Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): A vassoura antiga está encostada à parede da cozinha. - The old broom is leaning against the kitchen wall.

In Portuguese, most descriptive adjectives follow the noun they modify. Saying vassoura antiga (broom old) is the neutral, default order. Placing the adjective before (antiga vassoura) is also grammatically correct but gives a poetic or emphatic tone, as if you’re highlighting its age more dramatically.

Why do we use à (with a grave accent) before parede instead of just a?

À is the contracted form of the preposition a + the feminine definite article a. In other words:
• a (to/at) + a (the) → à
This contraction is mandatory in written Portuguese whenever a (prep.) meets a (art.).

What is encostada doing in this sentence?

Encostada is the past participle of encostar used adjectivally. Here it means “leaning (against).” Combined with estar, it describes the state or position of the broom: “the old broom is leaning against the kitchen wall.”

Why do we choose estar and not ser with encostada?

Portuguese uses estar to express temporary states or locations. Because being “leaning” is a position or condition that can change, estar encostada is correct. Ser would imply a more permanent or defining characteristic, which doesn’t fit here.

What does da mean in parede da cozinha?

Da is the contraction of de (of/from) + a (the). So parede da cozinha literally means “wall of the kitchen,” i.e. “the kitchen wall.”

Why is there a definite article before cozinha? Could we say just parede de cozinha?

In Portuguese, rooms of a house often take a definite article when you refer to a specific one: a cozinha (the kitchen).
• Parede da cozinha = the wall belonging to that specific kitchen.
If you dropped the article (de cozinha), it’d sound more general—“a kitchen wall,” not “the kitchen wall.” Both are grammatical but convey slightly different scopes.

Could we say encostada na parede instead of à parede?

Technically, the verb encostar (in the sense of “lean against”) governs the preposition a, so the standard form is encostada à parede.
Using na (em + a) is common in casual speech (“encostada na parede”), but prescriptive grammar prefers a + article here.

What’s the difference between antiga and velha in this context?

Both translate to “old,” but:
• Antiga often highlights age or antiquity—“an antique or long-used item.”
• Velha can imply wear, tiredness or that something is worn out.
Here antiga suggests “an old/antique broom,” whereas velha might make you think it’s broken or shabby.

Where is the stress in vassoura, and why isn’t there an accent mark?

Vassoura has three syllables: vas-sou-ra, with the stress on the penultimate syllable (sou). In Portuguese, words ending in a vowel are naturally stressed on the second-to-last syllable, so no written accent is needed.

Can we omit the definite article a before vassoura and just say vassoura antiga está encostada…?

No—unlike English, Portuguese usually requires the definite article before singular, countable nouns when they’re specific. You’d sound unnatural or overly telegraphic by dropping it. Always say A vassoura antiga…