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Questions & Answers about O acidente foi na estrada.
What does the word na mean here?
In European Portuguese, na is the contraction of em + a, meaning in/on the. It’s used because estrada is feminine singular. Related forms:
- no = em + o (masculine singular): no carro (in the car)
- nas = em + as (feminine plural): nas estradas
- nos = em + os (masculine plural): nos cruzamentos
- Indefinite: numa = em + uma, num = em + um (e.g., numa estrada = on a road)
Why is foi used instead of era or estava?
Foi (preterite of ser) is used to say where/when an event took place, like English “was/happened.” For events, Portuguese commonly uses ser this way: A festa foi no sábado.
- Era (imperfect) describes ongoing/background states, not a completed event.
- Estava would mean “was located,” which doesn’t fit an accident as an occurrence.
Is foi from ser or ir in this sentence?
From ser. The preterite forms of ser and ir are identical, but context disambiguates. If it were ir (went), you’d expect a motion preposition like para/a/pela: e.g., foi pela estrada (went via the road). Foi na estrada = “(it) was/happened on the road.”
Can I say aconteceu, ocorreu, deu-se, or houve instead of foi? Any differences?
Yes, all are acceptable with nuances:
- aconteceu: neutral, very common.
- ocorreu: a bit more formal/journalistic.
- deu-se: very idiomatic in Portugal (EP) for “took place.”
- houve um acidente na estrada: best when introducing a new accident (indefinite).
Examples: O acidente aconteceu/ocorreu/deu-se na estrada. / Houve um acidente na estrada.
Why the definite article a estrada if we don’t know which road?
Portuguese uses articles more broadly than English. Na estrada can be generic (“on the road” as a place type). If you want to stress indefiniteness, use numa estrada:
- New info: Houve um acidente numa estrada.
- Known/specified accident: O acidente foi na estrada.
What’s the difference between estrada, rua, and autoestrada in Portugal?
- rua: a street within a town/city.
- estrada: a road, typically outside built-up areas or non-motorway routes.
- autoestrada: a motorway/freeway (e.g., A1), access-controlled.
You may also hear via rápida (expressway) or named routes like EN125 (Estrada Nacional).
Is rodovia used in Portugal?
Not in everyday European Portuguese. Rodovia is common in Brazil or in technical/administrative contexts. In Portugal, say estrada or autoestrada.
Why not use sobre a estrada for “on the road”?
Sobre means “on top of/over,” implying physical contact or position above. For general location (“in/on/at”), Portuguese uses em → na: na estrada. Sobre a estrada would sound like “over the road,” e.g., a bridge.
Can I front the location for emphasis?
Yes. The cleft construction is natural and emphatic: Foi na estrada que o acidente aconteceu. Answering a where-question also allows a short form: Foi na estrada.
Note: Na estrada foi o acidente is possible but unusual outside special emphatic or poetic contexts.
How do I ask and answer the where-question?
- Question: Onde foi o acidente?
- Answer: Foi na estrada.
How is the sentence pronounced in European Portuguese?
Roughly: “oo uh-see-DEN-te foy nah esh-TRAH-duh.”
Tips:
- O (article) sounds like “oo.”
- foi sounds like “foy.”
- In estrada, the initial s before t sounds like English “sh”: “esh-TRA-da.”
- In connected speech, na estrada often sounds like “nash-TRAH-da.”
Can I drop the initial article O?
Not in normal speech. You need O acidente… Because of newspaper headline style, you might see Acidente foi na estrada, but that’s a headline ellipsis.
Could I say O acidente foi à estrada?
No. À = a + a typically indicates motion toward (“to the”). Foi à estrada would mean “went to the road,” which doesn’t fit. For location, use na: foi na estrada.
What genders are acidente and estrada, and why does that matter?
Acidente is masculine, so O acidente. Estrada is feminine, so a estrada, which contracts with em to na: na estrada. Gender drives article choice and contractions.
How would I refer to a specific road by name?
Use the article and the name/type:
- na autoestrada A1 / na A1
- na Estrada Nacional 125 / na EN125
- For streets: na Rua Augusta
Capitalization follows the official road/street name.
How do I make it a question or negate it?
- Yes/no question (intonation does the work): O acidente foi na estrada?
- Negation: O acidente não foi na estrada; foi na cidade.
Note the masculine contraction in a reply like no cruzamento (em + o).