A cor daquela blusa é bonita.

Questions & Answers about A cor daquela blusa é bonita.

Why is it a cor and not just cor?

In Portuguese, it is very common to use the definite article with nouns when speaking in a general or specific way.

So a cor means the color.

In this sentence, the speaker is talking about the specific color of a specific blouse, so a cor sounds natural. Leaving the article out would usually sound incomplete or unnatural here.

Why is daquela one word?

Daquela is a contraction of:

  • de = of
  • aquela = that

So:

  • de + aquela = daquela

This is very common in Portuguese. Since the sentence means the color of that blouse, Portuguese uses de to show possession or relationship.

Similar contractions:

  • de + o = do
  • de + a = da
  • de + este = deste
  • de + essa = dessa
Why do we use daquela blusa instead of something like aquela blusa’s color?

Portuguese usually does not use the English-style ’s possessive structure.

Instead, it normally uses:

So:

  • the color of that blousea cor daquela blusa

This structure is much more natural in Portuguese than trying to copy the English possessive pattern.

What does aquela mean exactly?

Aquela is a feminine singular demonstrative adjective meaning that.

It agrees with blusa, which is feminine singular.

Basic forms:

  • este / esta = this
  • esse / essa = that
  • aquele / aquela = that over there / that one

In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, the distinction between esse/essa and aquele/aquela is often less strict than in grammar books, but aquela blusa is perfectly natural for that blouse.

Why is it aquela blusa and not aquele blusa?

Because blusa is a feminine noun.

In Portuguese, demonstratives must agree with the noun in gender and number:

  • aquele = masculine singular
  • aquela = feminine singular
  • aqueles = masculine plural
  • aquelas = feminine plural

Since blusa is feminine singular, the correct form is aquela.

Why is bonita feminine?

Because bonita agrees with cor, which is feminine.

This is an important point: bonita describes cor, not directly blusa.

So the structure is:

  • A cor → subject
  • é bonita → description of the subject

Even though blusa is also feminine, the adjective here is grammatically linked to cor.

Is bonita describing the color or the blouse?

Grammatically, it describes the color.

The subject of the sentence is A cor daquela blusa = The color of that blouse.

So é bonita means is beautiful / is pretty, referring to the color.

If you wanted to say the blouse is pretty, you would say:

  • Aquela blusa é bonita.

That means That blouse is pretty.

Why do we use é and not está?

Portuguese often uses two verbs for to be:

Here, é bonita uses ser because the sentence describes a characteristic or quality of the color.

So:

  • é bonita = it is beautiful / pretty as a description

Using está bonita would suggest a more temporary or situational state, which is less natural when talking about a color itself.

What is the basic sentence structure here?

The structure is:

  • A cor daquela blusa = the color of that blouse
  • é = is
  • bonita = beautiful / pretty

So the pattern is:

More literally:

  • The color of that blouse is beautiful.

This is a very common Portuguese sentence pattern.

How is cor pronounced, and why does it not look feminine?

Cor is a feminine noun even though it does not end in -a.

That is normal in Portuguese: grammatical gender does not always match the final letter.

Examples:

  • a cor = the color
  • a flor = the flower
  • a dor = the pain

So you simply have to learn its gender as part of the word: a cor.

In Brazilian Portuguese, cor is pronounced roughly like kohr, with a sound similar to English core, though the Portuguese r may vary depending on accent.

Could you also say A cor da blusa é bonita?

Yes. That would mean The color of the blouse is pretty.

The difference is:

  • da blusa = of the blouse
  • daquela blusa = of that blouse

So daquela adds the idea of that specific blouse.

Both are correct; the choice depends on whether you want to point out which blouse you mean.

Is bonita better translated as beautiful or pretty?

It can be either, depending on context.

Bonito/bonita is a very common adjective that can mean:

  • beautiful
  • pretty
  • nice
  • good-looking

When talking about a color, English might naturally say:

  • The color of that blouse is beautiful or
  • The color of that blouse is pretty

Both are reasonable. The exact best translation depends on tone and context.

AI Language TutorTry it ↗
Your avatar
What's the best way to learn Portuguese grammar?
Portuguese grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Portuguese

Master Portuguese — from A cor daquela blusa é bonita to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • AI tutor to answer your grammar questions