Falta uma vírgula nesta frase, e também um acento naquela palavra.

Here falta comes from the verb faltar, which often means to be missing or to be lacking.

So Falta uma vírgula is literally something like A comma is missing. In natural English, we usually say There is a comma missing.

Portuguese often uses this pattern:

• Falta um documento. = A document is missing.
• Faltam duas páginas. = Two pages are missing.

So starting with the verb is completely normal.

The subject is uma vírgula.

That can feel strange to an English speaker, because in English we often use there is/there are. But in Portuguese, the noun itself is the subject, even if it comes after the verb.

So:

• Falta uma vírgula
  subject = uma vírgula

• Faltam duas vírgulas
  subject = duas vírgulas

Portuguese allows this verb + subject order very naturally with verbs like faltar.

Because the sentence is really understood as two coordinated parts:

• Falta uma vírgula nesta frase
• e também [falta] um acento naquela palavra

In other words, the second falta is omitted, but understood.

Each missing thing is singular:

• uma vírgula
• um acento

So singular falta makes sense in each part.

If you combined both things into one single subject, then plural would be normal:

• Faltam uma vírgula e um acento.

Because Portuguese nouns have grammatical gender, and the article must agree with the noun.

• vírgula is feminine → uma vírgula
• acento is masculine → um acento

The same happens later in the sentence:

• frase is feminine → nesta frase
• palavra is feminine → naquela palavra

So the form of the article or demonstrative changes to match the noun.

They are contractions of em + a demonstrative.

• nesta = em esta
• naquela = em aquela

In standard Portuguese, these combinations contract into one word.

Their basic meanings are:

• nesta frase = in this sentence
• naquela palavra = in that word

They also show feminine singular agreement because frase and palavra are feminine singular nouns.

This is about demonstratives: this versus that.

• nesta frase points to something closer, more immediate, or currently in focus
• naquela palavra points to something more distant

So the sentence creates a contrast similar to this sentence and that word.

A useful note for Brazilian Portuguese: in everyday speech, the distinction between este and esse is often looser than in formal grammar. So you may hear nessa frase where a textbook might prefer nesta frase. But nesta is perfectly correct and clear here.

That comma is not always strictly necessary.

Many people would also write:

• Falta uma vírgula nesta frase e também um acento naquela palavra.

The comma in the original sentence helps separate the two coordinated ideas and marks a pause, especially because the second part has an omitted falta:

• ..., e também [falta] um acento...

So the comma is understandable and stylistically acceptable, but in simpler coordination with e, Portuguese often leaves the comma out.

Yes. That is very natural in Brazilian Portuguese.

Compare:

• Falta uma vírgula nesta frase.
• Está faltando uma vírgula nesta frase.

Both mean essentially the same thing. The version with está faltando can sound a little more conversational or immediate, while falta is shorter and slightly more direct.

Both are common.

Também means also or too.

Here it adds the second missing item:

• ..., e também um acento naquela palavra.

That means something like ..., and also an accent mark in that word.

Yes, também can often move around a bit:

• Também falta um acento naquela palavra.
• Falta também um acento naquela palavra.
• ..., e também falta um acento naquela palavra.

All of these are possible, though the exact rhythm and emphasis change slightly.

It can mean either, depending on context.

• acento can mean an accent mark in writing
• acento can also mean accent in speech

In this sentence, it clearly means an accent mark, because it refers to that word.

If you want to be extra precise, you can say acento gráfico for a written accent mark.

Also, in everyday Brazilian Portuguese, a person’s spoken accent is very often called sotaque.

Yes, absolutely.

Both are correct:

• Falta uma vírgula nesta frase.
• Nesta frase falta uma vírgula.

The difference is mostly one of focus and style.

• Falta uma vírgula nesta frase starts with the missing thing
• Nesta frase falta uma vírgula starts with the location

Portuguese is more flexible than English with this kind of word order.