Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Este livro já está lido.

Já está lido literally means is already read, and it focuses on the resulting state of the book: the book is in the condition of having been read.

In English, you would normally say This book has already been read. Portuguese often prefers estar + past participle to express a result state where English uses have + past participle.

So:

Este livro já está lido.
= The book is (already) in a read state, the task is done.

It’s close in meaning to has already been read, but grammatically it’s built like is already read with a strong sense of completed result.

What is the difference between Este livro já está lido and Este livro já foi lido?

Both can translate as This book has already been read, but the nuance is different:

Este livro já está lido.
- Emphasis on the state/result: the book is now in the condition of being read; the job is done.
- Often used when thinking of reading as a task on a list.
- Common in Portugal (especially in contexts like school, work, chores).
Este livro já foi lido.
- Emphasis on the event: the act of reading happened in the past.
- More neutral as a passive of the action itself.

In many contexts you could use either, but:

Talking about a checklist or a pile of books to read → já está lido fits very well.
Talking about the historical fact that someone has read it at some point → já foi lido is more natural.

Is lido here an adjective or a verb form?

Formally, lido is the past participle of ler (to read).

In Este livro já está lido, it behaves like a participle used as an adjective:

It describes a state of the noun (livro).
It agrees in gender and number with the noun:
- Este livro está lido. (masc. sing.)
- Esta carta está lida. (fem. sing.)
- Estes livros estão lidos. (masc. plur.)
- Estas cartas estão lidas. (fem. plur.)

So grammatically, it is a verb form (participle), but functionally in this sentence it acts like an adjective meaning read / having been read.

Why does lido change form? Why not always just lido?

Because in estar + past participle describing a state, the participle behaves like an adjective and must agree with the noun:

Masculine singular: o livro está lido
Feminine singular: a carta está lida
Masculine plural: os livros estão lidos
Feminine plural: as cartas estão lidas

So you would say:

Este livro já está lido.
Esta carta já está lida.
Estes relatórios já estão lidos.
Estas mensagens já estão lidas.

What is the role of já here? Can I move it in the sentence?

Já means already (in this context) and shows that the state of being read is complete earlier than expected.

Normal and most natural position:

Este livro já está lido.

You can sometimes place já after está:

Este livro está já lido.

This is more formal or emphatic, and in everyday speech in Portugal, já usually comes before está.

Other positions like Já este livro está lido are possible only in quite marked, literary, or very emphatic contexts and are not what a learner should copy.

So, stick with:

Este livro já está lido.

Can I say Este livro está lido without já?

Yes, but the nuance changes slightly.

Este livro está lido.
States the simple fact: the book is in a read state.
Este livro já está lido.
Adds the idea of already – maybe earlier than expected, or relative to a plan, deadline, or comparison with other books.

In many contexts, people naturally include já because we often talk about being already finished with something.

Is Este livro já está lido actually common in Portugal, or would people say something else?

It is correct and used, especially in contexts like:

Teachers or students talking about reading assignments.
Someone checking off a list of books to read.
Work situations involving documents that must be read or reviewed.

However, in everyday conversation, people often prefer simpler active forms:

Já li este livro. – I have (already) read this book.
Este livro eu já li. – Emphatic: this book I’ve already read.

If the focus is on the book and the passive idea:

Este livro já foi lido. – This book has already been read.

So:

To talk about you having read it → Já li este livro.
To talk about the book’s state as a done task, in a list of tasks → Este livro já está lido.

What is the difference between Este livro está lido and Este livro é lido?

They mean very different things:

Este livro está lido.
- Uses estar
  - participle.
- Focus on state/result: the book is in a read condition (done, finished).
Este livro é lido.
- Uses ser
  - participle, a passive voice.
- Means This book is read (by people), in general / habitually.
  For example: Este livro é lido por muitos estudantes.
  = Many students read this book.

So:

está lido → state: it has been read (and is now read).
é lido → passive describing an action that people do to it (it is read by someone).

Why don’t we say something like Este livro já está lendo in Portuguese?

Portuguese does not form the progressive with estar + gerund in the passive the same way English does.

To express is being read, European Portuguese uses:

Este livro está a ser lido. – This book is being read.

So you have different structures:

Resulting state:
- Este livro já está lido. – The book is already read (finished).
Ongoing action:
- Este livro está a ser lido. – The book is being read (right now).

Está lendo exists in Brazilian Portuguese (for is reading: Ele está lendo), but:

It is not used in European Portuguese (which prefers está a ler).
It does not form a passive like está sendo lido (Brazil) or está a ser lido (Portugal).

Can I add por mim or por eles after lido, like in English by me?

Yes, grammatically you can:

Este livro já está lido por mim. – This book is already read by me.
O relatório já está lido por eles. – The report is already read by them.

However, in natural speech this often sounds a bit heavy or formal. Native speakers usually prefer active sentences when mentioning who read it:

Eu já li este livro. – I’ve already read this book.
Eles já leram o relatório. – They’ve already read the report.

Use por mim / por eles mainly when:

You want to keep the focus strongly on the object (the book, report, etc.).
You are in a formal or written context where passives are more common.

How does Este livro já está lido compare with Já li este livro?

They both end up meaning that the book is read, but the focus is different:

Já li este livro.
- Subject-focused: I have already read this book.
- Active voice, very common and natural.
Este livro já está lido.
- Object/state-focused: The book is already in a read state.
- Useful when you are talking about tasks or a list of items and are less interested in who read it.

In most everyday situations, if you want to say that you have read the book, you would choose:

Já li este livro.

Is there anything special about the demonstrative este in Este livro já está lido?

Este simply means this (near the speaker) and follows normal rules:

Este livro já está lido. – This book (near me) is already read.
Esse livro já está lido. – That book (near you / just mentioned) is already read.
Aquele livro já está lido. – That book (over there, further away) is already read.

The grammar of já está lido does not change with este / esse / aquele; only the degree of distance or discourse reference changes.