Breakdown of O caso do dinheiro é sério.
ser
to be
de
of / from / by (means of transport) / wearing (attire)
o dinheiro
the money
sério
serious, earnest (a person)
o caso
the case, the matter
Questions & Answers about O caso do dinheiro é sério.
Why does the sentence use do dinheiro instead of just de dinheiro?
In Portuguese, you usually include the definite article (o or a) when talking about general concepts or categories, like money. Since do is the combination of the preposition de (of/about) and the article o (the), it literally translates to "of the money", even though in English we just say "the money matter".
Does the word caso mean a physical "case" like a suitcase?
No, caso is used for abstract situations, meaning a "matter", "issue", or a "case" (like a detective's case). If you want to talk about a physical case for carrying things, you would use words like mala (suitcase) or pasta (briefcase).
Why do we use é (from the verb ser) instead of está (from estar) here?
We use é because the seriousness is seen as a fundamental, defining characteristic of this specific issue, rather than a temporary state. When describing the permanent or essential nature of a situation, ser is the right choice.
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