O vinho é raro.

to be

Breakdown of O vinho é raro.

• o vinho: the wine
• raro: rare

Questions & Answers about O vinho é raro.

What is the function of O at the beginning of the sentence?

O is the definite article in Portuguese, equivalent to the in English. It’s used here to signal that vinho (wine) is a specific, identifiable item. Since vinho is masculine, the masculine article o is required.

What does the noun vinho mean, and why is its gender important here?

Vinho means wine. Its gender is masculine, which is why both the article (o) and the adjective (raro) appear in their masculine forms. In Portuguese, adjectives and articles must agree in gender (and number) with the noun they modify.

How is the adjective raro used in this sentence, and what does it mean?

The adjective raro describes the quality of the wine, meaning rare or uncommon. It comes after the linking verb é to indicate an inherent characteristic of the subject. In this context, it indicates that the wine is not commonly found or is unique.

What role does the verb é play in the sentence?

É is the third-person singular form of the verb ser (to be). It functions as a linking verb, connecting the subject O vinho with its defining characteristic raro. This construction is common in sentences that describe an essential quality.