Question 1

Why is the verb aumenta in the indicative rather than the subjunctive after de tal forma que?

Accepted Answer

The phrase de tal forma que takes the indicative when it describes a real, factual consequence. Here, the cars are on the road and the despair actually is increasing as a direct result. If it instead described an intended or hypothetical result (for example, "park the cars in such a way that despair doesn't increase"), you would use the subjunctive.

Question 2

What is the nuance of via here, compared to estrada or rua?

Accepted Answer

Rua generally means "street" (usually in a town or city) and estrada means "road" (often a route connecting places). Via is a more technical term for a route, track, or path. In traffic contexts like this one, it typically refers specifically to a traffic lane or a larger expressway.

Question 3

Why is it Há (singular) when there are multiple carros?

Accepted Answer

When the verb haver means "to exist" or "there is/are", it acts as an impersonal verb. This means it does not agree with the noun that follows it. It only ever conjugates in the third-person singular, so it is always há carros and never pluralized.

Question 4

Why do we include the definite article o before desespero, since we don't say "the despair" in English?

Accepted Answer

Portuguese requires definite articles before abstract nouns when they are used in a general or absolute sense and act as the subject of the sentence. Therefore, general "despair" must be written as o desespero.

Há carros na via, de tal forma que o desespero aumenta.

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