Breakdown of Sofia está a comprar pão no mercado.
o pão
the bread
estar
to be
em
in
comprar
to buy
o mercado
the market
Sofia
Sofia
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Questions & Answers about Sofia está a comprar pão no mercado.
What is the structure of the present continuous in this sentence, and how does it compare to English?
The sentence uses the European Portuguese construction estar + a + infinitive to express an ongoing action. In English, we use the form to be + verb(–ing) (e.g., "is buying"). Here, "está a comprar" means "is buying," but notice that the main verb remains in its infinitive form rather than becoming a gerund.
What role does the preposition a play in "está a comprar"?
The preposition a connects the auxiliary verb estar with the main verb in the infinitive (comprar) to form the progressive aspect. This construction is specific to European Portuguese. In contrast, Brazilian Portuguese typically uses the gerund form (e.g., comprando) without the preposition.
What does the word pão mean in this sentence?
The word pão translates to bread in English.
How is no mercado constructed, and what does it indicate?
The phrase no mercado is a contraction of em + o mercado. Em means in or at, and o is the masculine definite article meaning the. Therefore, no mercado means at the market, indicating the location where the action takes place.
Does the verb está agree with the subject Sofia?
Yes, it does. Sofia is a third-person singular noun, and está is the third-person singular form of estar, ensuring correct subject-verb agreement in the sentence.