Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Ela é professora? — É. - Is she a teacher?

Ela é professora? — É.

Is she a teacher? — She is.

Breakdown of Ela é professora? — É.

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Questions & Answers about Ela é professora? — É.

Why isn't there a word for "a" before "teacher" (Ela é uma professora)?

In Portuguese, when you state someone's profession using the verb ser (to be), you do not use the words for "a" or "an" (um or uma). You just say Ela é professora, which translates literally to "She is teacher".

Why does the question start with "Ela é" (She is) instead of "É ela" (Is she)?

Unlike English, Portuguese does not swap the subject and verb to ask a question. You just use the exact same word order as a normal sentence (Ela é professora) and raise the pitch of your voice at the end to show you are asking something.

Why is the reply just "É" instead of "Sim" (Yes)?

While you can say Sim, it is much more natural in Portuguese to answer a yes/no question by repeating the main verb that was used in the question. Since the question asks é (is), the most natural way to say "yes" is simply to reply É.

Why do we use the verb "ser" (é) here instead of "estar"?

Portuguese has two verbs for "to be". You use ser for things that are permanent, defining, or long-lasting, such as someone's profession. The other verb, estar, is used for temporary states or locations.