Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Portuguese grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about O ar está limpo.
What does "O ar está limpo" mean word by word?
O is the masculine definite article meaning "the"; ar means "air"; está is the third-person singular present form of the verb estar, used for temporary states or conditions; and limpo is an adjective meaning "clean" in the masculine singular form.
Why is the verb estar used instead of ser in this sentence?
In Portuguese, estar describes conditions or states that are temporary or subject to change—such as the air being clean at a particular moment. In contrast, ser is used for permanent, inherent qualities. Therefore, "O ar está limpo" indicates that the current state of the air is clean, rather than stating an unchangeable characteristic.
Why is the definite article "O" used before ar even though English sometimes omits articles?
Portuguese generally requires the use of definite articles with nouns. Since ar is a masculine noun, it takes the masculine article "o" (meaning "the"). This usage is a grammatical norm in Portuguese, even though English might occasionally drop the article in similar contexts.
Why is the adjective limpo placed after the verb está rather than directly before the noun?
In Portuguese, adjectives typically follow the verb when linked by a state-of-being verb like estar. In "O ar está limpo", the adjective comes after está to describe the subject’s current condition. This positioning is standard and helps clearly express that the state of being clean is a temporary attribute.
Does the adjective limpo agree with the noun ar in gender and number, and how would it change if the noun were different?
Yes, adjectives in Portuguese must agree with the noun they modify in both gender and number. Here, ar is masculine and singular, so limpo is also in its masculine singular form. If the noun were feminine (for example, "a água" for water), the adjective would change accordingly (becoming limpa), and if the noun were plural, both the article and adjective would reflect that change (e.g., "os ares estão limpos", though ar usually appears in the singular when referring to the air in general).