Breakdown of É importante que estejas a usar o batom vermelho para ficares impecável!
ser
to be
estar
to be (temporary / location)
a
to / at (direction)
para
to / for
usar
to use / to wear
importante
important
vermelho
red
que
that (conjunction)
ficar
to become
impecável
flawless
o batom
the lipstick
Questions & Answers about É importante que estejas a usar o batom vermelho para ficares impecável!
Why do we use the subjunctive form estejas here, and what exactly does estejas a usar mean?
The phrase É importante que (it is important that) is an impersonal expression of importance, which always triggers the subjunctive mood for the verb that follows. Estejas a usar is the Continuous Subjunctive. It combines estar in the present subjunctive (estejas for the tu form) with a usar (to use/wear). It emphasizes that the action of wearing the lipstick should be happening continuously at that exact moment.
Could we just say uses instead of estejas a usar?
Yes, É importante que uses is perfectly grammatically correct, but it changes the nuance. Que uses simply means 'that you wear' as a general fact or a single action, while que estejas a usar stresses the continuous, ongoing state of wearing it right at that specific time.
Why is it ficares instead of just the regular infinitive ficar?
After the preposition para (in order to), Portuguese often uses the Personal Infinitive when the subject of that action is specific and needs to be clear. Here, the subject is tu (you), so the infinitive takes the -es ending to become ficares. This clearly connects the action of looking flawless back to you.
Why does the Portuguese sentence use ficar to mean 'look'?
In Portuguese, the verb ficar (literally 'to stay' or 'to become') is commonly used to describe the end result of putting something on, or how something suits you physically. When you say para ficares impecável, it translates perfectly to 'so you end up looking flawless' or 'so you turn out flawless' after applying the makeup.
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