Um furo é comum aqui.

A puncture is common here.

Breakdown of Um furo é comum aqui.

• ser: to be
• um: a
• aqui: here
• o furo: a puncture or hole in an inner tube

Questions & Answers about Um furo é comum aqui.

Why is it um furo and not just furo?

Um is the indefinite article, meaning a or an. In this sentence, um furo refers to a hole / a puncture / a leak / one instance of that thing, not a specific previously mentioned one.

Portuguese often uses an article where English might or might not use one, depending on the context. Here, um furo sounds like a hole is a common thing here or having a puncture is common here.

If you said just furo, that would usually sound incomplete in a normal sentence.

Is furo masculine? How can I tell?

Yes, furo is masculine. That is why it uses um, not uma.

A useful clue is the ending -o, which is very often masculine in Portuguese, though not always. So:

• um furo
• o furo

The plural is:

• uns furos = some holes
• os furos = the holes

Why is the verb é used here?