Learn Portuguese (Portugal): A mesa baixa é velha.

A mesa baixa é velha.

The low table is old.

Breakdown of A mesa baixa é velha.

short (in height) / low

Questions & Answers about A mesa baixa é velha.

Why does it say mesa baixa instead of baixa mesa?

In Portuguese, adjectives that describe a noun usually come after the noun they are describing. Since baixa (low) describes the mesa (table), it comes right after it.

Why do baixa and velha both end in 'a'?

Adjectives have to match the gender and number of the noun they describe. Because mesa is a feminine singular word, the adjectives must also be in their feminine singular forms: baixa (instead of the masculine baixo) and velha (instead of velho).

Does velha still have to match mesa even though it is on the other side of the verb?

Yes! Even when an adjective comes after a verb like "is", it still describes the main subject of the sentence. Since the subject is the feminine a mesa, the word for old must be the feminine velha.

Why do we use é instead of está for "is"?

We use é (from the verb ser) because being old is a permanent characteristic of the table. If we were talking about something temporary, like the table being broken or dirty right now, we would use está (from the verb estar).