Portuguese Phrase
Estou construindo um pequeno robô.
Meaning
I am building a small robot. The sentence uses the present progressive to stress that the construction is currently in progress, not a finished project.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to talk about a hobby, a school project, or a prototype you are working on. It’s perfect for conversations about technology, maker‑culture, or simply describing what you’re doing at the moment.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Estouconstruindoumpequenorobô
Estar + gerúndio (present progressive)
‘Estou’ is the first‑person singular of ‘estar’. When followed by a gerund (‑ndo), it expresses an action that is happening right now.
Gerúndio de ‘construir’
‘Construindo’ is the gerund form of ‘construir’ (to build). It keeps the verb’s stem and adds ‑ndo.
Artigo indefinido ‘um’
‘Um’ is the masculine singular indefinite article, used before a masculine noun.
Adjetivo concordância
‘Pequeno’ agrees in gender (masculine) and number (singular) with the noun ‘robô’.
Substantivo ‘robô’
‘Robô’ is a masculine noun meaning ‘robot’. The accent on the final ‘ô’ indicates a closed‑o sound.
🗨In Conversation
Estou construindo um pequeno robô.
I am building a small robot.
Que legal! Você vai usar ele para alguma competição?
How cool! Are you going to use it for a competition?
✕Common Mistakes
Sou construindo um pequeno robô.
‘Ser’ is used for permanent traits; the progressive requires ‘estar’.
Estou construindo um pequeno robôes.
The noun ‘robô’ is masculine singular; the plural is ‘robôs’ and the article changes to ‘uns’.
Estou construindo um pequeno robôes.
Do not add an extra ‘s’ to the singular form.
↔Alternatives
Estou montando um robô pequeno.
I am assembling a small robot.
Estou criando um pequeno robô.
I am creating a small robot.
Estou fazendo um robô pequeno.
I am making a small robot.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, the ‘maker’ movement is booming, especially in cities like São Paulo and Curitiba where hackerspaces and robotics clubs are common. When you mention building a robot, people often ask about the platform (Arduino, Raspberry Pi) and whether you’ll enter local competitions such as ‘RoboCup’ or school fairs.