Unlocking the Secrets of Telling Time in Portuguese
When learning a new language, grasping the concept of telling time is essential. It’s a fundamental skill that can help you schedule appointments, make travel plans, and navigate daily conversations. This guide will walk you through the basics of telling the time in Portuguese, providing you with the necessary tools to express time like a native speaker.
Understanding the Portuguese Clock
Portuguese time is usually expressed in a 24-hour format, particularly for formal situations like schedules and public transportation. However, in everyday conversation, the 12-hour clock is commonly used. Lets start with the numbers, as they form the building blocks of telling the time:
- 1 um
- 2 dois
- 3 três
- 4 quatro
- 5 cinco
- 6 seis
- 7 sete
- 8 oito
- 9 nove
- 10 dez
- 11 onze
- 12 doze
- 13 treze
- 14 catorze
- 15 quinze
- 16 dezesseis
- 17 dezessete
- 18 dezoito
- 19 dezenove
- 20 vinte
- 30 trinta
Asking the Time
To ask for the time in Portuguese, you would say “Que horas são?” (What time is it?). If you are asking about a specific time of an event, you might ask “A que horas começa o evento?” (What time does the event start?).
Expressing the Time in Portuguese
When expressing the time, the hour part comes first followed by the minutes. Use “hora(s)” for hour and “minuto(s)” for minutes.
- 1:00 É uma hora.
- 2:30 São duas horas e trinta minutos.
- 4:45 São quatro horas e quarenta e cinco minutos.
When it’s on the hour, you can simply say the number followed by “hora(s)”. For example:
- 3:00 pm São três horas da tarde.
- 8:00 am São oito horas da manhã.
To express quarter hour intervals you can use “e quarto” (and a quarter) after the hour, and “e meia” (and half) for half hours:
- 6:15 São seis horas e quarto.
- 10:30 São dez horas e meia.
AM and PM in Portuguese
Instead of AM and PM, Portuguese uses the expressions “da manhã” (in the morning), “da tarde” (in the afternoon), and “da noite” (in the evening/night). For midnight and noon, you can use “meia-noite” (midnight) and “meio-dia” (noon), respectively:
- 7:00 am São sete horas da manhã.
- 1:00 pm É uma hora da tarde.
- 9:00 pm São nove horas da noite.
- 12:00 pm É meio-dia.
- 12:00 am É meia-noite.
Rounding Off the Minutes
You can round off the minutes when they are close to the next hour by using “para” (to). For example:
- It’s 5:50 pm São dez para as seis da tarde.
- 11:55 am São cinco para o meio-dia.
Practical Examples to Lock In Your Skills
Now that you’ve got the basic structure, let’s look at some practical examples:
- When meeting a friend at 2 pm, you would say: “Encontramo-nos às duas da tarde.”
- If a train leaves at 4:15 am, you might read: “O trem parte às quatro horas e quarto da manhã.”
- Discussing the end of a movie at 9:45 pm: “O filme termina às nove horas e quarenta e cinco minutos da noite.”
Conclusion
Learning to tell time in Portuguese is an integral part of mastering the language and immersing yourself in the culture. With this guide, you’ve learned the essential phrases and structures used by Portuguese speakers to express time. Remember to practice these examples and soon you’ll be telling time with ease and confidence. Boa sorte (good luck) on your language learning journey!
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I say “It’s exactly…” in Portuguese?
You can say “São exatamente…” followed by the time. For example, “São exatamente três horas.”
- How do I differentiate between “noon” and “midnight”?
“Noon” is “meio-dia” and “midnight” is “meia-noite” in Portuguese. So, “12:00 pm” is “meio-dia” and “12:00 am” is “meia-noite.”
- Is the 24-hour clock commonly used in Portugal and Brazil?
Yes, the 24-hour clock is commonly used in formal contexts in both Portugal and Brazil. However, in informal conversations, the 12-hour clock is frequently used, with the addition of “da manhã,” “da tarde,” or “da noite” to indicate the time of day.
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