Learn Portuguese (Portugal): É preciso usar a motosserra e o cinzel para esculpir o gelo. - It is necessary to use the chainsaw and the chisel to sculpt the ice.

The phrase É preciso is an impersonal expression here meaning "It is necessary." Because it is followed by a verb in the infinitive (usar), preciso acts as an invariable adjective and always stays in the masculine singular form, regardless of the nouns that come later in the sentence.

Why does the word motosserra have a double 's'?

Motosserra is a compound word made from moto (motor) and serra (saw). In Portuguese, when a prefix or word ending in a vowel is joined with a word starting with 's' or 'r', that consonant is doubled to preserve its original strong sound. If it were spelled with one 's', it would be pronounced with a 'z' sound because it sits between two vowels.

Why do we use para instead of por before esculpir?

You use para here because it expresses purpose or an end goal, translating to "in order to." You are using the tools specifically to achieve the goal of sculpting the ice. A common refresher: por is generally used for the cause of an action, movement through a space, or the means of doing something, rather than the final objective.

What is the plural of o cinzel?