A denúncia foi para a polícia.

A is the feminine singular definite article, meaning the.

It is used because denúncia is a feminine singular noun:

• a denúncia = the report / the complaint / the accusation

In Portuguese, articles are used more often than in English, so a sentence that starts with the complaint/report is very normal.

Not exactly. They are related, but denúncia is usually much more common and broader in Portuguese than denunciation is in everyday English.

Depending on context, denúncia can mean:

• report
• complaint
• accusation
• formal allegation
• criminal report

So in many contexts, translating it as denunciation would sound unnatural in English, even if the words look similar.

Foi is the third-person singular preterite of ir (to go) and also of ser (to be), but here it is from ir.

It agrees with the subject a denúncia, which is singular:

• a denúncia foi = the report went

The preterite is used because this is seen as a completed action in the past.

Yes, literally foi para means went to.

But with something like denúncia, English often prefers a less literal translation, such as:

• was sent to the police
• was forwarded to the police
• went to the police
• ended up with the police

Portuguese often uses movement verbs in places where English might choose a more administrative or passive expression.

Para a polícia means to the police.

Portuguese has a contraction with a + a = à, but that only happens when the preposition is a. Here the sentence uses the preposition para, so there is no mandatory contraction.

So:

• para a polícia = correct
• in informal speech: pra polícia is also common

Compare:

• foi à polícia = went to the police / went to the police station
• foi para a polícia = went to the police / was sent to the police

Those are similar, but not always identical in nuance.

Here a polícia means the police as an institution or authority.

It does not necessarily mean one police officer. It can refer to:

• the police force
• the authorities
• the police department

Depending on context, English might say:

• the police
• law enforcement
• the authorities

In Portuguese, polícia is normally a common noun, so it is not capitalized unless it is part of an official name.

So:

• a polícia = the police
• a Polícia Federal = the Federal Police

This is similar to English:

• the police
• the Federal Police

No, not in this sentence, because the subject is a denúncia.

The thing that went is the report/complaint/allegation, not a person.

If you wanted to say a person went to the police, the subject would be a person, for example:

• Ela foi para a polícia. = She went to the police or possibly She joined the police, depending on context.
• Ela foi à polícia. = She went to the police / police station.

So the meaning depends a lot on the subject.

Grammatically, it is active:

• subject: A denúncia
• verb: foi
• destination: para a polícia

Literally, the report went to the police.

However, in English, a more natural translation might be passive:

• The report was sent to the police

So even though the Portuguese sentence is active in form, English may translate it with a passive construction.

Yes, in informal spoken Brazilian Portuguese, para a often becomes pra:

• A denúncia foi pra polícia.

That is very common in speech.

A few notes:

• para a polícia is more formal or neutral in writing
• pra polícia is natural in conversation
• in careful formal writing, para a polícia is usually preferred

The stress is on nú:

de-NUN-ci-a

A rough English-friendly guide:

• de = like deh
• nún = stressed, like NOON but shorter
• cia = roughly see-a or sya, depending on accent and speed

Important points:

• the accent mark in denúncia shows the stressed syllable
• ci before a sounds like see in Brazilian Portuguese

So the word is approximately: deh-NOON-see-ah

The basic order here is very normal:

• A denúncia = subject
• foi = verb
• para a polícia = destination/complement

Portuguese often uses this same straightforward order, especially in neutral statements.

You could change the order for emphasis, for example:

• Para a polícia foi a denúncia.

But that sounds marked or literary. The original sentence is the most natural neutral version.

Yes. Denúncia is a context-dependent word.

It might refer to:

• a crime report
• a complaint made to authorities
• an accusation
• an exposé or public allegation
• a formal charge, in some legal contexts

That is why the best English translation depends on the situation. In one context it may be report, in another complaint, and in another allegation.

Because the subject is singular:

• a denúncia = singular
• therefore foi = singular

If the subject were plural, the verb would also be plural:

• As denúncias foram para a polícia. = The reports/complaints went to the police.

Portuguese verbs must agree with the subject in number.