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Estas castanhas são grandes, mas as que estão assadas são menores.

Estas castanhas são grandes, mas as que estão assadas são menores.
These chestnuts are large, but the ones that are roasted are smaller.
From Lesson 338:Replacing nouns with articles (o de, a que)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Estas castanhas são grandes, mas as que estão assadas são menores.

What exactly does as mean in the phrase as que?
Here, as acts as a gendered demonstrative pronoun meaning the ones. It replaces the feminine plural noun castanhas so we do not have to repeat it. The combined phrase as que translates directly to the ones that.
Why do we use estão for the roasted chestnuts, but são for them being large or small?
We use the verb ser (são) for inherent characteristics like a chestnut's natural size (grandes and menores). We use the verb estar (estão) for temporary states or conditions resulting from an action, such as being cooked or roasted (assadas).
Could I say mais pequenas instead of menores here?
Yes, both menores and mais pequenas are correct and common in Portugal to mean smaller. Menores is the irregular comparative form of the adjective pequeno. You will hear both interchangeably, though menores is slightly more concise.
Why does assadas end in -as when it follows the verb estar?
Here, assadas acts as an adjective describing the roasted state of the chestnuts. Even though the word castanhas is omitted in the second clause, the pronoun as points right back to it. Therefore, the word must agree with the feminine plural noun it describes, taking the -as ending.

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