Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O escândalo com o milionário é gravíssimo. - The scandal with the millionaire is very serious.

O escândalo com o milionário é gravíssimo.

The scandal with the millionaire is very serious.

Breakdown of O escândalo com o milionário é gravíssimo.

serious, severe (an illness, a situation)

o escândalo

the scandal

Questions & Answers about O escândalo com o milionário é gravíssimo.

Where does the word gravíssimo come from?

It is the absolute superlative form of the adjective grave (serious). To form it, we drop the final vowel -e from the base adjective and add the suffix -íssimo. Because escândalo is masculine and singular, the ending matches it with an -o.

Could I just say muito grave instead of gravíssimo?

Yes! Both mean "very serious" or "extremely serious". Using the -íssimo suffix is simply a more emphatic, single-word way to express a very high degree of a certain quality. It is extremely common in everyday Portuguese.

Does the base word grave mean "grave" as in a burial place?

No, it is a false friend! As an adjective, grave means "serious" or "severe" when talking about situations, problems, or scandals. The Portuguese word for a burial grave is sepultura or túmulo.

Why is the verb é (from ser) used here instead of está (from estar)?

We use ser for defining characteristics. Being "very serious" is an essential, factual part of the nature of this specific scandal, rather than a temporary state or condition that might change back to being not serious tomorrow.