Learn Portuguese (Portugal): A educadora está ainda a preparar a sesta. - The kindergarten teacher is still preparing the nap.

In European Portuguese, short adverbs like ainda, já, and sempre are frequently placed between the auxiliary verb (estar) and the preposition a. This is a classic example of adverb intrusion, which sounds very natural to native speakers and emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.

Could I put ainda somewhere else in the sentence, like before the verbs?

Yes, you could say A educadora ainda está a preparar a sesta, placing the adverb before the entire verb block. This is also perfectly correct and very common. Putting it between está and a, however, is a stylistic feature very characteristic of European Portuguese.

Why use educadora instead of professora for a kindergarten teacher?

In Portugal, a preschool or kindergarten teacher is specifically called an educadora de infância (often shortened to just educadora). The word professora is strictly reserved for primary school and older grades.

Does preparar a sesta literally mean preparing the nap itself?

Yes! While in English we might say getting ready for nap time, in Portuguese you simply prepare the nap (preparar a sesta). In this context, it refers to the physical setup, like pulling out cots or arranging blankets for the children.