Question 1

Why do we say de hoje to mean today's?

Accepted Answer

Portuguese does not have an apostrophe S to show possession or connection. Instead, you always use de (of). So, today's dinner translates literally as the dinner of today (o jantar de hoje).

Question 2

I learned that jantar is a verb. Can it be a noun too?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Many meal words in Portuguese work as both a noun and a verb. Here, the word o before it shows it is the noun meaning the dinner. If you used it as a verb, you might say vamos jantar (we are going to eat dinner).

Question 3

Why use é (from the verb ser) instead of está (from estar)? Isn't a daily meal temporary?

Accepted Answer

We use é because we are defining what the meal actually is. When you state the identity of something (this dinner equals fish), you use ser. You would only use estar to describe a temporary condition of the meal, such as o jantar está frio (the dinner is cold).

Question 4

What does cozido mean, and why is it used instead of a word like cozinhado?

Accepted Answer

The word cozido specifically means boiled when talking about food, coming from the verb cozer (to boil or bake). It is a more specific cooking method than the general word for cooked (cozinhado). Because it acts as an adjective describing the fish, it comes after the noun (peixe cozido).

O jantar de hoje é peixe cozido.

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