Portuguese Phrase
Tá bem ligado na tomada?
Meaning
Literally, “Are you well plugged into the outlet?” It is a casual way to ask if an appliance or device is properly connected to the power socket, often used when checking if something is working.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal settings—at home, in a workshop, or with friends—when you want to confirm that a plug is correctly inserted or that a device has power.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tábemligadonatomada?
Tá (está)
‘Tá’ is the colloquial contraction of ‘está’, the third‑person singular of the verb ‘estar’, used in informal spoken Portuguese.
bem
‘bem’ means ‘well’ or ‘properly’; here it intensifies the verb, asking if something is correctly connected.
ligado
Past participle of ‘ligar’, meaning ‘to plug in’ or ‘to turn on’; with ‘estar’ it forms a state: ‘is plugged in’.
na
Contraction of the preposition ‘em’ + definite article ‘a’, meaning ‘in the/at the’ (feminine).
tomada
Feminine noun meaning ‘electrical outlet’ or ‘socket’.
Question mark
In spoken Portuguese the intonation rises at the end, signalling a yes‑no question.
🗨In Conversation
Tá bem ligado na tomada?
Is it properly plugged into the outlet?
Sim, eu já verifiquei. Está funcionando.
Yes, I already checked. It's working.
✕Common Mistakes
É bem ligado na tomada?
Do not use ‘ligado’ with ‘ser’; it must pair with ‘estar’ to describe a temporary state.
Tá bem ligado em a tomada?
Avoid mixing prepositions; the correct contraction is ‘na’, not ‘em a’ or ‘no’ (which is masculine).
Está bem ligado na tomada?
In formal contexts replace ‘Tá’ with ‘Está’. The informal form is fine for casual conversation.
↔Alternatives
Está bem conectado à tomada?
Is it well connected to the outlet?
O plug está na tomada?
Is the plug in the outlet?
Já ligou na tomada?
Did you plug it in yet?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, the word ‘tomada’ is used for any wall socket, while in Portugal people often say ‘câmara’ or ‘tomada de energia’. The informal contraction ‘tá’ is common in everyday speech but should be avoided in formal writing.