Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O parto está para acontecer na maternidade. - The birth is about to happen in the maternity ward.

O parto está para acontecer na maternidade.

The birth is about to happen in the maternity ward.

Breakdown of O parto está para acontecer na maternidade.

to be on the verge of

Questions & Answers about O parto está para acontecer na maternidade.

How does está para work here, and could I use está a instead?

Estar para plus the infinitive verb (acontecer) is used to express that an action is imminent, meaning it is about to happen. If you used está a acontecer, it would mean the birth is happening right now.

The lesson also mentions estar prestes a. Could I use that here instead of estar para?

Yes, you could say O parto está prestes a acontecer. Both mean that something is about to happen, but estar prestes a often sounds slightly more urgent or immediate, like being on the very verge of happening. Estar para means it is expected very soon.

What is the difference between parto and nascimento?

Parto refers specifically to the medical or physical process of labor and delivery. Nascimento means birth in the broader sense of a person entering the world, which is the word you use when talking about a date of birth (data de nascimento).

Why is it na maternidade rather than just em maternidade?

Na is the contraction of the preposition em (in or at) and the feminine definite article a (the). Because you are talking about a specific place (the maternity ward) rather than the general concept of maternity, you need to include the article.