Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Os gatos são bonitos.

Os gatos são bonitos.

The cats are beautiful.

Breakdown of Os gatos são bonitos.

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Questions & Answers about Os gatos são bonitos.

Why does the word for 'the' change to os here?

In Portuguese, the word for 'the' has to match the noun in both gender and number. Since gatos (cats) is masculine and plural, the singular o changes to the plural os.

Why do we use são for 'are' in this sentence?

São is the plural form of the verb ser (to be) used for 'they'. Since 'the cats' acts as a plural subject, we use são. We use ser instead of the other 'to be' verb (estar) because being beautiful is treated as a core characteristic of these cats.

Does the adjective always get an 's' added to it like bonitos?

Yes, when it describes a plural noun! Adjectives (describing words) must match the noun's gender and number. Since gatos is masculine and plural, the basic adjective bonito changes to its masculine plural form, bonitos.

What does the squiggly line over the 'a' in são mean?

That mark is called a tilde, and it indicates a nasal sound, meaning the air flows through your nose as well as your mouth. The word são sounds somewhat like the 'soun' part of the English word 'sound'.