Isto é ótimo.

to be

Breakdown of Isto é ótimo.

• isto: this (neutral pronoun)
• ótimo: great; excellent

Questions & Answers about Isto é ótimo.

How do I pronounce Isto é ótimo in Brazilian Portuguese?

A natural Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation is roughly:

EES-too eh AW-chee-moo

A bit more precisely:

• isto → EES-too
• é → eh (like e in bet, but clearer)
• ótimo → AW-chee-moo in many Brazilian accents, because ti before a vowel often sounds like chi

A more IPA-like version is: /ˈis.tu ɛ ˈɔ.tʃi.mu/

Two important notes:

• The é is a separate word and gets its own vowel sound.
• In Brazil, t before i often becomes a ch-like sound, so ótimo often sounds like ótchimo.

What does isto mean, and when do I use it?

Isto is a demonstrative pronoun. It means this in a neutral sense, usually referring to this thing, this matter, or this idea rather than naming a specific noun.

For example:

• Isto é importante. = This is important.
• O que é isto? = What is this?

In Isto é ótimo, isto stands alone, so it works like this or this thing in English.