Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): A minha mochila está leve, porque só levo um livro e um lápis. - My backpack is light because I only carry one book and a pencil.

In European Portuguese, it’s standard to put a definite article before a possessive adjective. So you say a minha mochila rather than just minha mochila. In Brazilian Portuguese this article is often dropped in casual speech, but in Portugal it’s the norm.

Why do we use estar in está leve instead of ser?

Estar expresses a temporary state or condition. Saying a mochila está leve means “the backpack is (right now) light.” If you used ser, it would imply a permanent characteristic, which doesn’t fit when you plan to add more books later.

What does leve mean here, and is it different from other words like ligeiro?

Leve means “not heavy” or “lightweight.” Ligeiro also exists but is less common in Portugal for weight; it can mean “quick” or “slight.” Stick with leve when talking about weight.

Why is there a comma before porque?

In Portuguese you often separate the main clause from a following causal clause with a comma, especially in writing, to signal the pause and clarify the cause-and-effect relationship. English sometimes omits that comma before “because,” but Portuguese tends to keep it.

What is the function of só in só levo, and how does it compare to apenas?

Here só means “only.” It restricts what you carry to just a book and a pencil. Apenas is a more formal synonym, so só levo ≈ apenas levo, but só is more common in everyday European Portuguese.

Why is um repeated before lápis in um livro e um lápis? In English you’d say “a book and pencil.”

In Portuguese each noun phrase joined by e normally needs its own article. So you say um livro e um lápis, not um livro e lápis. It ensures agreement in gender and number for each noun.

Why use levo instead of verbs like trago or carrego?

Levar means “to take (away from here),” which matches the idea of carrying your backpack somewhere else. Trazer means “to bring (towards the speaker),” so it doesn’t fit. Carregar can mean “to load” or “to carry,” but is heavier in tone and less idiomatic for personal items—Portuguese speakers usually say levar.

Why does lápis have an accent, and does it change in the plural?

Lápis is a paroxytone (stress on the penultimate syllable) ending in -is, so it needs an acute accent on the first a. The plural is spelled the same (os lápis) because lápis is invariant between singular and plural.