Breakdown of Parece que esta pintura abstrata é autêntica.
ser
to be
este
this (este, esta, estes, estas)
parecer
to seem
que
that (conjunction)
a pintura
the painting (art form, painted work)
abstrato
abstract
autêntico
authentic
Questions & Answers about Parece que esta pintura abstrata é autêntica.
Why do we use the indicative é instead of the subjunctive seja after Parece que?
In Portuguese, the affirmative parece que (it seems that) expresses a strong impression or perceived reality, so it triggers the indicative mood (é). If the sentence were negative (Não parece que...), it would introduce doubt and require the subjunctive (seja).
Could I rewrite this sentence without using the word que?
Yes, you can say Esta pintura abstrata parece autêntica. This means exactly the same thing and mirrors the English structure 'This abstract painting seems authentic.' Using Parece que... é just puts a bit more focus on your deduction.
I've seen the word for 'abstract' spelled as abstracta before. Which one is correct in Portugal?
You should use abstrata. Under the latest Orthographic Agreement, silent consonants were dropped from European Portuguese spelling. You will still see abstracta in older books or written by people who prefer the old spelling, but abstrata is the official standard today.
Why do we use é (verb ser) rather than está (verb estar) for the painting's authenticity?
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