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A cadeira é menos pesada do que a mesa.

A cadeira é menos pesada do que a mesa.
The chair is less heavy than the table.
From Lesson 53:Comparatives (mais... do que, menos... do que)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Breakdown of A cadeira é menos pesada do que a mesa.

ser
to be
a mesa
the table
a cadeira
the chair
do que
than
menos
less
pesado
heavy

Questions & Answers about A cadeira é menos pesada do que a mesa.

Why do we use do que here instead of just que for "than"?
In Portuguese, when comparing two things, "than" usually translates to do que. You can actually drop the do and just say que (like menos pesada que a mesa), but do que is very common and sounds perfectly natural in Portugal.
Why is it pesada instead of pesado? Does it match the chair or the table?
The adjective must match the gender of the thing being described. Since we are describing a cadeira (the chair), which is a feminine noun, we use the feminine word pesada. The fact that we are comparing it to a mesa doesn't change this.
What if we compared the feminine chair to a masculine object, like o sofá (the sofa)?
The adjective still stays pesada. In comparisons, the adjective always matches the first noun (the subject). So, "The chair is less heavy than the sofa" is A cadeira é menos pesada do que o sofá. If you started with the sofa, it would switch to masculine: O sofá é menos pesado do que a cadeira.
Why do we use é (from the verb ser) instead of está (from estar)?
We use the verb ser (to be) for permanent or built-in characteristics. The weight of a piece of furniture is an inherent physical property, not a temporary condition, so we use é.

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