Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Portuguese grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Ele está errado.
Why do we use estar and not ser in Ele está errado?
We use estar with adjectives to express a temporary state or condition, including being mistaken. ser describes inherent or permanent qualities. Here, errado indicates “he is wrong” at this moment, so estar is the correct choice.
Does Ele está errado imply a permanent trait or a temporary mistake?
It implies a temporary mistake. Saying Ele está errado means “he is wrong” or “he is mistaken” right now. It doesn’t mean he’s always wrong as a person.
How would I say “She is wrong” in Portuguese?
You would say Ela está errada. Note that the adjective errada agrees in gender (feminine) with ela, and the verb estar remains está.
Can I omit the subject and just say Está errado?
Yes. Portuguese often drops the subject pronoun when context makes it clear. Está errado alone can mean “he is wrong,” “she is wrong,” or even “it is wrong,” depending on the situation.
What’s the difference between errado and equivocado?
Both mean “wrong” or “mistaken,” but errado is more common in everyday speech. Equivocado is slightly more formal or literary.
Example:
- Você está errado (you are wrong/mistaken)
- Você está equivocado (you are mistaken – more formal)
How do I pronounce Ele está errado?
Break it down by syllables and stress:
- Ele = [EH-lee] (stress on the first syllable)
- está = [iss-TAH] (stress on tá, marked by the accent)
- errado = [eh-RAH-doo] (stress on ra, the second syllable)
Why isn’t there an article before errado (like “o errado”)?
Here, errado is a predicate adjective (describing the subject after estar), so you don’t use an article. Adding o (making o errado) would turn it into a noun meaning “the wrong thing.”
Could I say Ele está com razão to express “he is wrong”?
No. Ele está com razão means “he is right” (literally, “he is with reason”). To say “he’s wrong,” you use estar errado or estar equivocado. If you say Ele não tem razão, it means “he isn’t right,” but the most natural is Ele está errado.