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O rio é tão frio como a noite.

O rio é tão frio como a noite.
The river is as cold as the night.
From Lesson 54:Equality comparisons (tão... como)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about O rio é tão frio como a noite.

How do we form the "as... as" comparison in this sentence?
In Portuguese, you use tão followed by an adjective and then como. Here, tão frio como means "as cold as". Tão acts as the first "as", and como acts as the second "as" (or "like").
Why is the adjective frio masculine when a noite is a feminine noun?
The adjective always agrees with the subject it describes. Here, frio is describing o rio (the river), which is masculine. The gender of the thing it is being compared to (a noite) does not change the adjective.
Why does the sentence use é (from the verb ser) instead of está (from estar) for being cold?
We use the verb ser for permanent or inherent characteristics. By using é, the speaker implies that this river is naturally and consistently cold. If they used está, it would mean the river happens to be cold right now, temporarily.
Doesn't como usually mean "how" or "I eat"?
It can! Como is a very common and flexible word. It means "how" in questions, it is the "I" form of the verb comer (to eat), and in comparisons like this one, it translates to "as" or "like".

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