How to ask the time in Portuguese and understand the answer

Introduction

Learning how to ask the time in Brazilian Portuguese is one of the first and most useful skills for beginners. This article teaches simple vocabulary, common questions, and realistic responses you will hear in Brazil. You will learn printable phrases, pronunciation tips, and common mistakes to avoid so you can ask and understand the time confidently in everyday situations.

Basic time vocabulary

Before asking or answering, know these essential words and numbers in Brazilian Portuguese. Numbers 1–12 are the most important for telling hours.

hora — hour

minuto — minute

meio-dia — noon

meia-noite — midnight

manhã — morning

tarde — afternoon

noite — night

da manhã — in the morning (used after a time)

da tarde — in the afternoon

da noite — in the evening/night

em ponto — exactly, on the dot

How to ask the time: common questions

These are the most natural ways Brazilians ask for the time. Learn the exact phrasing — short questions are most common in conversation.

Que horas são? — What time is it?

Você tem hora? — Do you have the time? (informal)

Tem as horas? — Do you have the time? (polite)

Que horas são agora? — What time is it now?

A que horas é a reunião? — At what time is the meeting?

Quando sai o ônibus? — When does the bus leave? (useful on schedules)

Saying the hour: basic patterns

Brazilian Portuguese primarily uses the 12-hour clock in speech. Use da manhã/da tarde/da noite to clarify morning, afternoon, or evening. The basic pattern is hour + minutos. For exact hours, add em ponto.

São três. — It is three o’clock.

São três e dez. — It is 3:10.

São oito e meia. — It is 8:30. Note that meia means half past, not thirty.

É meio-dia. — It is noon.

É meia-noite. — It is midnight.

São sete em ponto. — It is exactly 7:00.

Using past and to: menos and quarter

In Brazilian Portuguese, minutes before the next hour use menos (minus). Quarter past and quarter to are common expressions.

São sete e quinze or São sete e quinze minutos. — It is 7:15. But most people say São sete e quinze or São sete e quinze minutos.

São sete e meia. — It is 7:30.

São oito menos vinte. — It is 7:40 (eight minus twenty)

São nove menos um quarto or São nove menos quinze. — It is 8:45 (a quarter to nine)

Using formal time and 24-hour schedules

On timetables, airlines, and digital displays in Brazil, the 24-hour clock is common: 14:00 instead of 2:00 PM. When speaking, people usually say the 12-hour form with da tarde/da noite. When reading schedules, practice converting numbers mentally.

14:30 on a bus schedule = quatorze e trinta or quatorze e meia. When speaking to someone, you would more likely say são duas e meia da tarde.

07:00 = sete horas or sete em ponto (in the morning: sete horas da manhã)

Practical phrases and dialogues

Short dialogues help beginners hear how questions and answers flow. Notice contractions and casual speech.

Example 1 — asking a passerby

Você tem hora?
Tenho. São três e vinte. — Do you have the time? Yes. It’s 3:20.

Example 2 — at a bus stop

Que horas sai o próximo ônibus?
O próximo sai às dez e quinze. — What time does the next bus leave? The next one leaves at 10:15.

Example 3 — phone voice

Alô, que horas são aí?
Aqui são onze e meia. — Hello, what time is it there? Here it’s 11:30.

Numbers 1–20 for time (useful list)

um — 1

dois — 2

três — 3

quatro — 4

cinco — 5

seis — 6

sete — 7

oito — 8

nove — 9

dez — 10

onze — 11

doze — 12

treze — 13

quatorze — 14

quinze — 15

dezesseis — 16

dezessete — 17

dezoito — 18

dezenove — 19

vinte — 20

Pronunciation tips

Brazilian Portuguese has rhythmic syllables. For time phrases, listen for contractions and stress patterns. Some quick tips:

Que horas são? — say it as keh OH-ras sow? The ão is nasal like ow with a soft n sound.

São três — SAO trays. The ão nasalizes the vowel.

Meia-noite — MAY-ah NOY-chee. The d sounds softer than in English, like a soft j between vowels in many accents.

Da manhã / da tarde / da noite — the da is unstressed; stress falls on manhã, tarde, noite.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Mistake: Saying 24-hour times in conversation without context. On the street say sono duas da tarde instead of vinte e oito horas. Read schedules as quatorze, but speak as duas da tarde.

Mistake: Mixing meia with meia-noite and meia hora. Meia alone before hour means half past. Meia-noite means midnight; do not combine them into meia meia.

Mistake: Forgetting da manhã / da tarde / da noite. If you say são sete, the listener may ask which one. Add da manhã or da noite when ambiguous.

Mistake: Using menos incorrectly. Remember menos subtracts minutes from the upcoming hour: oito menos vinte = 7:40.

Short exercises for practice

Practice by converting written times into spoken phrases and vice versa. Read digital schedules and say them aloud in natural speech.

Exercise 1: Convert 13:15 to spoken Brazilian Portuguese. Answer: É uma e quinze da tarde or São treze e quinze on a schedule.

Exercise 2: If a clock shows 18:45, say it aloud. Answer: São seis menos quinze da tarde or São seis e quarenta e cinco da tarde.

Exercise 3: Ask a friend the time using a polite phrase. Use Tem as horas? and note the response.

Real-world tips: listening and context

Context helps you interpret times. Public announcements often state schedules clearly; casual conversations are faster and may drop words. Watch for visual clues: if someone points at a watch, they might say em ponto for exact times. When listening on phones or in noisy places, listen for keywords hora, meia, menos, and da manhã/da tarde/da noite to understand the answer quickly.

On buses and trains, automated voice systems may use the 24-hour clock. In shops and restaurants, staff usually use 12-hour speech with da tarde/da noite.

Useful signs and messages you might see

Horário de funcionamento: 08:00 às 18:00 — Opening hours: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Próximo trem: 12:30 — Next train: 12:30

Chegada prevista: 14:15 — Estimated arrival: 2:15 PM (on displays you may see quatorze e quinze)

Volto já — I’ll be right back (useful when someone leaves briefly)

Mini phrasebook for quick reference

Que horas são? — What time is it?

Tem as horas? — Do you have the time?

São duas e meia. — It’s 2:30.

São nove menos dez. — It’s 8:50.

É meio-dia. — It’s noon.

É meia-noite. — It’s midnight.

Às oito da manhã. — At 8 AM.

Listening resources and practice suggestions

Use short audio clips from Brazilian news, podcasts, or language apps that show times in schedules or conversations. Practice with recorded bus station announcements and restaurant reservation calls. Replay short dialogues and shadow the speaker to match rhythm and intonation. When traveling or in a Portuguese-speaking environment, check clocks and repeat local announcements to reinforce learning.

FAQ: quick answers to common beginner questions

Q: Should I use são or é for hours? A: Use são for plural hours (São três). Use é for singular expressions like É meia-noite or É uma hora.

Q: How do I say 12:00? A: Use É meio-dia for noon and É meia-noite for midnight. For 12:00 on schedules you may see doze horas.

Q: Do Brazilians say AM/PM? A: In speech they use da manhã/da tarde/da noite. On written forms or digital devices you may see AM/PM or 24-hour numbers, but conversation usually uses the time of day phrases.

Conclusion

Asking and understanding the time in Brazilian Portuguese is practical and fast to learn. Memorize key words like hora, minuto, meia, and menos, practice common questions such as Que horas são?, and get comfortable using da manhã/da tarde/da noite. Use short dialogues, listen to real announcements, and practice converting 24-hour schedules into everyday speech to feel confident in real-life situations.