Breakdown of A câmara de ar está vazia.
estar
to be
vazio
empty
o
the
a câmara de ar
an inner tube inside a bicycle tire
Questions & Answers about A câmara de ar está vazia.
Why is it está and not é?
Because Portuguese uses estar for a state or condition, especially one that can change.
An inner tube can be empty now and full later, so está vazia is the natural choice.
Using é vazia would sound strange, as if being empty were its permanent, defining characteristic.
Why does it say vazia and not vazio?
Because vazia agrees with câmara, which is a feminine singular noun.
In Portuguese, adjectives usually agree with the noun in gender and number:
- câmara → feminine singular
- vazia → feminine singular
Compare:
- o pneu está vazio = the tyre is empty
- a câmara está vazia = the inner tube is empty
Is câmara de ar the same as pneu?