Breakdown of Qual é o oceano mais profundo do mundo?
ser
to be
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
qual
which / what (which one)
mais
more
Questions & Answers about Qual é o oceano mais profundo do mundo?
Why is it o oceano mais profundo and not o mais profundo oceano?
In Portuguese, to form this kind of superlative, we usually put the noun before the adjective. We use the definite article (o, a, os, as) followed by the noun, then mais, and finally the adjective. So, the deepest ocean translates literally as the ocean most deep (o oceano mais profundo).
Why does the sentence use do mundo instead of no mundo for in the world?
When forming a relative superlative (saying something is the most or least out of a group or place), Portuguese uses the preposition de (of) to define the group. Since mundo is masculine, de + o becomes do. We literally say it is the deepest ocean of the world!
Why do we use Qual instead of O que for Which or What here?
If we were asking about a feminine word, like a mountain (montanha), how would this sentence change?