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Os calções estão apertados?

Os calções estão apertados?
Are the shorts tight?
From Lesson 73:Stem-changing reflexives·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Os calções estão apertados?

Why do we use estão instead of são here?
We use the verb estar (here conjugated as estão) for temporary states or conditions. When talking about how clothes fit your body, Portuguese typically uses estar because the fit is considered a temporary state. If you used ser (são), it would mean the shorts are inherently designed to be a tight-fitting style rather than just feeling tight right now.
Is the word for shorts always plural in Portuguese?
Yes, just like in English, calções is treated as a plural noun even when referring to a single pair of shorts. Because of this, the definite article Os, the verb estão, and the adjective apertados must all take their plural forms to match it.
Why does apertados end in -os?
Apertados is an adjective meaning tight. In Portuguese, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Since calções is masculine and plural, the adjective takes the masculine plural ending -os.
How does the spelling change from singular to plural for a word like calções?
The singular form is calção, which ends in -ão. To make words ending in -ão plural, the most common spelling change you will see at this level is dropping the -ão and adding -ões.

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