Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O que está nesta caixa?

O que está nesta caixa?

What is in this box?

Breakdown of O que está nesta caixa?

o que

what

estar

to be (temporary / location)

neste

in this (m/sg), nesta (f/sg), nestes (m/pl), nestas (f/pl)

a caixa

the box

Questions & Answers about O que está nesta caixa?

How do we get the word nesta?

Nesta is a contraction of the preposition em (in/on/at) and the feminine singular demonstrative pronoun esta (this). Because caixa (box) is a feminine word, we use esta, and since we are talking about what is in the box, they combine: em + esta = nesta.

Why use está for 'is' instead of é?

We use está (from the verb estar) because we are asking about a location. In Portuguese, you use estar for temporary states and for the physical location of objects, whereas ser (which gives us é) is used for permanent characteristics.

Why is there an o before que?

When asking 'What...?' at the beginning of a question, it is standard in Portuguese to use o que rather than just que. It acts as a single phrase meaning 'what'.

Does esta mean 'this' or 'that'?