Breakdown of O engenheiro está na obra enquanto os operários constroem.
estar
to be (temporary / location)
em
in / on / at
enquanto
while
a obra
the construction site
o engenheiro
the engineer
o operário
the worker
construir
to build
Questions & Answers about O engenheiro está na obra enquanto os operários constroem.
Does enquanto need a special verb form like the subjunctive here?
Enquanto means "while" or "as long as". When it describes two things happening at the same time in reality, like in this sentence, it just uses the normal present tense (the indicative). You only need to worry about the subjunctive with enquanto if you are talking about the uncertain future.
Why use está instead of é for "is" at the construction site?
Why is "at the" translated as na here?
Na is the mandatory contraction of the preposition em (in, on, or at) and the feminine word for "the", a. We use the feminine a because obra (construction site) is a feminine noun.
Constroem looks like an unusual spelling for a verb ending. What verb is this?
It is the "they" form of the verb construir (to build). Verbs ending in -uir have some irregular forms in the present tense. For "they" (which applies to os operários), the ending becomes -oem, making it constroem.
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