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Questions & Answers about O dia está claro.
What does O dia está claro. literally mean in English?
It literally translates to "The day is clear." This implies that the day is bright or has good natural light.
Why is the verb estar used instead of ser in this sentence?
Estar is used because the sentence describes a temporary condition—the brightness of the day at that moment. In Portuguese, ser is reserved for permanent or inherent characteristics, whereas estar indicates a changeable or current state.
What does the article O indicate in the sentence?
The article O is the masculine definite article in Portuguese. It shows that dia (day) is a specific, identifiable instance, and it also reflects the fact that dia is a masculine noun.
How does the adjective claro agree with the noun, and how would it change for different genders or numbers?
In Portuguese, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Since dia is masculine and singular, the adjective remains claro. For a feminine noun, you would use clara, and for plural forms you would use claros (masculine) or claras (feminine).
Could this sentence be expressed using ser (e.g., O dia é claro)? Why or why not?
No, using ser (resulting in O dia é claro) would imply that being clear or bright is an inherent, unchanging quality of the day. Since the brightness can vary and is a temporary condition, estar is the correct choice to convey the current state of the day.