Learn Portuguese (Portugal): A máquina de lavar está avariada.

A máquina de lavar está avariada.

The washing machine is broken down.

Breakdown of A máquina de lavar está avariada.

broken down (a machine)

Elon.io is an online learning platform

We have an entire course teaching Portuguese (Portugal) grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Portuguese (Portugal) now

Questions & Answers about A máquina de lavar está avariada.

Why do we use está instead of é here?

We use está because being broken is considered a temporary state or condition, rather than a permanent defining characteristic of the object. The verb estar focuses on how the machine is right now, even if it might take a long time to fix.

Could I use partida instead of avariada to say it is broken?

Usually not. Avariada specifically means out of order or malfunctioning, which is the exact right word for appliances, electronics, and vehicles. You would only use partida if the machine was physically shattered or snapped into pieces.

Does máquina de lavar refer to a clothes washer or a dishwasher?

In everyday conversation, máquina de lavar by itself refers to a clothes washing machine. If you need to specify a dishwasher, you would add the word for dishes, making it máquina de lavar loiça.

Why is it de lavar instead of using a descriptive adjective like in English?

Portuguese often describes the purpose of an object by connecting the noun to an unconjugated infinitive verb using the preposition de. Literally translated, this phrase means a machine of to wash.