Learn Portuguese (Portugal): De quem são estas chaves?

De quem são estas chaves?

Whose keys are these?

Breakdown of De quem são estas chaves?

ser

to be

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

Questions & Answers about De quem são estas chaves?

Why does the sentence start with De quem instead of a single word for "whose"?

Portuguese doesn't have a single question word for "whose". Instead, you use de quem, which literally means "of whom". The sentence is structurally asking "Of whom are these keys?".

Why do we use the verb são (ser) here instead of estão (estar)?

We use são (from the verb ser) because ownership is treated as a permanent or defining characteristic in Portuguese. You always use ser to say who something belongs to, never estar.

Why is the word for "these" spelled estas?

The word for "these" has to match the gender and number of the noun it points to. Because chaves (keys) is a feminine plural noun, we use estas. If the objects were masculine, like sapatos (shoes), you would use estes.

Can I change the word order to put de quem at the end?

Yes! In everyday spoken Portuguese, it is very common to keep the subject at the start and move the question words to the end. Saying Estas chaves são de quem? is perfectly correct and sounds very natural.