Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Ela está constipada.

Ela está constipada.

She has a cold.

Breakdown of Ela está constipada.

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Questions & Answers about Ela está constipada.

Does constipada mean "constipated"?

No, this is a classic false friend! In Portuguese, estar constipado or estar constipada means to have a cold. If you actually need to talk about digestive constipation, the phrase is prisão de ventre.

The translation says "has a cold". Why does the sentence use está (is) instead of a form of the verb ter (to have)?

In English, we use the verb "to have" with the noun "a cold". In Portuguese, this specific illness is treated as an adjective describing a temporary state. You literally say "She is congested" using the verb estar (to be). This is a good reminder that we can't always translate English phrases word-for-word!

Could I use é instead of está here?

No, because having a cold is a temporary condition. You use estar for temporary states like illnesses or moods, and the other verb for "to be", ser, for permanent characteristics.

Why does constipada end in "-a"?

Because it functions as an adjective describing ela (she), which is feminine. Adjectives must match the gender of the person they describe. If we were talking about a man, the sentence would be: Ele está constipado.