Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Na estação nova, a escada rolante estava parada, por isso tivemos de subir a pé. - In the new station, the escalator was stopped, so we had to go up on foot.

em + a = na (in/at the + feminine singular noun)
So "na estação nova" literally is "in/at the new station".
You must use the contraction in normal speech and writing; "em a estação" is ungrammatical.

Why is it "na estação nova" and not "na nova estação"? Does word order change the meaning?

Both are grammatically correct, but there is a nuance:

"na estação nova": neutral description, “at the new station” (as opposed to the old one).
"na nova estação": slightly stronger focus on newness; often used when stressing that it’s a new kind of station, or newly opened, etc.

In practice, here "na estação nova" just contrasts this station with some older one the speakers know.

What exactly does "estação" mean? Is it always “station”?

"estação" can mean:

station (train, metro, bus, etc.): "estação de comboios" (train station)
season (of the year): "estação do ano", "estação das chuvas"

Here, because of context (escada rolante, subir a pé), it clearly means a transport station.

Why is it "a escada rolante" (singular) and not plural like "as escadas rolantes"?

In Portuguese, both forms exist but with slightly different uses:

a escada rolante (singular) is often used to refer to one escalator, especially as a machine.
as escadas rolantes (plural) can be used for a set/series of escalators, or when speaking more generally.

In European Portuguese, you will also hear "as escadas" (lit. “the stairs”) used to mean the regular steps right beside the escalator.

Why is it "estava parada" and not just "estava" or "foi/esteve parada"?

"estava parada":
- estava = imperfect tense of estar, describing a state in progress in the past.
- parada = “stopped / not moving”, an adjective (from the past participle of parar).
  So it means “was (in the state of being) stopped”.
Why not "foi parada" or "esteve parada"?
- foi/esteve parada would focus more on a completed event or a limited, self‑contained period.
- Here, the speaker is just describing the background state at that moment, so imperfect (estava) is more natural.

Why is it "parada" and not "parado"?

Adjectives in Portuguese must agree in gender and number with the noun:

a escada rolante → feminine singular
therefore: parada (fem. sg.), not parado (masc. sg.)

If the noun were masculine, you would say "o elevador estava parado".

What does "por isso" mean, and how is it different from "então"?

"por isso" literally: “because of that” → “therefore / so / for that reason”.
"então" can also be “so / then”, but it is often more informal and can be a discourse filler.

In this sentence, "por isso" clearly marks a logical consequence:
> The escalator was stopped, so we had to go up on foot.

"Então" would be more conversational: "… estava parada, então tivemos de subir a pé."

Why is it "tivemos de" and not "tínhamos de" or "temos de"?

tivemos de = pretérito perfeito (simple past), “we had to (once, on that occasion)”.
tínhamos de = imperfect, “we used to have to / we were supposed to” (habit or ongoing past obligation).
temos de = present, “we have to”.

Since the sentence describes one specific event in the past, "tivemos de" is the correct choice.

Why is it "tivemos de" and not "tivemos que"? Are both correct in European Portuguese?

Both "ter de" and "ter que" are used in European Portuguese and mean “to have to / must”.

"ter de" is more traditional and considered more standard/formal.
"ter que" is very common in speech.

So you could also hear: "… por isso tivemos que subir a pé."
In writing and in teaching materials, "ter de" is often preferred.

Why is there no "nós" before "tivemos"?

Portuguese is a pro‑drop language, so subject pronouns are often omitted when the verb form already makes the subject clear.

tivemos can only be “we had”, so adding "nós" is optional.

You can say:

"por isso tivemos de subir a pé" (more natural)
"por isso nós tivemos de subir a pé" (possible, but stresses we in contrast to others).

What does the expression "a pé" mean, and why is it "a" and not "de"?

"a pé" is a fixed expression meaning “on foot” (as a means of moving).
- "Fomos a pé." = “We went on foot.”

It contrasts with "de pé", which means “standing (upright)”:

"Ele ficou de pé." = “He remained standing.”

So "subir a pé" = “go up on foot (using your legs, not the machine)”.

Why is the verb "subir" used here? Could you say "andar a pé" instead?

subir = “to go up / to climb / to move upwards”.
- "subir as escadas" = “go up the stairs”.
andar a pé = “go on foot / walk (instead of using transport)”.

Here the focus is on the upward movement (going upstairs without the escalator), so "subir a pé" is natural.
You could say "tivemos de ir a pé", but that would be more general: “we had to go on foot” (not necessarily emphasizing the “up”).

Is there any special pronunciation I should注意 in "estação" and "rolante" in European Portuguese?

Key points:

estação:
- "ç" is always pronounced like /s/ (never /k/).
- Final "ão" is a nasal diphthong, roughly like “ow” in English “down” but nasalised.
rolante:
- The "r" at the beginning is a guttural sound (like a French or German “r”).
- "lan" is nasal: the "n" mostly nasalises the vowel.

Listening to native European Portuguese audio for words with "ão" and initial "r" will help a lot with these.