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O cão não é pequeno, mas está doente.

O cão não é pequeno, mas está doente.
The dog is not small, but it is sick.
From Lesson 9:Contrasting the two verbs to be (ser vs. estar)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about O cão não é pequeno, mas está doente.

Why does this sentence use both é and está if they both mean is in English?
In Portuguese, both verbs mean to be, but they are used differently. We use ser (here as é) for permanent traits or characteristics, like a dog's size. We use estar (here as está) for temporary conditions or states, like being sick.
Why is the word for sick doente instead of doento to match the masculine cão?
While pequeno changes to match the masculine noun cão, not all adjectives change their ending. Adjectives that end in -e, like doente, are neutral. They stay exactly the same whether the noun is masculine or feminine.
Why isn't there a word for it before está?
In English we have to say it is sick, but in Portuguese, you can often leave out the subject pronoun (like ele for he or it). The verb form está already tells us it is a he, she, or it, and since we just talked about the dog, the listener knows who you mean.
How do I pronounce the ão in cão?
The mark over the a is called a tilde, and it tells you to make a nasal sound. To say cão, start by saying something close to the English word cow, but push the sound up and out through your nose.

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