Question 1

Why does the sentence start with faz instead of a word for 'it is'?

Accepted Answer

In English, we use 'it is' for the weather, but Portuguese often uses the verb fazer (to make/do). When you talk about the weather, you are literally saying 'It makes wind' (faz vento), 'It makes cold' (faz frio), or 'It makes sun' (faz sol).

Question 2

Why use muito vento instead of a word for 'windy'?

Accepted Answer

In English, 'windy' is a describing word (adjective), so we say 'very windy'. In Portuguese, vento is a thing (a noun) meaning 'wind'. Because of this, you use muito to literally say 'a lot of wind'. Since vento is a masculine singular noun, the word for 'a lot of' stays in its default form, muito.

Question 3

Does na rua just mean 'in the street'?

Accepted Answer

Literally, yes. However, Portuguese speakers very commonly use na rua to simply mean 'outside' or 'outdoors'. So this sentence is the most natural way to say 'It is very windy outside.'

Question 4

Why is it na rua instead of just em rua?

Accepted Answer

In Portuguese, when you use the word em (in/on/at) before a specific place, you almost always combine it with the word for 'the'. Because rua is a feminine word, you combine em with the feminine 'the' (a) to create the mandatory contraction na ('in the').

Faz muito vento na rua.

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