Breakdown of A maqueta do navio é muito trabalhosa de montar.
ser
to be
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
muito
much / very
o
him/it (m)
Questions & Answers about A maqueta do navio é muito trabalhosa de montar.
Why do we need the preposition "de" before "montar"?
This sentence uses a structure where a specific subject (A maqueta do navio) is described with the verb ser, an evaluative adjective (trabalhosa), and an action. In Portuguese, you must connect the adjective and the infinitive verb (montar) with the preposition de. In English, we just say "laborious to assemble", but Portuguese requires that linking de.
Why is the adjective "trabalhosa" in the feminine form? Isn't the act of assembling (montar) what is laborious?
In this specific structure, the adjective must agree with the grammatical subject of the sentence. Since A maqueta is a feminine singular noun, the adjective becomes trabalhosa. If we phrased it the other way around, starting with the action as the subject, we would use the default masculine form: É muito trabalhoso montar a maqueta do navio.
I often see "modelo" used for "model". Is "maqueta" a specific type of model?
Yes! While modelo is a general word for model, maqueta specifically refers to a physical scale model or a mock-up, like an architectural model or a miniature ship kit. Note that in European Portuguese it is maqueta, whereas you might see it spelled maquete in Brazilian Portuguese.
Why doesn't "montar" need an object pronoun at the end, like "montá-la"?