How to say “What time do we return?” in Portuguese

Introduction

Learning how to ask about return time is a small but useful skill in Brazilian Portuguese. This article teaches you how to say and use the question in everyday situations like tours, school trips, group outings, or public transportation. Short dialogues, vocabulary, and common replies make it easy for beginners to start speaking confidently.

Core phrase: How to say What time do we return?

The simplest and most natural way to ask What time do we return? in Brazilian Portuguese is Que horas voltamos?

Breakdown of the phrase

Que horas means What time or At what time

voltamos is the first person plural present tense of voltar, meaning we return or we come back

Other common variations

Que horas a gente volta?

Quando a gente volta?

Que horas retornamos?

Como chegamos de volta?

Note that Que horas a gente volta? is very common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese because a gente is an informal alternative to nós

When to use each version

Use Que horas voltamos? for straightforward, neutral questions among friends, family, or colleagues. It is polite and clear.

Use Que horas a gente volta? in casual conversations, for example with friends on a tour or with classmates during a field trip.

Use Quando a gente volta? when you want a more general sense of timing, not a specific hour, similar to When do we get back?

Use Que horas retornamos? in slightly more formal contexts, such as when speaking to an organizer or guide, but note voltar is more natural in daily speech.

Key vocabulary words

Que horas — What time

Que horas é — What time is it (useful when asking for the time)

voltar — to return, to come back

voltamos — we return / we come back

a gente volta — we come back (informal)

quando — when

retornar — to return (more formal than voltar)

chegar — to arrive

chegamos de volta — we arrive back / we get back

Simple replies you might hear

Voltamos às três.

A gente volta às 15h.

Daqui a uma hora.

Em meia hora.

Não sei ainda.

O ônibus volta às 18h.

Voltamos depois do almoço.

Translations and notes on replies

Voltamos às três — We return at three.

A gente volta às 15h — We come back at 3 PM. Note that 15h is a common written time format, but in speech people often say três da tarde.

Daqui a uma hora — From now in one hour / in an hour.

Em meia hora — In half an hour.

Não sei ainda — I don’t know yet.

O ônibus volta às 18h — The bus returns at 6 PM.

Voltamos depois do almoço — We return after lunch. Useful when schedules are approximate.

Example situations and dialogues

Situation: A walking tour with a guide

Você: Que horas voltamos?
Guia: Voltamos às cinco da tarde.

Situation: Friends at a restaurant planning the next stop

Amiga 1: Que horas a gente volta para o hostel?
Amigo 2: Vamos voltar às dez.

Situation: School trip asking the teacher

Aluno: Quando a gente volta para a escola?
Professor: Voltamos às 16h30.

Situation: On a ferry or public transport

Passageiro: Que horas voltamos ao porto?
Funcionário: Chegamos de volta às 14h.

How to ask politely

Add a polite opener if you want to be more formal or courteous, for example when speaking to a tour leader, teacher, or staff member.

Com licença, que horas voltamos?

Por favor, que horas a gente volta?

Você sabe que horas voltamos?

Note that com licença and por favor soften the question and are useful in service situations

Useful time expressions to combine

às + hour — e.g., às três, às 18h (at three, at 6 PM)

da manhã — in the morning

da tarde — in the afternoon

da noite — in the evening/night

meia hora — half an hour

uma hora — one hour

depois do almoço — after lunch

antes do jantar — before dinner

Common beginner mistakes and tips

Mistake: Using English word order directly and saying Que horas nós voltamos? repeatedly sounds formal and okay, but many Brazilians prefer Que horas a gente volta? in conversation.

Tip: Learn both voltamos and a gente volta. Use a gente for casual speech and voltamos for written or slightly formal contexts.

Mistake: Confusing voltar and chegar. Voltar means to return; chegar means to arrive. When asking What time do we return? use voltar, not chegar, unless you specifically ask about arrival time at a destination.

Tip: For clarity, add the destination if necessary. For example, Que horas voltamos ao hotel? or Que horas a gente volta para o carro?

Practical mini-phrases to memorize

Que horas voltamos?

Que horas a gente volta?

Quando a gente volta?

Voltamos às… (Voltamos às treze / Voltamos às três da tarde)

Daqui a uma hora.

Em meia hora.

Short practice dialogue for beginners

Amigo 1: Que horas a gente volta?
Amigo 2: Voltamos às quatro.
Amigo 1: Perfeito, dá tempo de ver a exposição.

Translation: Friend 1: What time do we return? Friend 2: We return at four. Friend 1: Perfect, there is time to see the exhibit.

Where you’ll use this phrase in real life

Tours and guided trips — asking the guide the schedule

Group outings with friends — coordinating departure times

School and student trips — confirming return to campus

Public transportation and ferries — checking when you get back to the departure point

Work outings and team events — confirming when the group returns to the office or meeting place

Quick checklist before you ask

Know whether you need a specific hour or a general time frame

Decide if the situation calls for formal or casual phrasing

Include the destination if the context could be unclear

Listen for common reply patterns like às + hour or Daqui a + time

Conclusion

Asking What time do we return? in Brazilian Portuguese is straightforward with phrases like Que horas voltamos? and Que horas a gente volta? Practice the variations, learn simple time expressions, and use polite openers when needed. These phrases will help you coordinate plans, confirm schedules, and participate in everyday conversations during travel and group activities.