Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Isso é o livro e você é o professor. - That is the book and you are the teacher.

Isso é o livro e você é o professor.

That is the book and you are the teacher.

Breakdown of Isso é o livro e você é o professor.

Questions & Answers about Isso é o livro e você é o professor.

Why does você use é instead of a "you" verb form?

Even though você means "you" in a more formal way, it grammatically acts like "he" or "she" (ele or ela). Because of this, it always takes the third-person singular verb form. That is why we use é (is) instead of the informal "you" form és (are).

What kind of word is isso and does it change if the object is feminine?

Isso means "that" and is a neuter pronoun. Neuter means it has no masculine or feminine form. We use it when pointing to an unknown object or a general idea before we name it. Even though it points to o livro (a masculine word) in this sentence, isso never changes its spelling.

Why do we use é here instead of está?

The word é comes from the verb ser, which is used for permanent characteristics, professions, or identities. Being a book or a teacher is a core identity, so we must use ser. The other "to be" verb, estar (which gives us está), is mostly used for temporary states like locations or feelings.

Can I leave out the word você in this sentence?