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O recreio é na escola.

O recreio é na escola.
The break is at school.
From Lesson 29:Preposition a contractions (ao, à, aos, às)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about O recreio é na escola.

Since this lesson is about à and ao, why is it na escola instead of à escola if the English translation says 'at school'?
In Portuguese, the preposition a (and its contractions like à) is mostly used for movement or direction (going 'to' the school). For a static location ('in' or 'at' the school), you use the preposition em. Here, em combines with the feminine word for 'the' (a) to make na.
Why does the sentence use é (from ser) for a location, instead of está (from estar)?
You learn early on that estar is used for locations. But there is an important exception: the location of an event always takes ser. Because a school break (o recreio) is an event taking place, we use é.
Can I use o recreio for my lunch break at work?
No, recreio is specifically used for a school recess or children's playtime. If you are taking a break at work, you would call it a pausa.

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