O cabo está solto.

to be

Breakdown of O cabo está solto.

• solto: loose
• o cabo: the cable

Questions & Answers about O cabo está solto.

Why is it está and not é?

Because estar describes a temporary or resulting state (how something is right now), whereas ser describes inherent or defining characteristics. A cable being loose is expected to change, so O cabo está solto is natural. O cabo é solto would sound odd, as if “being loose” were a permanent property.

What exactly does solto mean here, and how is it different from frouxo?

Here solto means not attached/secured, free, not fastened. Frouxo means slack/loose in the sense of “not tight.” Both can overlap, but:

• O cabo está solto = the cable isn’t secured/has come free.
• O cabo está frouxo = the cable is loose/slack (not tightened). For screws, both parafuso solto and parafuso frouxo are heard; frouxo often emphasizes lack of tightness.

Does solto agree with cabo in gender and number?

Yes. Adjectives agree with the noun they modify:

• Masculine singular: solto (as in O cabo está solto)
• Feminine singular: solta
• Masculine plural: soltos
• Feminine plural: soltas