Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): A coluna não liga porque a ficha do router está solta. - The speaker won’t turn on because the router’s plug is loose.

bolded a coluna vertebral = the spine
bolded a coluna de um jornal = a newspaper column So context disambiguates it. For audio equipment, bolded coluna is standard in Portugal.

What exactly does bolded não liga mean here—won’t power on or won’t connect?

It can mean either, depending on context:

bolded não liga = it won’t power on / won’t turn on (very common for devices)
bolded não liga (à rede / ao Wi‑Fi) = it won’t connect (to the network/Wi‑Fi) Given bolded …a ficha do router está solta, the “won’t connect” reading is plausible (the router is effectively off), but both readings are possible in casual speech.

Is there a difference between bolded ligar and bolded ligar‑se?

bolded ligar (intransitive): The device turns on. Example: bolded A coluna liga. = The speaker powers on.
bolded ligar (transitive): Someone turns something on. Example: bolded Liga a coluna. = Turn the speaker on.
bolded ligar‑se (a/ao/à): The device connects (itself) to something. Example: bolded A coluna não se liga ao Wi‑Fi. = The speaker isn’t connecting to Wi‑Fi. In everyday speech, people often drop bolded se and just say bolded não liga when “connects” is clear from context.

Could I use bolded acender instead of bolded ligar?

Use bolded acender for lights or flames: bolded acender a luz, acender uma vela. For electronic devices, use bolded ligar/desligar. Saying bolded acender a coluna is not idiomatic in Portugal; say bolded ligar a coluna.

What does bolded ficha mean, and how is it different from bolded tomada?

bolded a ficha = the plug (the piece on the cable with prongs/pins).
bolded a tomada = the wall socket/outlet. So bolded a ficha do router está solta means the router’s plug is loose. Note: bolded ficha can also mean “form/card” in other contexts, so don’t confuse it.

Why is it bolded está solta and not bolded é solta?

bolded Estar expresses a temporary/state condition: the plug is currently loose. bolded Ser would describe an inherent property (which would sound odd here). So bolded está solta is the right choice.

Why does bolded solta end in ‑a?

Agreement. bolded Ficha is feminine singular (bolded a ficha), so the adjective must also be feminine singular: bolded solta. If the noun were masculine singular (e.g., bolded o cabo), you’d use bolded solto.

What does bolded do stand for in bolded a ficha do router?

bolded do = bolded de + bolded o (a contraction). It marks possession/association: “the router’s plug.” Other contractions you’ll see:

bolded da = de + a
bolded dos = de + os
bolded das = de + as

Is bolded router masculine or feminine in Portugal? How do people pronounce it?

It’s treated as masculine: bolded o router, os routers. Pronunciation varies:

Very common in Portugal: roughly “ROO-ter” [ʁu‑] (bolded o router).
Some people, influenced by English, say something closer to “ROW-ter.” Both are understood; “ROO-ter” is more typical in Portugal. A Portugal‑made alternative like bolded roteador is rare in Portugal (it’s common in Brazil).

Why is there a definite article (bolded a) before bolded coluna?

Portuguese uses definite articles with specific, known items more often than English does. If both speaker and listener know which speaker you mean, bolded a coluna is natural. English would often just say “The speaker,” which matches this usage.

Do I need a comma before bolded porque?

No comma is needed in a straightforward reason clause: bolded … não liga porque …. You’d only set it off with commas if the clause were parenthetical or for special emphasis, which is not the case here.

Could I say bolded A coluna está desligada porque a ficha do router está solta instead of bolded não liga?

Yes, but there’s a nuance:

bolded está desligada = is off (describes the state).
bolded não liga = won’t turn on / isn’t turning on (focuses on the failed action). Both are fine; pick based on the nuance you want.

Can I just say bolded a ficha está solta and omit bolded do router?

Yes, if the context already makes clear whose plug you’re talking about. bolded do router just clarifies which device’s plug is loose.

What about bolded porque vs bolded porquê vs bolded por que?

bolded porque = because (used here).
bolded porquê = “why” only when it stands alone or before punctuation, or as a noun meaning “the reason” (bolded o porquê).
bolded por que = “why” inside a longer question (more common in Brazil; in Portugal you’ll often see bolded Por que é que…? or just bolded Porquê? as the whole question).