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Questions & Answers about Irmã está feliz.
Why is there no definite article before irmã in this sentence?
In standard Portuguese, family member nouns often come with a definite article (for example, A irmã está feliz). However, in certain contexts—such as informal speech, headlines, or creative writing—the article can be omitted for stylistic reasons. This omission doesn’t change the meaning but reflects a less formal register.
Why is está used instead of é in this sentence?
Portuguese distinguishes between temporary states and inherent qualities by using two different verbs. Estar (with está as its third-person singular form) is used for temporary, changeable conditions like feeling happy at a particular moment, whereas ser (with é) expresses permanent or defining characteristics. So, Irmã está feliz implies that the sister is happy right now rather than having a generally happy personality.
What role does feliz play in this sentence?
Feliz is an adjective describing the state of the subject, irmã. It indicates that the sister is experiencing happiness. This quality is seen as a temporary condition, which is why the verb estar is appropriate.
Is it acceptable to include a possessive adjective in the sentence, and how would that look?
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to add a possessive adjective to specify which sister is being discussed. For example, Minha irmã está feliz means My sister is happy. Including minha clarifies the relationship and is common in everyday communication.
How does the word order in Irmã está feliz compare to English sentence structure?
Both Portuguese and English generally follow a Subject-Verb-Complement order. In Irmã está feliz, irmã is the subject, está is the verb, and feliz is the adjective complement. English would typically require an article (such as the or my) before sister—for example, The sister is happy—but the overall structure remains very similar.