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Questions & Answers about Estas flores são minhas.
Why is the demonstrative pronoun estas used here, and why is it feminine plural?
estas is the feminine plural form of este/esta (“this/these”). It must agree in gender (feminine) and number (plural) with flores (“flowers”), which is a feminine plural noun. In Portuguese, all demonstratives (este, esse, aquele, etc.) change to match the noun they modify.
What’s the difference between este/esta, esse/essa and aquele/aquela?
Portuguese uses three degrees of demonstratives based on distance:
- este/esta: near the speaker (“this/these here”)
- esse/essa: near the listener (“that/those near you”)
- aquele/aquela: far from both speaker and listener (“that/those over there”)
So if the flowers are close to the speaker, you say estas flores.
Why do we use são instead of estão?
Portuguese has two verbs for “to be”:
- ser (e.g., são): used for identity, characteristics, origin, time and possession
- estar (e.g., estão): used for temporary states, locations or ongoing actions
Since “being mine” is a permanent possession, we use são minhas. If you said estão minhas, it would sound like a temporary condition (and isn’t idiomatic).
What does minhas mean, and why is it in the feminine plural?
minhas is the first-person singular possessive pronoun meaning mine. Like adjectives, possessive pronouns in Portuguese must agree with the noun in gender and number. Here flores is feminine plural, so minhas is used.
Why is minhas placed after the verb instead of before flores?
This is a predicative use of the possessive. With linking verbs like ser, the complement follows the verb:
Estas flores (subject) → são (verb) → minhas (predicative complement).
If you want to describe the flowers directly (attributive use), you put the possessive before the noun: minhas flores (“my flowers”).
Do we need a definite article before minhas, as in Estas flores são as minhas?
Both forms are correct in European Portuguese:
- Estas flores são as minhas. (with the article as)
- Estas flores são minhas. (without the article)
Dropping the article in predicative complements is very common and perfectly natural.
Can you say Estas flores são de mim instead of são minhas?
While grammatically possible, Estas flores são de mim sounds awkward. Native speakers prefer the possessive pronoun with ser (são minhas) to express ownership. The de + pronoun construction is rare for possession.
How do you pronounce são?
In IPA, são is [sɐ̃w̃]. The -ão ending is a nasal diphthong. To produce it, lower your tongue as in á, then glide toward o, all while letting air resonate through your nose.