Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): A sopa quente contrasta com o café frio. - The hot soup contrasts with the cold coffee.

It translates to “The hot soup contrasts with the cold coffee.” The sentence describes how the two items differ, specifically noting the difference in temperature.

Why do the nouns “sopa” and “café” have different articles, a and o respectively?

In Portuguese, all nouns have a gender. Sopa is a feminine noun, so it uses the feminine article a, whereas café is masculine, hence the masculine article o. This gender agreement is a key element of Portuguese grammar.

Which word functions as the contrasting verb in the sentence, and how is it conjugated?

The verb contrasta is the contrasting verb. It is the third-person singular form in the present indicative, agreeing with a sopa quente (the subject). Its use indicates that the qualities of the soup and coffee are notably different.

Why is the preposition com used after contrasta?

In Portuguese, the verb contrastar is generally followed by the preposition com to specify the element that is being contrasted. Therefore, “contrasta com” directly translates to “contrasts with.”

Is it typical in Portuguese to place adjectives after the noun, as seen with quente and frio?

Yes, it is common to position adjectives after the noun in Portuguese, especially when describing inherent or expected characteristics like temperature. In this sentence, “sopa quente” (hot soup) and “café frio” (cold coffee) follow that standard structure.

How does this sentence illustrate the concept of gender agreement in Portuguese?

The sentence demonstrates gender agreement by matching the definite articles with the nouns’ genders. Sopa is treated as feminine, so it takes the article a (resulting in a sopa quente), while café is masculine, thus using the article o (forming o café frio). This agreement between articles, nouns, and adjectives is essential in Portuguese grammar.