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A roupa ainda está húmida.

A roupa ainda está húmida.
The clothes are still damp.
From Lesson 106:O tempo lá fora (a nuvem, o nevoeiro)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about A roupa ainda está húmida.

Why is "a roupa" singular when the English translation says "the clothes"?
In Portuguese, a roupa is a collective noun treated as singular, much like the English words 'clothing' or 'laundry'. Even though it refers to multiple items, the verb está and adjective húmida must also be singular to match it.
Why does this sentence use está instead of é?
We use está (from the verb estar) because being damp is a temporary state. The clothes are wet right now, but they will eventually dry. If we used é (from the verb ser), it would sound like the clothes are permanently damp by nature.
Why does the adjective húmida end in an "a"?
Adjectives in Portuguese must match the gender and number of the noun they describe. Because a roupa is a feminine singular noun, the adjective takes its feminine singular form, húmida, rather than the masculine húmido.
How do I pronounce the word húmida?
The letter 'h' at the beginning of a word is completely silent in Portuguese. You pronounce húmida by starting directly with the 'u' sound. The acute accent mark on the 'ú' tells you to put the strongest stress on that first syllable.
Can ainda mean anything else besides "still"?
In affirmative sentences like this one, ainda means 'still'. However, if you use it in a negative sentence, it translates to 'yet'. For example, a roupa ainda não está seca means 'the clothes are not dry yet'.

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