Portuguese Phrase
Essa é a rua certa?
Meaning
The speaker is asking whether the street they are on is the correct one for their destination. It’s a polite way to confirm a location while navigating a city or neighbourhood.
When to use
Use this sentence when you are unsure if you have turned onto the right street and need a quick confirmation from a passerby, a shopkeeper, or a friend. It works in both formal and informal contexts, but adding a courtesy phrase like ‘Com licença’ makes it extra polite.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Essaéaruacerta?
Demonstrative pronoun (essa)
‘Essa’ is a feminine singular demonstrative pronoun used for something close to the listener (or already mentioned).
Verb ser (é)
‘É’ is the third‑person singular present of ‘ser’, used for identity or definition.
Noun + adjective agreement
‘Rua’ (feminine) must agree with the adjective ‘certa’, also feminine singular.
Yes‑/no question formation
In Portuguese, a yes‑no question can be formed simply by raising intonation and adding a question mark; no inversion is required.
🗨In Conversation
Essa é a rua certa?
Is this the right street?
Não, a rua certa é a segunda à esquerda.
No, the right street is the second one on the left.
✕Common Mistakes
Esta é a rua certa?
‘Esta’ refers to something near the speaker; use ‘essa’ when the object is near the listener or already mentioned.
Essa é a rua certo?
‘Certo’ as a noun means ‘right’ (as in ‘right‑hand side’). Here you need the adjective ‘certa’ to agree with ‘rua’.
É a rua certa?
Avoid dropping the demonstrative pronoun; ‘É a rua certa?’ sounds incomplete and can be misunderstood as ‘Is it the right street?’ without specifying which street.
↔Alternatives
Esta é a rua correta?
Is this the correct street?
É esta a rua certa?
Is this the right street?
Estou na rua certa?
Am I on the right street?
Cultural Tip
Brazilian locals are usually eager to help strangers with directions. Start with ‘Com licença’ or ‘Desculpe’ to get attention, then ask the question. ‘Certa’ sounds a bit more colloquial, while ‘correta’ is slightly more formal. In some regions, people may point with their hand rather than give a detailed verbal description.