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O chinelo está na varanda.

O chinelo está na varanda.
The slipper is on the balcony.
FromLesson 33inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of O chinelo está na varanda.

estar
to be
em
on
a varanda
the balcony
o chinelo
the slipper

Questions & Answers about O chinelo está na varanda.

What does the word in bold, chinelo, mean in Portugal?

In European Portuguese, chinelo can mean either a flip-flop or a slip-on house slipper, depending on the style and context. People often say chinelos (plural) to refer to the pair. For soft, fluffy indoor slippers, pantufas is also common. If you want to be specific:

  • chinelos de dedo = flip-flops (thong sandals)
  • chinelos de quarto = house slippers
Why is it O chinelo and not A chinela?
Because chinelo is a masculine noun in standard usage in Portugal, so it takes the masculine article o. A feminine form chinela exists but is old-fashioned or regional; you’ll almost always hear o chinelo / os chinelos.
Why use the definite article at all? Could I say just Chinelo está na varanda?

Portuguese normally uses an article before countable nouns. Bare nouns like Chinelo está… sound wrong here. Use:

  • O chinelo está… for a specific, known slipper.
  • Um chinelo está… for an unspecified slipper.
  • To introduce existence, prefer Há: Há um chinelo na varanda = There is a slipper on the balcony.
Why is it está and not é?
Portuguese uses estar for location and temporary states. So you say O chinelo está na varanda (location). Use ser for permanent traits: O chinelo é azul (It is blue).
What verb form is está exactly?

It’s the 3rd person singular of estar in the present: ele/ela/você está. Related forms you might see in similar sentences:

  • Singular: eu estou, tu estás, ele/ela/você está
  • Plural: nós estamos, vocês/eles/elas estão
Why does está have an accent? What’s the difference from esta?
The acute accent marks stress: está = “is.” Without the accent, esta means “this” (feminine), as in esta varanda = “this balcony.” They’re different words.
What does na stand for?

Na is the contraction of em + a. Portuguese almost always contracts:

  • em + a = na, em + o = no, em + as = nas, em + os = nos. Here, varanda is feminine (a varanda), so you get na varanda.
Why na and not à?
Use em (contracted to na/no) for being at/in a place: Estou na varanda. Use a (contracted to à/ao) with motion: Vou à varanda (I’m going to the balcony). So location = na; movement = à.
Could I say sobre a varanda or em cima da varanda?
Not for this meaning. Na varanda is the natural way to say “on/at the balcony.” Sobre a varanda or em cima da varanda suggest literally on top of the balcony structure/rail, which is odd here.
Does varanda mean balcony, porch, or terrace?

In Portugal, varanda usually means a balcony (attached to an apartment/house) or a veranda. Related words:

  • terraço = terrace/roof terrace
  • alpendre = porch/portico (often at a house entrance)
  • marquise = enclosed/glazed-in balcony (Portugal-specific)
  • In Brazil you’ll also hear sacada (less common in Portugal)
How do you pronounce the sentence in European Portuguese?

Approximate: “oo shee-NEH-loo shtah nah vuh-RAHN-duh.”
IPA (EP): [u ʃiˈnɛlu ʃˈta nɐ vɐˈɾɐ̃dɐ].
Notes: ch = [ʃ] (sh), the starting es- in está sounds like “sht-,” and r in varanda is a tapped [ɾ].

How would I say it if I mean both slippers?

Use the plural: Os chinelos estão na varanda.
Changes:

  • o → os, chinelo → chinelos
  • está → estão (3rd person plural)
  • na varanda stays the same because varanda is still singular.
How do I say “There is a slipper on the balcony”?

Há um chinelo na varanda.
Use há (from haver) for existential “there is/are” in European Portuguese.

How do I make it a yes–no question?

Just use a rising intonation: O chinelo está na varanda?
A more formal/literary inversion is possible: Está o chinelo na varanda?, but the first is what you’ll hear most.

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