A lata está vazia.

The can is empty.

Breakdown of A lata está vazia.

• estar: to be
• vazio: empty
• a lata: the can; tin

Questions & Answers about A lata está vazia.

Why is it a lata and not just lata?

Portuguese often uses the definite article where English may or may not use the.

• a = the (feminine singular)
• lata = can, tin, or metal container

So A lata está vazia literally means The can is empty.

You can also say just Lata in some contexts, but in a normal full sentence, using the article is very common and natural.

Why is a used here instead of o?

Because lata is a feminine noun in Portuguese.

Singular definite articles:

• o = the for masculine nouns
• a = the for feminine nouns

So:

• o copo = the glass
• a lata = the can

This is grammatical gender, not biological gender.

How do I know that lata is feminine?

Usually, nouns ending in -a are often feminine, and lata is one of them.

A good habit is to learn nouns together with their article:

• a lata
• o copo
• a mesa
• o livro

That helps you remember both the word and its gender at the same time.

Why is it and not ?