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Questions & Answers about A cerimónia começa agora.
What does the article A signify in this sentence?
The article A is the feminine singular definite article in Portuguese, equivalent to the English "the". It agrees in gender with the noun cerimónia.
How is the verb começa formed, and what is its root or infinitive?
Começa is the third person singular present indicative form of the verb começar, which means "to start" or "to begin." It agrees with the subject A cerimónia.
What does the word agora mean and why is it placed at the end of the sentence?
Agora means "now" in English. Positioning it at the end of the sentence emphasizes that the ceremony is starting at this very moment. This placement is typical in Portuguese to indicate when an action occurs.
Why does cerimónia include an accent and is this form specific to European Portuguese?
The accent in cerimónia marks the stressed syllable, signaling proper pronunciation. This spelling—with the accent on the ó—is common in European Portuguese. In Brazilian Portuguese, the word is usually spelled cerimônia, reflecting different accentuation rules.
Can you explain the overall structure and word order of A cerimónia começa agora?
Certainly! The sentence follows a clear subject-verb-adverb order:
• Subject: A cerimónia (The ceremony)
• Verb: começa (starts)
• Adverb: agora (now)
This straightforward construction indicates who is performing the action, what the action is, and when it happens.