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A caixa é de papel.

A caixa é de papel.
The box is made of paper.
FromLesson 27inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of A caixa é de papel.

o papel
the paper
a caixa
the box
ser de
to be made of

Questions & Answers about A caixa é de papel.

Why is a used before caixa?
Because caixa is a feminine singular noun and a is the definite article “the” in Portuguese for feminine singular. It tells us we’re talking about a specific, known box.
Could we use uma instead of a?
Yes. Uma caixa means “a box” (indefinite). You’d say Uma caixa é de papel if you mean “A box is made of paper” in general. Use uma for nonspecific boxes and a for a particular one.
Why do we use é (from ser) here instead of está (from estar)?
We use ser to describe inherent or permanent characteristics—like material composition. So é de papel (“is made of paper”) uses ser. Estar would suggest a temporary state or condition, which isn’t appropriate for permanent properties like what something is made of.
What does de mean in é de papel?
Here de indicates material or substance, equivalent to English “made of.” So é de papel literally means “is of paper,” i.e. “is made of paper.”
Why isn’t there an article before papel?
When naming the material of an object, Portuguese usually omits the article because the noun is treated as an uncountable substance. Adding an article would turn it into “of the paper,” which changes the meaning.
Could we say a caixa de papel instead of a caixa é de papel?
A caixa de papel is a noun phrase meaning “the paper box.” It’s not a full sentence. A caixa é de papel is a complete sentence (“The box is made of paper”). If you want to state composition, you need the verb.
Is papel masculine or feminine?
Papel is a masculine noun in Portuguese. Even though we don’t use an article here, its grammatical gender is masculine.
What’s the difference between é de papel and é feita de papel?
Both express material composition. É de papel is shorter and very common. É feita de papel uses the past participle of fazer (“to make”)—literally “is made of paper”—emphasizing the manufacturing process. In everyday speech, both are correct.
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