Breakdown of Eles estão a ir àquela roda-gigante, mas a fila é longa.
ser
to be
eles
they (m)
mas
but
estar
to be (temporary / location)
ir
to go
longo
long
àquele
to that [over there] (m) (f. àquela, etc.)
a fila
the line
a roda-gigante
the Ferris wheel
Questions & Answers about Eles estão a ir àquela roda-gigante, mas a fila é longa.
Why does àquela have an accent mark on the first letter?
It is a contraction. The verb ir (to go) requires the preposition a (to). When this preposition combines with the feminine demonstrative pronoun aquela (that over there), they merge into àquela. The grave accent (pointing left) tells us this contraction happened.
Why do we use the feminine form àquela in this sentence?
Demonstratives must match the gender of the noun they point out. The word for Ferris wheel, roda-gigante, is a feminine noun. Therefore, we use the feminine form aquela (which becomes àquela after the preposition). If the destination were masculine, like a park (parque), it would be àquele parque.
Is estão a ir the standard way to say "are going" in Portugal?
Yes. In European Portuguese, ongoing actions are described using the verb estar (to be) followed by the preposition a and the infinitive of the main verb. So, estão a ir translates to "they are going".
Could I use the word linha instead of fila for the line of people waiting?
No, in Portuguese there is a strict difference. Fila specifically means a queue or line of people waiting for something. The word linha refers to a physical line drawn on a page, a thread, or a train line.
Learn Eles estão a ir àquela roda-gigante, mas a fila é longa 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