Breakdown of O algodão é suave na pele.
ser
to be
na
in the / on the / at the (f.sg)
suave
smooth
a pele
the skin (also: leather)
o algodão
the cotton
Questions & Answers about O algodão é suave na pele.
Why is there an O before algodão when the English translation just says 'Cotton'?
In Portuguese, when you talk about general concepts, categories, or materials as a whole, you must use a definite article. Since algodão is a masculine word, we use O.
Why do we use é here instead of está?
algodão is a masculine noun, so why doesn't the adjective suave end in an 'o'?
Adjectives that end in the letter 'e' in Portuguese, like suave (soft), are gender-neutral. They keep the exact same form for both masculine and feminine nouns. For example, you would also say a seda é suave (silk is soft).
Where does the word na come from in this sentence?
na is a contraction of the preposition em (in/on) and the feminine definite article a (the). Even though it ends in 'e', pele (skin) is a feminine noun, so it takes the article a. Combined, em + a gives us na (on the).
Learn O algodão é suave na pele 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