Breakdown of Não sejas impaciente, porque a contração está para começar.
ser
to be
não
not / no
começar
to begin
porque
because
estar para
to be on the verge of
impaciente
impatient
a contração
the contraction
Questions & Answers about Não sejas impaciente, porque a contração está para começar.
Why use está para começar instead of just vai começar?
The structure estar para + infinitive highlights that an action is imminent. While vai começar just means it is going to start at some point in the future, está para começar stresses that it is on the verge of happening right now (about to start).
Could I say está prestes a começar instead?
Yes! Both estar para and estar prestes a followed by an infinitive mean to be about to do something. They are interchangeable in this sentence, though prestes a can sometimes feel slightly more formal or add a tiny bit more urgency.
Why is the verb form sejas used instead of és?
Why use ser (não sejas) instead of estar (não estejas) if being impatient is just a temporary feeling here?
This is a subtle choice! While estar impaciente focuses on the temporary emotional state of feeling restless, using ser (não sejas impaciente) treats the impatience as a behavioral trait you are telling them not to act out. It translates more closely to 'Don't act like an impatient person.' Note that não estejas impaciente would also be grammatically correct here.
What kind of contração (contraction) is this sentence likely referring to?
While it can mean a grammatical contraction (like combining em + o into no), the urgency of 'about to start' and someone being 'impatient' makes it very likely this is about childbirth: a labor contraction!
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