Questions & Answers about Mas a atriz é elegantíssima.
How is elegantíssima formed from the base adjective?
The base adjective is elegante (elegant). To add the absolute superlative suffix, we drop the final vowel -e and add -íssimo. Because it describes a atriz (a feminine noun), it must agree in gender, changing to the feminine form elegantíssima.
Could I just say "muito elegante" instead of using elegantíssima?
Yes! Muito elegante and elegantíssima mean the exact same thing: "very elegant" or "extremely elegant". Using the -íssimo ending is just a more expressive, single-word way to say it.
Why do we use é (from the verb ser) instead of está (from the verb estar) here?
Using é means we are talking about a permanent or inherent characteristic. The actress is an elegant person in general. If we wanted to say she looks very elegant right now (perhaps she is wearing a stunning dress at a premiere tonight), we would use está elegantíssima.
Why does elegantíssima have an accent mark?
The suffix -íssimo (and its feminine or plural forms) always carries an acute accent on the first i. In Portuguese, words are naturally stressed on the second-to-last syllable. The accent mark breaks this rule and forces the stress to fall on the third-to-last syllable, so you pronounce it e-le-gan-TÍS-si-ma.
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