Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O homem é de Londres?

O homem é de Londres?

Is the man from London?

Breakdown of O homem é de Londres?

ser

to be

of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)

Questions & Answers about O homem é de Londres?

Why is it just de Londres and not do Londres or da Londres?

In Portuguese, most cities do not use a definite article (the words o or a meaning "the"). Because there is no article before Londres, the preposition de (meaning "from") has nothing to merge with. It simply stays de.

Why do we use é (from the verb ser) instead of está (from the verb estar)?

To talk about origin (where someone is permanently from), you must use the verb ser. If you used está, you would be asking about the man's temporary current location, not his hometown.

How do we know this is a question since the word order is exactly the same as a statement?

In Portuguese, you do not need to flip the word order or add helper words to ask a yes/no question. The statement O homem é de Londres becomes a question simply by adding a question mark in writing and raising the pitch of your voice at the end when speaking.

How do I pronounce the "s" at the end of Londres?

In European Portuguese, an "s" at the very end of a word (before a pause) makes an "sh" sound. Therefore, Londres is pronounced roughly like "lohn-dresh".