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'?

Esta means 'this', referring to something close to the speaker. If the box were further away, you would use essa ('that'), and the contraction would become nessa (em + essa).