Whether you’re planning a trip to a Portuguese-speaking country or simply looking to expand your language skills, knowing how to express time in Portuguese is essential. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore both formal and informal ways of telling the time in Portuguese. We will cover the basics, provide helpful tips, examples, and even touch upon regional variations. So, let’s dive right in!
Table of Contents
1. Formal Time Expressions
When it comes to formal time expressions in Portuguese, you should keep in mind a few key phrases. These phrases are commonly used in business or official settings:
- Que horas são? – What time is it?
- São… – It is…
- São exatamente… – It is exactly…
- São quinze para as… – It is quarter to…
- É uma hora em ponto. – It’s one o’clock sharp.
Here are a few examples of formal time expressions in Portuguese:
Dialog 1:
Person A: Que horas são?
Person B: São duas e meia.
Person A: Obrigado!
Person B: De nada!
Dialog 2:
Person A: São onze horas exatamente?
Person B: Sim, são onze horas exatamente.
2. Informal Time Expressions
When speaking with friends, family, or in informal situations, you can use simpler expressions to tell the time. Here are some commonly used informal phrases in Portuguese:
- Que horas são? – What time is it?
- São… – It is…
- São quase… – It is almost…
- São por volta de… – It is around…
- São quatro e meia. – It is four-thirty.
Let’s see a couple of examples of informal time expressions in action:
Dialog 1:
Person A: Que horas são?
Person B: São cinco em ponto.
Person A: Beleza, valeu!
Person B: De nada!
Dialog 2:
Person A: São quase meia-noite.
Person B: Já? Precisamos nos apressar!
3. Tips for Telling the Time in Portuguese
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when telling the time in Portuguese:
- Use “é” when expressing a specific hour, and “são” for other times.
- When talking about minutes, use “e” in between the hours and minutes.
- When it’s exactly 30 minutes past the hour, use “meia” instead of “trinta” for half past.
- To express “quarter past” or “quarter to,” use “e quinze” and “menos quinze,” respectively.
- In Portugal, the 24-hour clock format (also known as the “military time”) is commonly used.
4. Regional Variations
While Portuguese is mainly spoken in Portugal and Brazil, there are some regional variations in time expressions:
- In Portugal, it is common to use “e um quarto” for “quarter past” and “e três quartos” for “quarter to.”
- In Brazil, instead of using “quinze para as,” Brazilians may say “quinze pras” or “quinze pra” to mean “quarter to.”
Remember, these regional variations are not extensive, and the basic expressions mentioned earlier will be well-understood in both countries.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve now learned the essentials of telling the time in Portuguese. We covered both formal and informal time expressions, shared some useful tips, and even explored regional variations when necessary. Remember to practice these phrases in context to improve your fluency. With your new knowledge, you’ll be able to confidently ask and tell the time in Portuguese-speaking regions. Boa sorte! (Good luck!)
