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Questions & Answers about O desafio é difícil.
What does each word in the sentence mean?
O is the masculine definite article meaning "the"; desafio means "challenge"; é is the third-person singular present of "ser" (meaning "is"); and difícil means "difficult".
Why is the definite article "O" used before desafio?
Portuguese nouns have gender. Since desafio is a masculine noun, the corresponding definite article is "o". This is similar to choosing "the" for a specific noun in English, but the form changes according to gender in Portuguese.
What role does the verb "é" play in the sentence?
"É" is the third-person singular form of the verb ser, which acts as a linking verb. It connects the subject "O desafio" with its predicate adjective "difícil", forming a copular (or equational) sentence that describes the inherent quality of the challenge.
Does the adjective "difícil" change its form depending on gender or number?
No, difícil is an invariable adjective in Portuguese. Whether the noun it describes is masculine or feminine, singular or plural, difícil remains the same.
What is the grammatical structure of the sentence "O desafio é difícil"?
The sentence follows a simple structure: it has a subject (O desafio), the linking verb (é), and a predicate adjective (difícil) that describes the subject. This is a typical example of a copular sentence in Portuguese.
Can you provide a similar sentence using the same structure in Portuguese?
Yes, for example, "A tarefa é complicada" means "The task is complicated." Here, a is the feminine definite article used with tarefa (a feminine noun), é remains the linking verb, and complicada is the adjective that agrees in gender with tarefa.