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Questions & Answers about A Ana mostra um exemplo.
Why is the article A used before Ana in this sentence?
In Portuguese, especially in Portugal, it is common to include a definite article before a proper name. Here, A is the feminine definite article that agrees with Ana. In English, we generally do not use an article before names, which is why this might seem unusual at first.
What does the verb mostra indicate in this sentence?
Mostra is the third person singular present tense form of the verb mostrar, which means to show. It agrees with the subject (A Ana) and indicates that the action is happening in the present.
Why is um exemplo preceded by um instead of a definite article like o?
The word um is an indefinite article in Portuguese, similar to a or an in English. It is used here because exemplo is being mentioned as an unspecified or general instance, rather than a specific, previously known example that would require the definite article o.
Is the sentence in the present or past tense?
The sentence is in the present indicative tense. The verb mostra confirms this by showing that the action of showing an example is occurring either as a habitual action or at this moment.
Can the sentence be correctly written without the article before Ana?
In European Portuguese, it is standard to use the definite article before proper names (thus A Ana). In Brazilian Portuguese, omitting the article (simply Ana mostra um exemplo) is more common. Therefore, while both forms exist, the sentence as given is correct according to the norm in Portugal.