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Portuguese Phrase

Essa caixa aguenta?

/ˈe.sɐ ˈka.ʃɐ aˈɡẽ.tɐ/
Meaning"Does this box hold?"
💡

Meaning

Literally, 'Does this box hold?' It asks whether the box is strong enough or has enough capacity to contain or support something, often a heavy or bulky item.

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When to use

Use this question when you are about to place something inside a box and want to be sure the box won't break or overflow. It’s common in moving, packing, or shopping contexts.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Essacaixaaguenta?

1

Demonstrative pronoun 'essa'

'Essa' points to something near the listener; it agrees in gender (feminine) and number (singular) with the noun it modifies.

2

Noun 'caixa'

'Caixa' is a feminine singular noun meaning 'box' or 'crate'.

3

Verb 'aguentar' (3rd person singular)

'Aguenta' is the present indicative of 'aguentar' for 'ele/ela/você', meaning 'to hold', 'to withstand' or 'to endure'.

4

Interrogative intonation

Adding a question mark turns the statement into a yes‑no question; the verb stays in the same form.

🗨In Conversation

A

Essa caixa aguenta?

Does this box hold?

Sim, aguenta até 10 kg.

Yes, it holds up to 10 kg.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Essa caixa aguente?

    The verb should be in the present indicative (aguenta) for a statement/question; 'aguente' is the imperative/subjunctive form and is incorrect here.

  • Essa caixa aguenta de?

    Portuguese does not use 'de' after 'aguentar' in this construction; the correct form is simply 'Essa caixa aguenta?'

  • Essa caixa aguenta muito?

    Adding 'muito' changes the meaning to 'does this box hold a lot?' which is not the intended yes‑no capacity question.

↔Alternatives

  • Essa caixa suporta?

    Does this box support?

  • Essa caixa cabe?

    Will this box fit?

  • Essa caixa tem capacidade para…?

    Does this box have capacity for…?

pt

Cultural Tip

In Brazilian Portuguese, 'aguentar' is frequently used for physical capacity (e.g., a shelf, a bridge) as well as for endurance (e.g., 'aguentar a dor'). When talking about containers, native speakers often prefer 'aguentar' or 'suportar' over the more formal 'conter'. The tone can be informal; in a formal setting you might say 'Esta caixa tem capacidade para…'.