Log inSign up

Ela é uma atriz muito conhecida.

Ela é uma atriz muito conhecida.
She is a very well-known actress.
From Lesson 453:Qualidades e avaliação (excelente, esgotado)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of Ela é uma atriz muito conhecida.

muito
much / very
o ator
the actor
conhecido
well-known

Questions & Answers about Ela é uma atriz muito conhecida.

We normally drop the word for 'a' or 'an' when stating professions. Why is uma included here?
You are right that Portuguese usually drops the article for professions, as in Ela é atriz. However, when you add an adjective or descriptive phrase to the profession, you must put the article back. Because she isn't just an actress, but a muito conhecida one, the article uma becomes mandatory.
Why does conhecida end in an 'a', but muito doesn't change to muita?
Conhecida is an adjective describing the feminine noun atriz, so it must agree in gender. Muito, on the other hand, is functioning as an adverb here modifying the adjective (meaning 'very'). Adverbs are invariable, so muito never changes its ending when used this way. You would only use muita if it were acting as an adjective meaning 'a lot of' (e.g., muita fama).
Is there a difference in meaning between calling her muito conhecida and calling her famosa?
They are often used interchangeably, but there is a slight nuance. Famosa directly translates to 'famous' or 'a celebrity.' Conhecida is the past participle of conhecer (to know), so it literally means 'well-known' or 'widely recognized.' It can sometimes sound a bit more grounded or focused on her professional reputation rather than tabloid fame.

Learn Ela é uma atriz muito conhecida and more in Portuguese

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Portuguese →