What does it mean word for word?
The phrase sentimos sua falta literally translates to 'we feel your lack'.
Which one should you use?
While sentimos sua falta is a standard way to express this, you can also use estamos com saudades de você to convey the same sentiment using the noun 'saudade' (longing/nostalgia). For more intense or informal expressions, you might use Estamos morrendo de saudades (we are dying of saudades) or Estamos com muita saudade de você (we have a lot of saudades of you).
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the phrase from 'we miss you' to 'I miss you', change the verb from the first-person plural sentimos to the first-person singular sinto (making it sinto sua falta). In the phrase sentimos sua falta, the possessive adjective sua can refer to 'you' in both formal and informal contexts depending on the regional dialect, but it is most commonly used to mean 'your' in a general sense.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, the use of sua in sentimos sua falta is common for both friends and strangers, but in Portugal, sua is strictly formal and would be replaced by tua for friends.
- The word falta in sentimos sua falta is a cognate of the English word 'fault', sharing a common ancestor that relates to the idea of something being missing or failing.
- Unlike English, which uses the verb 'miss', Portuguese expresses this feeling through either 'feeling a lack' (sentir falta) or 'being with' a feeling (estar com saudade).
Examples in context
- Caro Sr. Silva, sentimos a sua falta e esperamos vê-lo em breve.Dear Mr. Silva, we miss you and hope to see you soon.
- Oi, amiga! Estamos morrendo de saudades. Vamos marcar um encontro em breve, sim?Hi, friend! We are dying of saudades. Let's plan a meetup soon, okay?
- Sempre sentimos sua falta aqui.We always miss you here.
Example conversation
Felipe and Camila are talking on a video call.
- FelipeOi, Camila! Nós sentimos sua falta.Hi, Camila! We miss you.
- CamilaEu também sinto falta de vocês!I miss you guys too!
- FelipeVocê precisa nos visitar logo.You need to visit us soon.
- CamilaEu vou tentar ir aí.I will try to go there.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries falta, sua, CC BY-SA 4.0.
