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Questions & Answers about O espaço é grande.
What does the word espaço mean in English?
Espaço translates to space. It generally refers to an area or a room, depending on the context.
Why is the definite article O used before espaço?
In Portuguese, nouns are commonly preceded by a definite or indefinite article. O is the masculine singular definite article equivalent to “the” in English. Since espaço is a masculine noun, it requires o in this context.
What is the function of the verb é in this sentence?
É is the third-person singular form of the verb ser, which means “to be.” It acts as a linking verb connecting the subject (espaço) to the predicate adjective (grande), similar to how “is” functions in English.
Why is the adjective grande placed after the verb é rather than directly before espaço?
In Portuguese, when an adjective is used as a predicate complement—that is, following a linking verb like ser—it comes after the verb. This structure is similar to English statements such as “The space is big,” as opposed to attributive use where adjectives might come before the noun (e.g., “big space”).
Does the adjective grande change its form based on the gender or number of the noun it describes?
In its singular form, grande remains the same for both masculine and feminine nouns because adjectives ending in -e are generally gender-neutral. However, for plural forms, it becomes grandes regardless of gender.