O encargo é alto.

Encargo is a somewhat formal word that can mean things like:

• charge
• cost
• expense
• financial burden
• responsibility/obligation

The exact meaning depends on context. In a sentence like O encargo é alto, it often suggests that the cost or burden is high. In European Portuguese, it is common in formal, administrative, financial, and legal language.

O is the masculine singular definite article, meaning the.

So:

• o encargo = the charge / the burden / the expense

Portuguese uses articles more often than English does. In many cases where English might say just cost or expense, Portuguese may naturally say o custo, a despesa, o encargo, etc., especially when referring to a specific one already understood from context.

É is the third person singular of the verb ser in the present tense:

• ser = to be
• ele/ela/você é = he/she/it is / you are

Here, the subject is o encargo, which is singular, so the verb must also be singular:

• O encargo é alto. = The charge/burden is high.

Because alto agrees with encargo, and encargo is a masculine singular noun.

Agreement in Portuguese:

• masculine singular → alto
• feminine singular → alta
• masculine plural → altos
• feminine plural → altas

So:

• o encargo → alto
• a despesa → alta

This is a basic adjective agreement rule in Portuguese.

Yes. Alto can mean different things depending on context:

• tall for a person or object
• high for a level, amount, price, number, sound, etc.

In O encargo é alto, it means high, because we are talking about a charge, burden, or expense.

So this is the same idea as:

• O preço é alto. = The price is high.
• O custo é alto. = The cost is high.

Because alto is not directly modifying the noun inside the noun phrase; it is functioning as a predicate adjective after the verb ser.

Structure:

• O encargo = subject
• é = verb
• alto = predicate adjective

This is similar to English:

• The charge is high.

If an adjective is used directly with a noun, the structure is different. But here the sentence is built around to be + adjective.

Usually, é alto is the more natural choice here.

Why?

• ser is often used for something seen as an inherent or characteristic quality
• estar is often used for a temporary state or condition

A charge, fee, or burden being high is normally treated as a characteristic of it, so é alto sounds right.

Using está alto might be possible in some contexts, especially if you are emphasizing a current situation or a temporary rise, but for a basic neutral statement, é alto is the standard choice.

It is common, but it is a bit more formal or administrative than some other words.

Depending on context, everyday speech might more often use:

• custo = cost
• despesa = expense
• taxa = fee/rate
• preço = price

So O encargo é alto is perfectly correct, but it may sound more like financial, official, or bureaucratic language than casual conversation.

A rough guide in European Portuguese would be:

• O → often sounds close to u
• encargo → stress on car
• é → like eh
• alto → stress on al

A rough English-friendly approximation is:

u en-KAR-gu eh AL-tu

A few notes:

• Final -o in European Portuguese is often reduced, sounding closer to u
• The r in encargo is the single Portuguese r, not the strong trilled one
• é is clearly stressed

Yes. Besides a financial charge or expense, encargo can also mean:

• a burden
• a duty
• a responsibility
• a task entrusted to someone

So depending on context, O encargo é alto could mean not only that something is expensive, but also that the burden or responsibility is great.

Exactly.

Everything changes to match the plural:

• o → os
• encargo → encargos
• é → são
• alto → altos

So:

• Os encargos são altos. = The charges/burdens/expenses are high.

This is a good example of how Portuguese shows agreement across the whole sentence.