Learn Portuguese (Portugal): A polícia chegou ao local.

A polícia chegou ao local.

The police arrived at the scene.

Breakdown of A polícia chegou ao local.

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Questions & Answers about A polícia chegou ao local.

Why is the verb chegou in the singular when police takes a plural verb in English?

In English, we usually treat police as a plural group of people. But in Portuguese, a polícia is a singular feminine noun, much like the police force. Because the noun is singular, the verb must also be singular: a polícia chegou.

I would have translated arrived at the scene using no (in/at the). Why is it ao local?

In English, we say arrive at or arrive in, but the Portuguese verb chegar requires the preposition a (to) when expressing a destination. Because local is a masculine noun, the preposition a combines with the article o to make ao.

Why is the word local translated as scene here?

As a noun, o local generally translates to the place or the location. In the specific context of police, emergencies, or news reports, o local is the standard way to say the scene (as in the scene of a crime or accident).