Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Esta mobília é escura e pesada.

Esta mobília é escura e pesada.

This furniture is dark and heavy.

Breakdown of Esta mobília é escura e pesada.

Questions & Answers about Esta mobília é escura e pesada.

Why do we use é here instead of está?

We use é (from the verb ser) because being dark and heavy are permanent, built-in physical characteristics of this furniture. If we used está, it would imply the furniture is only temporarily dark or heavy, which doesn't make sense for these traits.

Why do the adjectives end in "-a" (escura, pesada) instead of "-o"?

In Portuguese, adjectives must match the gender of the noun they describe. Because mobília is a feminine noun, the adjectives for dark (escura) and heavy (pesada) must also take their feminine forms.

Why is the word for "this" Esta instead of Este or Isto?

Esta is used because it points to a specific feminine, singular noun (mobília) that is close to the speaker. You would use Este for a masculine noun, and Isto only when pointing to an abstract idea or an unidentified object where the noun isn't named.

Is mobília treated differently than the English word "furniture"?

Yes! In English, "furniture" is generally uncountable (we say "a piece of furniture"). In Portuguese, mobília is a regular countable noun. While it is used in the singular here to describe a collective set of furniture in a room, you can also make it plural (mobílias) if you are talking about multiple distinct sets of furniture.