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É perigoso circular na estrada sem capacete.

É perigoso circular na estrada sem capacete.
It is dangerous to ride on the road without a helmet.
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Questions & Answers about É perigoso circular na estrada sem capacete.

Why is it é and not está?

Portuguese uses ser (é) for general, permanent truths and estar (está) for temporary states.

  • É perigoso circular… = It is inherently/always dangerous (a general rule).
  • Hoje está perigoso circular… = Today it’s dangerous (because of temporary conditions like fog, ice, etc.).
Why is the verb in the infinitive (circular) after é perigoso?

This is the common impersonal pattern É + adjective + infinitive to make general statements:

  • É fácil entender.
  • É bom estudar.
    Here, É perigoso circular… means “It’s dangerous to …” in a general sense.
    If you want to specify who the subject is, European Portuguese allows the personal infinitive:
  • Speaking to one person (tu): É perigoso circulares sem capacete.
  • About us (nós): É perigoso circularmos sem capacete.
  • About them/you-plural: É perigoso circularem sem capacete.
What exactly does circular mean here? Is it the same as English “to circulate”?

In European Portuguese, circular often means “to travel/move/drive/ride on roads,” especially in official or traffic contexts:

  • Os carros não podem circular nesta rua. = Cars may not drive on this street.
    It’s not about spreading news or moving in circles; it’s the legal/traffic sense of being on the road network.
Could I say andar or conduzir instead of circular?

Yes, but with nuances:

  • andar is everyday/neutral for “ride/go,” especially with a vehicle mentioned: andar de mota/de bicicleta.
    • Example: É perigoso andar de mota na estrada sem capacete.
  • conduzir is “to drive/operate” a vehicle (car, motorbike, etc.).
    • Example: É perigoso conduzir uma mota sem capacete.
  • circular sounds more formal/official (laws, road reports). Your sentence is perfectly idiomatic in Portugal, just a bit formal.
What is na exactly?

na = em + a (in/on + the, feminine singular).

  • na estrada = “on the road.”
    Other forms: no (em + o), nas (em + as), nos (em + os).
Why use the definite article in na estrada if we’re speaking generally?

Portuguese often uses the definite article for generic categories. na estrada here means “on roads” in general, not a specific road. This is normal:

  • É perigoso nadar no mar. = It’s dangerous to swim in the sea (in general).
Is there a difference between na estrada, na autoestrada, and na rua?

Yes:

  • estrada = road (non-urban or interurban).
  • autoestrada = motorway/freeway.
  • rua = street (urban).
    The preposition works the same: na estrada / na autoestrada / na rua.
Why is there no article after sem in sem capacete? Could I say sem o capacete or sem um capacete?

After sem, Portuguese typically drops the article when speaking generally: sem capacete = “without a helmet.”

  • sem o capacete refers to a specific, known helmet (e.g., “without his helmet”).
  • sem um capacete emphasizes “without a single/any helmet” (used when counting/insisting on at least one).
Could I say pela estrada instead of na estrada?
  • na estrada = on the road (location).
  • pela estrada (= por + a estrada) = along/through the road, focusing on the path/route.
    Your sentence is about being on the road, so na is the default choice.
Why is perigoso masculine singular? Should it agree with anything?

In the impersonal pattern É + adjective + infinitive, the adjective is normally masculine singular by default: É perigoso [infinitive].
If you turn the infinitive clause into a noun phrase, agreement changes:

  • A condução sem capacete é perigosa. (feminine, because condução is feminine)
Can I flip the word order to Circular na estrada sem capacete é perigoso?

Yes. Both orders are fine:

  • É perigoso circular na estrada sem capacete.
  • Circular na estrada sem capacete é perigoso.
    The meaning and tone remain the same.
Do I need any commas in this sentence?
No. It’s a single clause with an infinitive complement. No commas are required.
How would this differ in Brazilian Portuguese?

Your sentence is understood in Brazil, but everyday choices often differ:

  • É perigoso andar de moto/dirigir moto na rodovia sem capacete.
    Brazil favors moto (Portugal: mota) and often uses dirigir or andar de moto. rodovia is common for highway (Portugal: autoestrada). circular exists but sounds more formal or bureaucratic.
Is there any fixed expression with a different preposition for “road,” like “hit the road”?

Yes: sair à estrada = “to hit the road.”
Here à is the contraction of a + a with the grave accent, used for motion towards a place in set phrases.

Is circular transitive? Can I say circular a estrada?

No. circular is intransitive in this sense. You use a preposition:

  • circular na/pela estrada, circular na cidade, circular a 120 km/h.
Does capacete refer to both bicycle and motorbike helmets?
Yes. capacete is any protective helmet (bike, motorcycle, construction site, etc.). Context tells you which kind. In traffic talk, it often implies a motorbike helmet unless otherwise specified.
How would a more everyday Portuguese (Portugal) version sound?

Commonly:

  • É perigoso andar de mota na estrada sem capacete.
    Your original with circular is perfect, just a touch more formal/official.
How do I pronounce the sentence in European Portuguese?

Approximate guide (EP):

  • É: “eh” (short, open)
  • perigoso: “p’r-ree-GO-zu” (light r; g is a soft ‘g’ sound)
  • circular: “seer-koo-LAR” (ci = ‘see’/‘sir’ sound)
  • na estrada: roughly “nah sh-TRAH-dah” (initial s before t sounds like ‘sh’)
  • sem: nasal “sẽ” (like “seng” without fully pronouncing the g)
  • capacete: “kah-pah-SEH-te”
    Put together: “Eh p’r-ree-GO-zu seer-koo-LAR nah sh-TRAH-dah sɛ̃ kah-pah-SEH-te.”