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O segurança verifica os bilhetes na entrada.

O segurança verifica os bilhetes na entrada.
The security guard checks the tickets at the entrance.
FromLesson 36inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about O segurança verifica os bilhetes na entrada.

Why does segurança end in -a but take the masculine article O?

Because segurança (when it means “security guard”) is a common-gender noun: you use the article to show the person’s gender.

  • Male guard: o segurança
  • Female guard: a segurança
  • Plurals: os seguranças, as seguranças Note: a segurança can also mean “security/safety,” so context disambiguates.
How would the sentence change if the guard is a woman?
A segurança verifica os bilhetes na entrada.
How would it change if there are several guards?

Os seguranças verificam os bilhetes na entrada.
(Subject and verb both go to the plural.)

What does the article O add here? Could I say Um segurança?

O is the definite article and usually refers to a specific or context-known guard (e.g., the one on duty).
Um segurança means “a (random) security guard,” introducing someone not yet identified in the context.

What tense is verifica? Does it mean “is checking” or “checks”?

It’s the present indicative and can mean both:

  • Habitual/general: “(He) checks”
  • Right now: “(He) is checking” (context decides) If you want to be explicit about an action in progress in European Portuguese, use: está a verificar.
Are there more natural verbs than verificar in Portugal?

Yes, depending on nuance:

  • controlar os bilhetes = to check tickets (very common in PT)
  • conferir os bilhetes = to cross-check/tick off
  • validar os bilhetes = to validate (e.g., scan) Avoid for this meaning:
  • revistar = to search (a person/bag)
  • checar = understood but more Brazilian/informal; less common in PT
Why is it os bilhetes and not just bilhetes?
Portuguese typically uses articles with count nouns in contexts like this. Os bilhetes points to the specific tickets of the people entering. Omitting the article (verifica bilhetes) sounds telegraphic or headline-like.
What exactly does bilhete mean in Portugal? What about Brazil?

In Portugal, bilhete is the normal word for a ticket (cinema, concert, train, etc.).
In Brazil, people often say ingresso (for events) and bilhete can sound more formal or be used for other types (e.g., lottery, transport). Context matters in both varieties.

What does na mean here?
Na is the contraction of em + a (“in/at + the”), so na entrada = “at the entrance.”
Is there a difference between na entrada and à entrada?

Both can mean “at the entrance.”

  • na entrada (in/at that location)
  • à entrada is an idiomatic PT expression often meaning “upon entry / at the entrance (as people enter).” They overlap a lot; à entrada often sounds a bit more “checkpoint/occasion-of-entry,” while na entrada is plainly locative.
Could I say à porta instead?
Yes, à porta = “at the door,” which is also common and can be more concrete (literally by the doorway). Choose based on where the checking actually happens.
Can I move the location phrase around?

Yes. All are fine:

  • À entrada, o segurança verifica os bilhetes.
  • O segurança verifica os bilhetes à entrada.
  • O segurança, à entrada, verifica os bilhetes. (commas add a slight pause/emphasis)
How do I replace os bilhetes with “them” (pronoun) in European Portuguese?

Use the clitic pronoun after the verb (enclisis) in neutral contexts:

  • O segurança verifica-os na entrada. After negatives and some triggers, it goes before the verb:
  • O segurança não os verifica na entrada.
How do you pronounce the tricky parts (European Portuguese)?
  • segurança: roughly “sih-goo-RAHN-sɐ”; IPA: [sɨ.ɣuˈɾɐ̃.sɐ] (nasal ã)
  • verifica: “vɨ-REE-fih-kɐ”; IPA: [vɨˈɾi.fɨ.kɐ]
  • bilhetes: “bee-LYEH-tesh”; IPA: [biˈʎe.tɨʃ] (lh = [ʎ])
  • os (before a voiced consonant like b) becomes bilhetes → [uʒ biˈʎe.tɨʃ]
  • na: [nɐ]
  • entrada: “en-TRAH-dɐ”; initial e is quite reduced; final a is [ɐ]
Could I use o guarda instead of o segurança?
Sometimes. o guarda can mean “guard” (also a police officer, especially in GNR contexts). o segurança specifically means “security guard” (private/event security) and is usually the most natural in this sentence.
How would I say “The guard is checking everyone’s tickets at the entrance” more explicitly?
  • O segurança está a verificar os bilhetes de toda a gente à entrada. Alternative with a very idiomatic PT verb:
  • O segurança está a controlar os bilhetes à entrada.
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