Learning a new language opens up a world of opportunities, and Portuguese is no exception. Whether you’re planning a trip to Brazil, Portugal, or any other Portuguese-speaking country, understanding how to talk about time and dates is essential. In this article, we’ll delve into the essential Portuguese words and phrases you need to master to describe time and dates accurately. This knowledge will not only help you in daily conversations but also in understanding schedules, making appointments, and fully immersing yourself in the culture.
Basic Vocabulary for Time
Before we dive into the specifics, let’s start with some fundamental vocabulary related to time.
– **Time**: Tempo
– **Hour**: Hora
– **Minute**: Minuto
– **Second**: Segundo
– **Day**: Dia
– **Week**: Semana
– **Month**: Mês
– **Year**: Ano
Asking for and Telling the Time
One of the first things you’ll want to know is how to ask for the time and how to tell someone the time.
– **What time is it?**: Que horas são?
– **It’s one o’clock**: É uma hora
– **It’s two o’clock**: São duas horas
For minutes past the hour, you would say:
– **It’s 1:15**: É uma e quinze
– **It’s 2:30**: São duas e meia (Note that “meia” is used for half past the hour)
For minutes before the hour, you can use:
– **It’s 1:45**: É uma e quarenta e cinco or São quinze para as duas (fifteen to two)
Parts of the Day
Understanding the parts of the day is essential for setting appointments and making plans.
– **Morning**: Manhã
– **Afternoon**: Tarde
– **Evening**: Noite (Note that “noite” can mean both evening and night)
– **Night**: Noite
– **Midnight**: Meia-noite
– **Noon**: Meio-dia
When telling time, you might want to specify the part of the day:
– **It’s ten in the morning**: São dez da manhã
– **It’s three in the afternoon**: São três da tarde
– **It’s eight in the evening**: São oito da noite
Days of the Week
The days of the week in Portuguese are unique and follow a numerical order starting from Monday.
– **Monday**: Segunda-feira
– **Tuesday**: Terça-feira
– **Wednesday**: Quarta-feira
– **Thursday**: Quinta-feira
– **Friday**: Sexta-feira
– **Saturday**: Sábado
– **Sunday**: Domingo
In casual conversation, you might hear the “feira” part dropped, especially in Brazil:
– **Monday**: Segunda
– **Tuesday**: Terça
Talking About Days
To talk about specific days, you can use the following phrases:
– **Today**: Hoje
– **Tomorrow**: Amanhã
– **Yesterday**: Ontem
– **The day before yesterday**: Anteontem
– **The day after tomorrow**: Depois de amanhã
You can also specify the day of the week:
– **Today is Monday**: Hoje é segunda-feira
– **Tomorrow is Tuesday**: Amanhã é terça-feira
Months of the Year
Next, let’s look at the months of the year, which are similar to English but have their unique pronunciation.
– **January**: Janeiro
– **February**: Fevereiro
– **March**: Março
– **April**: Abril
– **May**: Maio
– **June**: Junho
– **July**: Julho
– **August**: Agosto
– **September**: Setembro
– **October**: Outubro
– **November**: Novembro
– **December**: Dezembro
Talking About Dates
When discussing specific dates, you’ll need to know how to structure them correctly.
– **What is today’s date?**: Qual é a data de hoje?
– **Today is the first of January**: Hoje é primeiro de janeiro
– **My birthday is on March 15th**: Meu aniversário é no dia quinze de março
In Portuguese, dates are usually written in the day/month/year format:
– **12/09/2023**: 12 de setembro de 2023
Seasons of the Year
Understanding the seasons can help you talk about the weather, plan activities, and understand local customs.
– **Spring**: Primavera
– **Summer**: Verão
– **Autumn/Fall**: Outono
– **Winter**: Inverno
You can use these terms to talk about future plans or past experiences:
– **I love the spring**: Eu amo a primavera
– **We went to the beach in the summer**: Nós fomos à praia no verão
Useful Phrases and Expressions
To make your conversations more fluid, here are some useful phrases and expressions related to time and dates.
– **In the morning**: De manhã
– **In the afternoon**: À tarde
– **In the evening**: À noite
– **At night**: À noite
– **From Monday to Friday**: De segunda a sexta
– **On weekends**: Nos fins de semana
– **Every day**: Todos os dias
– **Once a week**: Uma vez por semana
– **Twice a month**: Duas vezes por mês
– **Three times a year**: Três vezes por ano
Expressions of Frequency
Talking about how often something happens is another important aspect of discussing time.
– **Always**: Sempre
– **Often**: Frequentemente
– **Sometimes**: Às vezes
– **Rarely**: Raramente
– **Never**: Nunca
You can use these expressions to talk about your routines and habits:
– **I always drink coffee in the morning**: Eu sempre bebo café de manhã
– **We rarely go out during the week**: Nós raramente saímos durante a semana
Understanding Time in Context
Finally, understanding how time is perceived and discussed in different cultures can greatly enhance your communication skills. In Portuguese-speaking cultures, time can be both precise and flexible depending on the context.
For example:
– **Business meetings**: Punctuality is important, so it’s good to be on time.
– **Social gatherings**: There may be more flexibility, and it’s not uncommon for people to arrive a little late.
Understanding these nuances can help you navigate social and professional situations more effectively.
Conclusion
Mastering the vocabulary and phrases for describing time and dates in Portuguese is a crucial step in becoming proficient in the language. With these tools, you’ll be able to navigate daily life, make plans, and engage in meaningful conversations with native speakers. Remember, practice makes perfect, so use these words and phrases as often as possible to become more comfortable and confident in your Portuguese-speaking abilities. Happy learning!
