Breakdown of O tempo está húmido no inverno.
estar
to be (temporary / location)
no
in the / on the / at the (m, f, pl forms: na, nos, nas)
o tempo
the time
o inverno
the winter
húmido
humid, damp
Questions & Answers about O tempo está húmido no inverno.
Why is está (from estar) used here instead of é (from ser)? Winter happens every year, so isn't it a permanent trait?
In Portuguese, we use estar to describe weather conditions because weather is inherently a temporary, changeable state, even when describing a general seasonal pattern like winter.
Does tempo mean "weather" or "time"?
It means both! You always have to rely on the context. Because this sentence talks about winter and being damp, tempo clearly translates to "weather" here.
Why is it no inverno instead of just em inverno?
In Portuguese, seasons almost always need a definite article (o or a). So instead of just saying "in winter" like in English, you say "in the winter". You combine the preposition em with the article o to make no.
What does the accent on húmido tell us about how to pronounce it?
The acute accent marks where the spoken stress falls in the word, telling you to emphasize the first syllable. Also, remember that the letter h at the beginning of Portuguese words is always silent.
Learn O tempo está húmido no inverno 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