Este problema é comum.

to be

Breakdown of Este problema é comum.

• este: this
• o problema: the problem
• comum: common

Questions & Answers about Este problema é comum.

Why is este used here?

Este means this.

In European Portuguese, the basic contrast is:

• este / esta / estes / estas = this / these near the speaker
• esse / essa / esses / essas = near the person being spoken to, or something just mentioned
• aquele / aquela / aqueles / aquelas = that / those farther away from both

So Este problema é comum means This problem is common.

In everyday speech, especially outside very careful distinctions, people do not always keep the three-way contrast as strictly as textbooks present it, but it is still important to learn the standard system.

Why is it este problema and not esta problema?

Because problema is a masculine noun in Portuguese, even though it ends in -a.

That surprises many English speakers, because they often learn that nouns ending in -a are usually feminine. That is often true, but there are exceptions.

Some common masculine nouns ending in -a are:

• o problema
• o sistema
• o programa
• o tema

Since problema is masculine, the demonstrative must also be masculine:

• este problema
• not esta problema