Esta maneira é simples.

Both are demonstratives, but they point to things differently.

• esta = this
• essa = usually that, or sometimes this in everyday Brazilian speech

In traditional grammar:

• esta refers to something close to the speaker
• essa refers to something close to the listener
• aquela refers to something farther from both

In real Brazilian Portuguese, people often use esse/essa where older or more formal grammar would prefer este/esta. So Esta maneira é simples is correct, but in everyday speech many Brazilians would more naturally say Essa maneira é simples depending on context.

It is grammatical and understandable, but it can sound a bit formal or bookish depending on context.

In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, people often say things like:

• Esse jeito é simples.
• Essa forma é simples.
• Dessa maneira é simples. (in some contexts)
• É simples assim. (very common, but not the same structure)

So your sentence is correct, but maneira and esta together can sound slightly more formal than casual spoken Brazilian Portuguese.

Maneira means way, manner, or method, depending on context.

It is similar to:

• jeito = way, manner, knack; very common and often more conversational
• forma = form, way, method; often a bit more neutral or formal
• modo = mode, way; usually more formal or technical

So:

• esta maneira = this way / this manner
• este jeito = this way (more everyday)
• esta forma = this way / this form

They are often close in meaning, but jeito usually sounds more natural in casual Brazilian speech.

Because maneira is a feminine noun.

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

• este = masculine singular
• esta = feminine singular
• estes = masculine plural
• estas = feminine plural

Since maneira is feminine singular, you need esta.

You usually learn the gender together with the noun.

Here, maneira is feminine, so it behaves like other feminine nouns:

• a maneira
• esta maneira
• uma maneira simples

The ending -a often suggests a feminine noun, and in this case that pattern is correct. But remember that noun gender is not always predictable just from the ending, so it is best to learn nouns with their article.

É is the third-person singular form of the verb ser in the present tense:

• eu sou
• você é
• ele/ela é

The accent is important because:

• é = is
• e = and

So the accent changes the meaning completely.

Portuguese often does not use a separate subject like it in the same way English does.

In this sentence, the subject is already explicit: Esta maneira. So the structure is simply:

• Esta maneira = subject
• é = verb
• simples = description

Portuguese does not need a dummy subject like English sometimes does.

Some adjectives change form for gender, but simples does not.

Compare:

• bonito / bonita
• claro / clara

But:

• simples stays simples with both masculine and feminine singular nouns

Examples:

• um método simples
• uma maneira simples

In the plural, it is also written simples:

• métodos simples
• maneiras simples

So this adjective is invariable in form here.

Simples is an adjective describing maneira.

The structure is:

• Esta maneira = this way / this manner
• é = is
• simples = simple

So simples is a predicate adjective after the verb ser, just like in English:

• The method is simple.
• Esta maneira é simples.

Yes, but it means something slightly different.

• Esta maneira é simples = This way/manner is simple
• Esta é uma maneira simples = This is a simple way/manner

In the first sentence, maneira is the subject. In the second sentence, esta stands alone as this, and uma maneira simples identifies what it is.

So both are correct, but they are not the same structure.

Yes. In fact, in everyday Brazilian Portuguese, that may sound more natural in many situations.

Although traditional grammar distinguishes esta and essa, spoken Brazilian Portuguese often prefers essa unless the speaker wants to be especially precise, formal, or literary.

So:

• Esta maneira é simples = correct
• Essa maneira é simples = also very common in Brazil

The best choice depends on context and register.

A simple pronunciation guide would be:

EH-sta ma-NAY-ra eh SIM-plees

A few details:

• Esta: the first e is usually like eh
• maneira: stress is on nei
• é: pronounced like eh
• simples: in Brazil, the final s is usually an s sound, so roughly SIM-plees

A more IPA-like version in standard Brazilian pronunciation is:

/ˈɛstɐ mɐˈnejɾɐ ɛ ˈsĩplis/

The normal word order here is the most natural one:

• Esta maneira é simples.

Portuguese can sometimes change word order for style or emphasis, but in a basic statement like this, the usual pattern is:

subject + verb + adjective

So this sentence already uses the standard, neutral order.