Ways to say it
| Portuguese |
|---|
| sinto sua falta |
| sinto saudade de você |
| tenho saudades de você |
The phrase sinto sua falta is a direct way to say you miss someone or something. The word saudade refers to a deep emotional state of longing or nostalgia, which is the core concept behind 'missing' someone in Portuguese. For example, sinto saudade de você or tenho saudades de você are natural ways to say you miss a person. You can also use even more informal expressions like Tô com saudade or the more intense Tô morrendo de saudade to say "I'm dying of missing you".
What does it mean word for word?
While sinto sua falta literally translates to "I feel your lack," expressions involving saudade literally translate to "I feel longing for you" or "I have longings for you."
Which one should you use?
Sinto sua falta is slightly more direct and can be used for both people and things, whereas saudade expressions are more emotive and person-centric.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using expressions with saudade, you can use the word in either the singular or the plural form (saudade or saudades) without changing the core meaning of the phrase. To change "I miss you" to "I miss you all" (plural), you change the object from você to vocês, such as in sinto saudade de vocês.
Did you know?
- In Portuguese culture, saudade can be felt for something that has never even happened, representing a longing for a dream or an ideal.
- The word saudade might be linked to the Arabic word sawdāʔ, which refers to 'black bile', a substance once believed to cause melancholy.
- While English users 'miss' a person, Portuguese speakers can 'have' saudades, treating the feeling of longing as a possession.
Examples in context
- Como eu sinto sua falta.How I miss you.This is useful for expressing how much you miss someone.Tatoeba #393679 by brauliobezerra, translation #18052 by Zifre
- Sinto saudade de você quando não está aqui.I miss you when you're not here.This demonstrates expressing longing for a person when they are absent.Tatoeba #1331565 by alexmarcelo, translation #1329779 by CK
- Sinto saudade de vocês quando não estão aqui.I miss you when you aren't here.This shows how to use the phrase to address a group of people.Tatoeba #1331563 by alexmarcelo, translation #10140607 by CK
- Sinto sua falta todos os dias.I miss you every day.
- Tenho saudades suas desde que você partiu.I have missed you since you left.
- Estou com saudades de você desde a última vez que nos vimos.I am missing you since the last time we saw each other.
- Tô com saudade de você! Volte logo, tá?I'm missing you! Come back soon, okay?
- Tô com saudade de você, meu amigo. Vamos marcar algo em breve?I'm missing you, my friend. Shall we plan something soon?
- Tô morrendo de saudade de você, amor. Quando nos encontraremos novamente?I'm dying of missing you, my love. When will we see each other again?
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Gabriel are talking on a video call.
- MarianaOi, Gabriel! Eu sinto sua falta.Hi, Gabriel! I miss you.
- GabrielEu também sinto sua falta, Mariana.I miss you too, Mariana.
- MarianaQuando você vai voltar para casa?When are you coming back home?
- GabrielEu volto no próximo final de semana.I am coming back next weekend.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I miss you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, falta, saudade, sua, tenho, você, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
