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A minha orelha está fria.

A minha orelha está fria.
My ear is cold.
From Lesson 110:A cara e o cabelo·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about A minha orelha está fria.

Why do we use "A minha" instead of just "minha" for "my"?
In European Portuguese, it is standard to put a definite article (like o or a) before a possessive word like minha (my). Because orelha (ear) is a feminine word, we use A minha.
Are there two different words for "ear" in Portuguese?
Yes! The word orelha refers to the outer, physical part of the ear (the part that gets cold in the wind). The other word is ouvido, which refers to the inner ear or the sense of hearing (used when talking about an earache or listening to music).
Why do we use "está" (estar) here instead of "é" (ser)?
We use está because the ear being cold is a temporary state right now. The verb estar is used for temporary conditions, while ser is used for permanent traits. If you used é, it would imply your ear is permanently cold by nature.
I learned that to say "I am cold" we use the verb "ter" (to have). Why don't we use "ter" here?
When a person feels cold, we use the verb ter, as in Eu tenho frio (I am cold). However, when you are describing a specific body part or an object that is physically cold to the touch, you use estar with the adjective frio or fria.

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