Because after antes de, Portuguese normally uses the infinitive when talking about an action in a general way.

So:

• antes de fazer exercício = before doing exercise

This is similar to English structures like:

• before eating
• before going out

In Portuguese, the infinitive is very common after prepositions like de, para, sem, and por.

Sometimes, yes, depending on context.

• fazer exercício = to exercise
• In many situations, that overlaps with to work out

But work out can sound a bit more gym-specific in English, while fazer exercício is broader. It can include:

• going for a run
• doing stretches
• exercising in general
• physical activity

So exercise is the safest match here.

This is a very common Portuguese structure:

• É + adjective + infinitive

It means:

• It is + adjective + to do something

Examples:

• É bom descansar. = It is good to rest.
• É difícil aprender isso. = It is difficult to learn that.
• É importante estudar. = It is important to study.

So:

• É importante alongar o corpo... = It is important to stretch the body...

This is a normal impersonal structure in Portuguese.

Exercício is pronounced roughly like eh-zehr-SEE-syoo in Brazilian Portuguese, though the exact sound varies by region.

The accent mark in exercício shows the stressed syllable:

• exercício

Without the accent, you would not know the stress as clearly, and the word would not follow the normal spelling pattern.

So the accent helps indicate:

• where the stress goes
• how the word should be pronounced

Yes, absolutely. It sounds natural and correct.

That said, you might also hear variants such as:

• É importante se alongar antes de fazer exercício.
• É importante alongar antes de se exercitar.
• É importante fazer alongamento antes do exercício.

All of these are natural in Brazilian Portuguese. The original sentence is clear, correct, and idiomatic.