Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O trabalho está pronto agora?

The verb estar (where está comes from) is used for temporary states or conditions. The work being ready (pronto) is a temporary state that was just achieved. If we used the verb ser and said é, it would imply the work is permanently or fundamentally ready by nature, which does not make sense for a task you just finished.

Does the word pronto change if we talk about something else?

Yes! Pronto is an adjective (a describing word), so its ending must match the gender and number of the noun it describes. Because trabalho is masculine and singular, we use pronto. If we were asking about a feminine noun, like a comida (the food), the ending would change to match it: A comida está pronta agora?

Why isn't the verb at the beginning of the sentence to form the question?

In English, we swap the word order to ask a question (The work is... vs. Is the work...). In Portuguese, you do not need to change the word order at all. The statement form is O trabalho está pronto agora. To turn it into a question, you simply write a question mark at the end or make your voice go up at the end of the sentence when speaking.

Can I put agora at the beginning of the sentence instead?