Breakdown of Durante a interrupção programada, não há fornecimento de energia.
Questions & Answers about Durante a interrupção programada, não há fornecimento de energia.
What does durante mean, and how is it used here?
Durante means during.
In Durante a interrupção programada, it introduces a time period:
- durante = during
- a interrupção programada = the scheduled interruption / planned outage
So the phrase means during the scheduled interruption.
Unlike English, Portuguese does not need an extra word like the time of. You can go straight from durante to the noun phrase.
Why is it a interrupção programada with a?
Because interrupção is a feminine singular noun, and here it refers to a specific interruption, so Portuguese uses the definite article a.
Breakdown:
- interrupção = interruption
- a interrupção = the interruption
- programada = scheduled / planned
The adjective programada agrees with interrupção, so both are feminine singular:
- a interrupção programada
What exactly does interrupção programada mean?
It means a scheduled interruption, planned outage, or planned shutdown, depending on context.
In utility or electrical-service language, interrupção programada usually refers to a planned service cut, often for maintenance.
So in this sentence, it strongly suggests a planned interruption of electrical service.
Why does the sentence use não há instead of something like não existe or não tem?
Não há is a very common and standard way to say there is not / there are not in Portuguese.
Here:
So:
- há fornecimento de energia = there is power supply
- não há fornecimento de energia = there is no power supply
Compared with other options:
- não existe is possible, but often sounds a little more like does not exist
- não tem is common in everyday speech in Brazil, but não há sounds more formal and is very common in notices, announcements, and written communication
Why is há singular even though English might say there is or there are?
Because in this structure, haver is impersonal in Portuguese. That means it is always used in the third person singular when it means there is / there are.
Examples:
- Há um problema. = There is a problem.
- Há muitos problemas. = There are many problems.
So even if the following noun is plural, há does not change.
What does fornecimento de energia mean literally?
Literally, it means supply of energy.
Breakdown:
- fornecimento = supply, provision, delivery
- de energia = of energy
In everyday utility context, this usually means:
- electricity supply
- power supply
- electrical service
This is a formal, official-sounding expression, which is why it fits well in a notice or service announcement.
Does energia here specifically mean electricity?
Yes, in this context it does.
By itself, energia can mean energy in a broad sense. But in utility notices like this one, fornecimento de energia normally means electricity supply or power service.
If someone wanted to be more explicit, they could say:
- energia elétrica = electrical energy / electricity
But in many real-life notices, just energia is enough because the context makes it clear.
Could this sentence also be written as Durante a interrupção programada, não há energia?
Yes. Não há energia is very natural and would usually be understood as there is no electricity.
The difference is mostly tone:
- não há energia = simpler, more direct
- não há fornecimento de energia = more formal, technical, official
A utility company or building management notice often prefers fornecimento de energia because it sounds more administrative and precise.
Why is there no article before fornecimento?
Portuguese often does not use an article after há when introducing the existence or absence of something in a general way.
So:
If you added an article, it could sound more specific:
- não há o fornecimento de energia would usually sound unnatural here
- não há um fornecimento de energia would not fit the intended meaning
In this sentence, the noun phrase is being presented as a general condition: power supply is unavailable.
Why is there a comma after programada?
The comma separates the introductory time phrase from the main clause.
Structure:
- Durante a interrupção programada, = During the scheduled interruption,
- não há fornecimento de energia. = there is no power supply.
This comma is very natural in Portuguese, especially in formal writing, when a longer introductory phrase comes first.
Without the comma, the sentence would still be understandable, but the version with the comma is better and more polished.
Can the word order change?
Yes. You could also say:
Não há fornecimento de energia durante a interrupção programada.
This means the same thing.
The difference is emphasis:
- Durante a interrupção programada, não há fornecimento de energia. emphasizes the time period first
- Não há fornecimento de energia durante a interrupção programada. emphasizes the lack of power first
The original version sounds especially natural in notices and announcements.
How do I pronounce há, and why does it have an accent?
Há is pronounced like ah.
The accent mark shows the stressed vowel and also distinguishes it in writing from a, which can be:
- the feminine singular article the
- the preposition to / at in some contexts
So:
- a interrupção = the interruption
- há fornecimento = there is supply
Even though they may sound somewhat similar depending on accent and speed, the written accent helps distinguish them clearly.
Is this sentence formal?
Yes, it is fairly formal and very typical of official Brazilian Portuguese.
Features that make it formal:
- não há instead of more conversational não tem
- fornecimento de energia instead of simpler energia
- interrupção programada as a technical/administrative phrase
This is exactly the kind of wording you might see in:
- utility company notices
- apartment building announcements
- maintenance warnings
- public service messages
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