Breakdown of A menina está a falar com a criança sobre a bola nova.
estar
to be
novo
new
com
with
falar
to talk
a bola
the ball
a menina
the girl
a criança
the child
sobre
about
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Questions & Answers about A menina está a falar com a criança sobre a bola nova.
What does "A menina" mean in this sentence?
"A menina" translates to "the girl". The noun "menina" means "girl", and the article "a" is the feminine definite article equivalent to "the" in English.
What does the phrase "está a falar" indicate, and how is the progressive aspect formed in European Portuguese?
The phrase "está a falar" means "is talking". European Portuguese forms the present continuous by combining the verb "estar" (in this case, "está" for "is") with "a" plus the infinitive "falar" (which means "to talk"). This periphrastic construction is the standard way in Portugal to express an ongoing action.
How is the preposition "com" used in this sentence?
The preposition "com" translates to "with". In the sentence, it connects the girl to the child, indicating that "the girl is talking with the child."
What does "sobre a bola nova" mean in English, and does the order of words matter?
The phrase "sobre a bola nova" translates to "about the new ball". Here, "sobre" means "about" and introduces the topic of discussion. The adjective "nova" (new) follows the noun "bola" (ball), which is a common structure in Portuguese. Although adjectives can sometimes precede nouns, in this context the order helps clearly describe "the ball" as being "new".
Why does European Portuguese use the construction "estar a falar" instead of a form similar to the English gerund?
In European Portuguese, the progressive aspect is expressed with the structure "estar a" followed by the infinitive. This is different from English or even Brazilian Portuguese (which often uses the gerund form, e.g., "está falando"). The "estar a + infinitive" construction is a hallmark of European Portuguese for indicating actions that are in progress.
Why is the definite article used before "criança" in "com a criança", and can it be omitted?
In Portuguese, the use of the definite article (here, "a") is common and indicates a specific entity, much like "the" in English. In this sentence, "a criança" refers to a particular child involved in the conversation. Omitting the article would be ungrammatical in this context and could lead to ambiguity or change the meaning.