Questions & Answers about Este calçado é bom para a trilha?
What exactly does calçado mean here?
Calçado is a general word for footwear. It is broader than shoe and can refer to shoes, boots, sneakers, sandals, and so on.
In Brazilian Portuguese, calçado can sound a little more general, formal, or product-description-like than everyday words such as:
- sapato = shoe
- tênis = sneaker
- bota = boot
- sandália = sandal
So this sentence sounds a bit like someone asking about a type of footwear in general, not necessarily naming the exact kind.
Why does the sentence use este? What is the difference between este and esse?
Traditionally:
- este = this near the speaker
- esse = that near the listener, or something already mentioned
However, in everyday Brazilian Portuguese, esse often does the job of both this and that in speech. Because of that, many Brazilians would naturally say:
So este is correct, but it can sound a bit more formal or written than what you often hear in casual conversation.
Why is it é bom and not está bom?