Breakdown of Ela encontrou sua chave no sofá.
ela
she
encontrar
to find
a chave
the key
em
on
o sofá
the sofa
sua
her
Questions & Answers about Ela encontrou sua chave no sofá.
What does the verb “encontrou” mean and which tense is it in?
“Encontrou” means “found” and is in the simple past (preterite) tense. It indicates that the action of finding the key was completed in the past.
How does the possessive adjective “sua” function in this sentence?
In this context, “sua” means “her” because the subject “ela” (she) is already present in the sentence. Although “sua” can sometimes be ambiguous—potentially referring to “his” or “your”—the context here makes it clear that it denotes possession by the subject.
What does the word “no” in “no sofá” represent?
The word “no” is a contraction of the preposition “em” (meaning “in” or “on”) and the masculine singular definite article “o” (meaning “the”). Together, “no sofá” translates as “in the sofa” (or “on the sofa”) in English.
Why does “sofá” carry an accent mark, and what does it indicate?
The accent mark on “sofá” indicates that the stress falls on its last syllable. It guides the correct pronunciation and distinguishes the word from others that might be spelled similarly without an accent.
What is the basic structure or word order of the sentence “Ela encontrou sua chave no sofá”?
The sentence follows a typical Portuguese word order that is similar to English: Subject (“Ela”) + Verb (“encontrou”) + Object (“sua chave”) + Locative complements (“no sofá”). This structure makes it straightforward for English speakers to recognize and understand.
Is it acceptable to say “sua chave” without a definite article before the possessive adjective?
Yes, it is acceptable. In Portuguese, especially in informal contexts, it is common to use a possessive adjective without an extra definite article. Although you might sometimes see “a sua chave”, omitting the article in this sentence does not change the meaning and is perfectly correct.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Portuguese grammar?”
Portuguese grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning PortugueseMaster Portuguese — from Ela encontrou sua chave no sofá to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions