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O chão está molhado.

O chão está molhado.
The floor is wet.
FromLesson 14inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of O chão está molhado.

estar
to be
o chão
the floor
molhado
wet

Questions & Answers about O chão está molhado.

Why is the verb estar used instead of ser in this sentence?
In Portuguese, estar is used to indicate a temporary state or condition, while ser describes inherent or permanent characteristics. In O chão está molhado, the use of estar tells us that the floor is wet right now—perhaps because of a spill or recent cleaning—even if it might dry later.
Why does the adjective molhado come after the noun chão, and how does gender agreement work here?
Portuguese typically places descriptive adjectives after the noun, especially when stating conditions or qualities. In this sentence, molhado follows chão and agrees with it in gender and number since chão is a masculine singular noun. If you were describing a feminine noun—like a parede (the wall)—you’d use molhada instead.
What is the function of the definite article O at the beginning of the sentence?
The article O is the masculine singular definite article in Portuguese, equivalent to the in English. It is used here because chão is a masculine noun, thereby specifying a particular floor.
How does the tilde in chão affect its pronunciation?
The tilde over the ã signals that the vowel is nasalized—a sound produced with air flowing through the nose. This gives chão a distinct pronunciation that may not have a direct English equivalent but is essential for speaking Portuguese accurately.
Which tense and form is used for está in the sentence, and why is it appropriate?
Está is the third-person singular form of estar in the present indicative tense. It is appropriate because it communicates that the floor’s wet condition is current; the present indicative is used to describe what is happening at the moment.
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