Portuguese Phrase
A comida tava incrível.
Meaning
The sentence means 'The food was amazing.' It uses the informal past progressive 'tava' to convey a strong positive impression of a meal that has just been experienced.
When to use
Use this phrase right after finishing a meal you really enjoyed, especially in casual conversation with friends, family, or a server at a restaurant.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Acomidatavaincrível
Definite article (A)
The article 'a' is the feminine singular form of 'the' and agrees with the noun 'comida'.
Noun gender (comida)
'Comida' is a feminine noun meaning 'food', so it takes the feminine article 'a'.
Colloquial verb form (tava)
'Tava' is the informal contraction of 'estava', the imperfect form of 'estar' used to describe a temporary state in the past.
Adjective agreement (incrível)
The adjective 'incrível' is invariant; it does not change for gender or number.
🗨In Conversation
A comida tava incrível!
The food was amazing!
Que bom! Vou pedir o mesmo prato.
Great! I’ll order the same dish.
✕Common Mistakes
A comida tava incrível.
In formal writing you should use 'estava' instead of the colloquial contraction.
A comida tava incríveis.
Do not add an 's' to make it plural; the adjective stays the same regardless of the noun's number.
↔Alternatives
A comida estava incrível.
The food was amazing.
A comida ficou incrível.
The food turned out amazing.
A comida estava deliciosa.
The food was delicious.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, praising a chef or a restaurant is common and often done with informal language like 'tava' or 'tá'. However, in more formal settings (e.g., a business dinner) you might prefer the full form 'estava' to sound polite.