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Questions & Answers about O cinema é à direita.
Why does this sentence use é (verb ser) instead of está (verb estar) for location?
You might have learned that estar is used for locations. That is true for temporary locations, like where a person is right now. However, for permanent, unmoving locations like a building, European Portuguese uses the verb ser or the verb ficar (which means to be located).
What does the backwards accent on à mean?
That accent tells you two words were combined. The preposition a (meaning at, to, or on) merges with the feminine word for 'the', which is also a. Together they make à (on the).
Why is it feminine (à direita) instead of masculine (ao direito)?
When giving directions, words like direita (right) and esquerda (left) are feminine because they traditionally refer to a mão (the hand) or a parte (the side). Since those hidden words are feminine, the direction is feminine too.
How do I change this to say the cinema is on the left?
You simply replace direita with the Portuguese word for left, making it: O cinema é à esquerda.