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Questions & Answers about Descrição do livro é boa.
Why is there no definite article before descrição in the sentence?
In standard, full sentences in Portuguese you would normally include the definite article, resulting in A descrição do livro é boa. However, when writing headlines, labels, or other brief descriptions, it’s common to omit articles for brevity.
What does the contraction do in do livro represent?
Do is a contraction of de + o. It means of the, showing that the descrição belongs to o livro (the book).
Why is the adjective boa used instead of bom?
Portuguese adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Since descrição is a feminine noun, the feminine form boa is used instead of the masculine bom.
Does the structure of Descrição do livro é boa mirror that of its English equivalent?
Yes, it follows a similar subject-linking verb-predicate adjective structure. Here, Descrição do livro serves as the subject, é is the linking verb (the present form of ser), and boa is the predicate adjective, much like saying The book's description is good in English.
What tense is used for the verb é and why is it used in this context?
The verb é is in the present indicative tense, which is used to state general facts or opinions. In this case, it is appropriately used to make a straightforward evaluation of the book’s description.
When is it acceptable to omit articles like A in Portuguese sentences?
Omitting the article can be acceptable in contexts where brevity is preferred, such as in headlines, titles, or bullet points. In more formal and complete sentence structures, however, including the article (e.g., A descrição do livro é boa) is generally expected.