Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O nariz do cão é preto.

O nariz do cão é preto.

The dog's nose is black.

Breakdown of O nariz do cão é preto.

ser

to be

of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)

Questions & Answers about O nariz do cão é preto.

Why does the sentence say do cão instead of using an apostrophe for possession?

Portuguese doesn't use an apostrophe-s to show ownership. Instead, you build it like 'the nose of the dog'. The word do is a mandatory contraction of de (of) and o (the), which matches the masculine noun cão.

The word nariz doesn't end in -o or -a. How do we know it is masculine?

Nouns ending in -z can be either masculine or feminine in Portuguese, so you just have to memorize the gender when you learn the word. In this sentence, the masculine article O right before it is your clue that nariz is masculine.

Why do we use é here instead of está for the word 'is'?

The word é comes from the verb ser, which is used for permanent characteristics. Because the black color of the dog's nose is a natural, permanent physical trait rather than a temporary state, you must use ser instead of estar.

Does the adjective preto agree with the dog or the nose?

It agrees with O nariz (the nose), which is the main subject of the sentence. Since nariz is a masculine, singular noun, the adjective takes the masculine, singular form preto. If the subject were a feminine word, it would be preta.