Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): O elevador vai até à cave, onde fica o estacionamento. - The elevator goes down to the basement, where the parking is.

Because the preposition a combines with the definite article a (for feminine singular nouns) to form the contraction à. Here, cave is feminine, so you get até + a (prep) + a (article) → até à cave.

Masculine example: até ao primeiro andar (a + o → ao)
Plural example: até às garagens (a + as → às)
Without the contraction, até a cave sounds wrong in European Portuguese.

What does the grave accent in à mean?

The grave accent in à marks the contraction of the preposition a with the feminine article a. It does not change the pronunciation or indicate stress. Don’t confuse à with há (from the verb haver, meaning “there is/are” or “ago”).

Could I say O elevador vai à cave (without até)?

Yes. Vai à cave means “goes to the basement.” Vai até à cave adds the nuance “goes as far as the basement,” often used when describing the full range/extent (e.g., the elevator serves floors up to and including the basement).

What’s the difference between até à and para a in this context?

até à cave highlights the limit or endpoint (“as far as the basement”).
para a cave focuses on destination (“to the basement”).
Both can be correct, but for describing the elevator’s range, até à is more idiomatic.

Why use onde fica instead of onde está for “where it is”?

In European Portuguese, ficar commonly expresses location of places (fixed location): Onde fica o estacionamento? = “Where is the parking located?”

estar is also possible: Onde está o estacionamento?, but ficar often sounds more natural for places on signs/directions.
Use ser for events: Onde é o concerto?

Is onde está o estacionamento also correct here?

Yes, it’s acceptable and will be understood. Ficar just sounds a bit more idiomatic when referring to the fixed location of a place.

Why is there a comma before onde?

The clause onde fica o estacionamento is non-restrictive (extra information), so it’s set off by a comma: “the elevator goes down to the basement, where the parking is located.”
Without the comma, it would sound like you are specifying which basement (e.g., “the basement where the parking is”), which is odd because there’s usually only one basement.

What does onde refer to here?

Onde refers back to a cave (the basement). The meaning is: “to the basement, where the parking is located (i.e., in the basement).”

Can I use aonde in European Portuguese?

Generally no. In European Portuguese, onde is used for both static and motion contexts. Aonde is common in Brazilian Portuguese with verbs of motion, but in Portugal it sounds archaic or nonstandard outside some fixed expressions.

Is cave a false friend with English “cave”?

Yes. Portuguese cave means “basement.” A natural cave is gruta or caverna. Also note: in Portugal, porão usually means a ship’s hold, not a house basement.

What gender is cave?

Feminine. You say a cave / as caves. Hence à cave and not ao cave.

Pronunciation tips (European Portuguese)?

elevador: [ɨ.lɨ.vɐ.ˈðoɾ] (final r is a tap; initial e is a reduced vowel)
vai: [vaj]
até: [ɐ.ˈtɛ]
à: [a] (same sound as plain a; the accent marks contraction)
cave: [ˈkav(ɨ)] (final e is very reduced)
onde: [ˈõd(ɨ)]
fica(r): [ˈfikɐ]
estacionamento: [ɨʃ.tɐ.sj.u.nɐ.ˈmẽtu] (note the sh sound in es-)

Does estacionamento mean a car park, or the act of parking?

Both, depending on context. In Portugal, the physical place is often just o estacionamento or o parque de estacionamento. Garagem is typically an enclosed garage (private or public).

Why is it o estacionamento with the article?

European Portuguese uses definite articles frequently with known/specific places. Here it’s the building’s parking area, so o estacionamento is natural. Dropping the article would sound abrupt in normal prose (though you might see articles omitted in schematic signage).

Is elevador the only word, or can I say ascensor?

Both exist in Portugal. Elevador is more common in everyday speech; ascensor appears in some signage and certain regions. In Brazil, it’s predominantly elevador.

What verb form is vai?

It’s the 3rd person singular present of ir (to go):

eu vou, tu vais, ele/ela/você vai, nós vamos, eles/elas/vocês vão.
Here it states a general fact about what the elevator does.

Could I say O elevador desce até à cave?

Yes. Descer emphasizes downward movement (“goes down”). Vai até à cave is more neutral (“goes as far as”). Both are fine; choose based on whether you want to highlight direction.

Are there other common contractions like à?

Yes, with the preposition a:

a + o = ao (até ao rés-do-chão)
a + a = à (até à cave)
a + os = aos (até aos elevadores)
a + as = às (até às 5 horas)

Why isn’t it spelled with a cedilla, like estaçonamento?

Because the letter c before i or e already has an “s” sound in Portuguese. You use ç only before a, o, u to keep that “s” sound (e.g., coração, braço). So the correct spelling is estacionamento.

Can I drop the article and say até cave?

Not in normal standard usage. Some minimalist signs may omit articles, but in full sentences you should keep them: até à cave.