Breakdown of O tratamento é longo, mas o joelho volta a estar bem.
ser
to be
mas
but
estar
to be (temporary / location)
bem
well / fine
a
to / at (direction)
voltar
to return
longo
long
o joelho
the knee
o tratamento
the treatment
Questions & Answers about O tratamento é longo, mas o joelho volta a estar bem.
Why does the Portuguese sentence use volta a to mean "again"?
In Portuguese, you often express doing something "again" by using the verb voltar (to return) + the preposition a + an infinitive verb. So, volta a estar literally translates to "returns to being," which we naturally say in English as "is [fine] again."
Does the verb voltar always mean "again"?
No, on its own, voltar usually means "to return" or "to go back" (like returning to a physical place). It only takes on the meaning of doing something "again" when it is specifically combined with the preposition a and another verb in its infinitive form, like estar in this sentence.
Why do we use é for the treatment, but estar for the knee?
Why is the word bem used here instead of bom for "fine" or "good"?
When talking about health, how someone is feeling, or the physical condition of a body part, Portuguese uses the adverb bem (well/fine) alongside the verb estar. Using the adjective bom (good) would sound more like you are describing the inherent quality of the knee rather than its temporary state of health.
Learn O tratamento é longo, mas o joelho volta a estar bem and more in Portuguese
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free