Breakdown of Que surpresa! Eles andam a ver um documentário sobre ecologia.
eles
they (m)
um
a / an / some (all forms)
que
what (before a noun)
ver
to see
a surpresa
the surprise
sobre
about, on (a topic)
andar a
to have been (doing)
a ecologia
the ecology
o documentário
the documentary
Questions & Answers about Que surpresa! Eles andam a ver um documentário sobre ecologia.
Why does it translate to "have been watching" instead of "are watching"?
The structure andar a followed by an infinitive (here, ver) is used in European Portuguese to describe an action that has been happening repeatedly or continuously over a recent period. It translates best to "have been doing [something]" rather than just "are doing [something]".
Could I say "Eles estão a ver" instead of "Eles andam a ver"?
Yes, but it changes the meaning slightly. Eles estão a ver means they are watching the documentary right now at this exact moment. Eles andam a ver implies they have been watching it recently, perhaps in installments over a few days, and aren't necessarily looking at the screen at the exact moment you are speaking.
Why is there no word for "a" in "Que surpresa" ("What a surprise")?
In Portuguese, when you make an exclamation using Que followed by a noun, you drop the indefinite article (like "a" or "an"). So, "What a surprise!" is just Que surpresa!, and "What a good idea!" is Que boa ideia!.
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