Breakdown of O aluno estuda no computador.
estudar
to study
em
in
o computador
the computer
o aluno
the student
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Questions & Answers about O aluno estuda no computador.
What does O aluno mean in this sentence?
O aluno translates to "the student" in English. Notice that aluno is masculine, so the masculine article o is used. If referring to a female student, Portuguese would require a aluna.
How is the verb estuda formed and what does it imply about the subject?
Estuda is the third person singular present tense of the verb estudar (to study). It agrees with the subject O aluno, indicating that the student is performing the action. Its simple present form reflects a habitual or current action.
Why is no used before computador, and what does it represent?
No is a contraction of em (meaning "in" or "on") and the masculine definite article o (meaning "the"). In the sentence, no computador indicates that the student is studying on/at the computer. This contraction is standard in Portuguese.
Why is a definite article used with computador instead of an indefinite one?
In Portuguese, using the definite article with objects like computador often implies a specific or commonly understood reference. Here, no computador suggests that the student is studying on a particular computer (perhaps one they regularly use). If you wanted to imply any computer, you might use the indefinite article and say "um computador", but that changes the nuance of the sentence.
Is the word order in O aluno estuda no computador typical of Portuguese, and how does it compare to English?
Yes, the word order is quite typical of Portuguese. The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-(Prepositional Phrase) structure, similar to English’s "The student studies on the computer". While Portuguese can be flexible with word order, this construction is clear and commonly used.