Breakdown of A obra fica longe da cidade.
a cidade
the city
longe de
far from
ficar
to be located (of places)
a obra
the construction site
Questions & Answers about A obra fica longe da cidade.
Why use fica here instead of está or é for "is"?
In Portuguese, the verb ficar (to stay) is commonly used to describe the permanent or general location of buildings, places, or cities. You could also use está for location, but fica is the most natural and common choice when pointing out where a physical place like a construction site (obra) is situated.
Doesn't obra usually mean a work of art or a book?
It can! The word obra broadly translates to "work", but in everyday Portuguese, it is very commonly used to mean a construction site, roadwork, or a building project. You will often see street signs saying em obras (under construction).
Why is it da cidade instead of just de cidade?
The word cidade (city) is a feminine noun, and we are talking about "the" city. The preposition de (of/from) combines with the feminine word for "the" (a) to make da. So, longe da cidade means "far from the city".
Does longe always need de after it?
Yes, when you specify what something is far from, you must use longe de (which then combines with words like a or o). If you are just saying "It is far" without mentioning a specific reference point, you drop the preposition and just say Fica longe.
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