Breakdown of Nós estamos a ver um filme muito bom.
bom
good
um
a
estar
to be
nós
we
ver
to watch
o filme
the movie
muito
very
Questions & Answers about Nós estamos a ver um filme muito bom.
Why do we use a before ver in this sentence?
In European Portuguese, to form the continuous present tense, you typically use estar + a + infinitive. So instead of the Brazilian Portuguese structure estamos vendo, European Portuguese speakers say estamos a ver.
What’s the difference between estamos a ver and estamos vendo?
Both mean we are watching, but estamos a ver is the European Portuguese form, while estamos vendo is the Brazilian Portuguese form. It’s essentially the same tense (present continuous), just different conventions.
Can I omit Nós and simply say Estamos a ver um filme muito bom?
Yes. In Portuguese, the subject pronoun can often be dropped, because the verb form already indicates who is performing the action. So Estamos a ver um filme muito bom is perfectly natural.
Why is it muito bom instead of muito bem?
Muito bom modifies the noun filme, describing its quality as very good. On the other hand, muito bem is generally used as an adverb, meaning very well. Since we’re describing a film (a noun), we use bom.
Why use ver instead of assistir or olhar?
Ver generally means to see or to watch in a broader sense. Assistir, when used with a direct object (like um filme), also means to watch, but it’s more common in Brazilian Portuguese. Olhar literally means to look (at) or to gaze. For watching a movie, ver or assistir would be the usual choices, and ver is very natural in European Portuguese.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Portuguese grammar?”
Portuguese grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning PortugueseMaster Portuguese — from Nós estamos a ver um filme muito bom to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions