Questions & Answers about A rua vizinha é tranquila.
Portuguese has two verbs for “to be”:
- ser for inherent or lasting characteristics
- estar for temporary states or conditions
Here, quietness is treated as a normal, enduring quality of that street, so we use é. If you wanted to stress that it’s only temporarily quiet (e.g. right now), you could say A rua vizinha está tranquila.
You pluralise the article, noun and adjectives:
• As ruas vizinhas são tranquilas (if you view the quietness as a characteristic)
• As ruas vizinhas estão tranquilas (if you view it as a temporary state)
Approximate EP phonetics:
• A rua: [ɐ ˈʁu.ɐ]
• vizinha: [vɨˈzi.ɲɐ]
• é: [ˈɛ]
• tranquila: [tɾɐ̃ˈki.lɐ]
Notes:
- The initial r in Portugal is a guttural [ʁ].
- nh is [ɲ], like the Spanish ñ.
- The tilde (ã) in tranquila nasalises the vowel.
Both can mean “the street next door” or “neighboring street.”
• rua vizinha is a bit more formal or written.
• rua ao lado is more colloquial and literally “the street at the side.”
In casual speech, you’ll often hear ao lado.
Yes—Portuguese has several synonyms with slightly different nuances:
• silenciosa – emphasizes lack of noise (“silent”)
• calma – focuses on calmness and lack of hurry
• pacata – suggests a peaceful, low-activity atmosphere
Choose based on whether you want to stress soundlessness, calm, or tranquil simplicity.