Breakdown of A paragem de autocarro está molhada depois da chuva.
estar
to be
depois de
after
a chuva
the rain
molhado
wet
a paragem de autocarro
the bus stop
Questions & Answers about A paragem de autocarro está molhada depois da chuva.
Why do we include a before paragem?
In European Portuguese, definite articles (o, a, os, as) are normally used before singular and plural nouns when referring to something specific or in general. A paragem literally means “the stop.” Dropping the article is possible in headlines or on signage (Paragem de autocarro), but in everyday speech you’ll usually hear A paragem de autocarro.
What’s the difference between paragem de autocarro and ponto de autocarro?
In Portugal, paragem is the usual word for “bus stop.” In Brazil, speakers typically say ponto de ônibus or simply ponto. So paragem de autocarro is the European Portuguese equivalent of Brazilian ponto de ônibus.
Why do we say autocarro instead of ônibus?
Autocarro is the term for “bus” in European Portuguese. In Brazilian Portuguese, the same vehicle is called ônibus. Both words refer to the same thing, but they are regional variants.
Why do we use de between paragem and autocarro? Could we ever use da instead?
Here de links two nouns to indicate the type of stop: a stop for buses. We do not use da because that would be de + a, meaning “of the” (e.g., “the bus’s stop”). Paragem de autocarro means “bus stop” as a general category.
Why is the verb está used instead of é?
Portuguese uses estar for temporary states or conditions, such as being wet. Ser describes permanent or inherent qualities. Since the stop isn’t always wet, we say está molhada (“is wet” right now), not é molhada.
Why is the adjective molhada in the feminine form?
Adjectives in Portuguese agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Paragem is feminine singular, so the adjective takes the feminine singular ending: molhada. If it were a masculine noun (e.g., o chão), you’d say molhado.
How does depois da chuva work? What’s the da?
Depois de means “after.” When it’s followed by the feminine singular definite article a, they contract: de + a = da. So depois da chuva = “after the rain.” You’ll see similar contractions with do (de + o) and dos/das (de + os/as).
Could we say A paragem está molhada depois de chover instead?
Yes. Depois de chover uses the infinitive verb “to rain” instead of the noun chuva. Both sentences convey the same idea:
- A paragem está molhada depois da chuva.
- A paragem está molhada depois de chover.
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