Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Um rádio barulhento pode ser muito desagradável quando queremos estudar. - A noisy radio can be very unpleasant when we want to study.

Because the speaker refers to any noisy radio in general, not a specific one. The indefinite article um expresses this non-specific reference, while o would point to a particular radio already known in context.

Why is barulhento placed after rádio?

In Portuguese, descriptive adjectives typically follow the noun they modify. Placing barulhento after rádio is the neutral or unmarked word order. Putting the adjective before the noun can sound poetic or emphasize that quality.

Could I say um barulhento rádio instead?

It’s grammatically possible but marked. Pre-nominal adjectives in Portuguese usually carry special emphasis or stylistic effect. For a neutral statement, stick to noun + adjective: um rádio barulhento.

What nuance does pode ser add compared to é?

pode ser (can be) uses the modal verb poder plus ser to express possibility or potential. It suggests that a noisy radio is often unpleasant. If you used é (is), you’d state it as an absolute fact rather than a typical outcome.

What’s the difference between barulhento and ruidoso?

Both adjectives mean “noisy.” barulhento comes from barulho and is common in everyday speech to describe anything that makes loud or annoying sounds. ruidoso also means noisy but is more formal or technical, often used in writing or to describe environmental noise levels.

Why does desagradável keep the same form for masculine and feminine?

Adjectives ending in -vel, like desagradável, have only two forms: singular (desagradável) for both masculine and feminine, and plural (desagradáveis) when modifying plural nouns.

Why is muito placed before desagradável?

Here muito functions as an adverb modifying the adjective desagradável, indicating degree (“very unpleasant”). In Portuguese, adverbs typically precede the adjectives they modify.

Why is queremos in the present indicative in quando queremos estudar?

The present indicative is used here to express a general or habitual action (“when we want to study”). Portuguese often uses the present in time clauses to convey habitual truths or future situations.

Could we use quando estamos a estudar instead of quando queremos estudar?

Yes. European Portuguese commonly uses estar a + infinitive to express progressive aspect: quando estamos a estudar means “when we are studying.” The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the act of studying (progressive) or the desire to study.

Why is there no article before estudar?

After verbs like querer, the infinitive estudar functions purely as a verb, not a noun, so no article is needed. If you treated it as a noun, you’d need an article, but here it remains a verbal complement.