Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Ele ainda está no trabalho.

Ele ainda está no trabalho.

He is still at work.

Breakdown of Ele ainda está no trabalho.

ele

estar

to be (temporary / location)

in the / on the / at the (m, f, pl forms: na, nos, nas)

o trabalho

the work / the job

Questions & Answers about Ele ainda está no trabalho.

Is ainda an adverb like muito and pouco?

Yes! Ainda is an adverb meaning "still" (or "yet" in negative sentences). Just like the adverbs muito (very) and pouco (little) that you are currently learning, ainda is invariable. This means it never changes its ending to match masculine, feminine, singular, or plural words.

Why is the verb está used here instead of é?

Está comes from the verb estar, which is used for temporary locations and states. Since being at work is a temporary location (he will eventually go home!), you must use estar rather than the permanent "to be" verb, ser.

Why does the sentence use no trabalho instead of em trabalho?

In Portuguese, you typically say someone is "in the work" rather than just "at work". To do this, the preposition em (in/at) combines with the masculine word for "the" (o) to create the mandatory contraction no.

Where should adverbs like ainda be placed in a sentence?

It is most natural to place ainda right before the verb it describes, just like in this sentence (Ele ainda está...). While you might hear it at the very end of a sentence in casual speech, placing it before the verb is the standard, safest position for beginners.