How to say “I’ll bring it back by five” in Portuguese

Introduction

Learning how to promise to return something at a specific time is a useful everyday skill in Brazilian Portuguese. This article explains how to say I’ll bring it back by five in Portuguese, with clear grammar, vocabulary, beginner-friendly examples, short dialogues, common replies, and helpful tips to sound natural.

Key phrase and quick translation

The simplest and most natural way to say I’ll bring it back by five in Brazilian Portuguese is Eu vou devolver até as cinco.

Breakdown in English:

Eu vou devolver até as cinco = I will return it by five

Important words and why they matter

Eu = I. The subject pronoun. In casual speech you can drop it, but beginners should keep it.

vou = I am going to / I will. This is the present of the verb ir used as a near-future construction: ir + infinitive (vou devolver = I’m going to return).

devolver = to return (an item). Use with objects you borrowed or with things you brought back to someone.

até = by / until. Use to indicate a deadline or the latest time.

as cinco = five o’clock. Note the article as before the time when specifying the clock hour.

Alternative natural ways to say the same thing

Eu vou trazer de volta até as cinco — I will bring it back by five. Uses trazer de volta (to bring back) instead of devolver.

Eu trago de volta até às cinco — I bring it back by five. Present tense used for planned near future; note the contraction às (a + as) is common in speech.

Eu devolvo até as cinco — I will return it by five. Present tense used as simple future; acceptable in informal conversation.

Vou devolver até as cinco — I’ll return it by five. Dropping Eu for more natural, spoken language.

How to form the sentence: grammar explained simply

Beginner-friendly pattern: subject + ir (conjugated) + infinitive + até + time.

Examples of the pattern:

Eu vou + devolver + até + as cinco

Tu vais + devolver + até + as cinco (rare in Brazil; tu is regional)

Ele/ela vai + devolver + até + as cinco

Vocês vão + devolver + até + as cinco

Notes on time expressions

When you use até with a clock hour, add the definite article as: até as cinco. Informally people often say até cinco, but including as is more natural and clear.

For half hours: até as cinco e meia = by 5:30

For minutes: até as cinco e quinze = by 5:15 or até as cinco e quinze is more formal; people usually say até as cinco e quinze or até as cinco e um quarto (one quarter past five).

Contexts where you might use this phrase

Borrowing a book from a friend and promising a return.

Returning borrowed tools, chargers, clothes, or a rental item.

Confirming a pick-up time for delivery or a shared ride: Vou trazer o carregador de volta até as cinco.

Assuring a coworker you’ll return a document or a key: Eu devolvo a chave até as cinco.

Practical vocabulary related to returning items

emprestar = to lend / to borrow (context decides who is lending)

pegar emprestado = to borrow

devolver = to return (give back)

trazer = to bring

trazer de volta = to bring back

entregar = to deliver / hand over

chave = key

carregador = charger

livro = book

fazer favor = do a favor

Common short dialogues (beginner-friendly)

Dialogue 1 — friends

Person A: Você pode me emprestar seu livro?

Person B: Sim. Quando você vai devolver?

Person A: Eu vou devolver até as cinco.

Person B: Perfeito, obrigada.

Dialogue 2 — coworker

Person A: Preciso da sua chave do armário por uma hora.

Person B: Tudo bem, mas traga de volta até as cinco, por favor.

Person A: Sem problemas. Eu vou trazer de volta até as cinco.

Dialogue 3 — short message

Mensagem: Posso pegar seu carregador?

Resposta: Pode. Só me devolve até as cinco?

Resposta curta: Vou devolver até as cinco.

Polite variations and extra courtesy

To sound more polite add por favor: Eu vou devolver até as cinco, por favor. Or Por favor, me avise se não der tempo.

If you want to include a reason: Eu vou devolver até as cinco porque tenho uma reunião às seis. This explains why the five o’clock deadline matters.

Common mistakes beginners make and how to avoid them

Omitting até when you mean by: Saying Eu vou devolver as cinco can be confusing; it sounds like you return at five exactly. Use até to communicate by or before that time.

Wrong article: Saying até cinco is understood but less natural. Use até as cinco or até às cinco in speech. For beginners, use até as cinco to be safe.

Overusing trazer instead of devolver: Traga/trazer is to bring; devolver is to give back. If you borrowed something you usually devolver (give back to the original owner). Use trazer de volta when emphasizing bringing it to a location or person.

Variations for different pronouns and formal situations

Eu vou devolver até as cinco — I will return it by five.

Você vai devolver até as cinco? — Will you return it by five? Useful for asking someone.

Ele/ela vai devolver até as cinco — He/she will return it by five.

Vocês vão devolver até as cinco? — Will you all return it by five? Plural/formal in work settings.

Short cultural tip for Brazilian Portuguese beginners

Brazilian speakers often use contractions and drop subjects in casual conversation. You will hear Vou devolver até as cinco frequently. For politeness and clarity in messages or with people you do not know well, keep Eu and add por favor.

Extra example sentences for practice

Eu vou devolver o livro até as cinco.

Vou trazer o casaco de volta até as cinco.

Posso devolver a ferramenta até as cinco?

Ele prometeu devolver até as cinco.

Se eu não conseguir, eu aviso antes das cinco.

Common replies you might hear

Beleza, até mais tarde. — Great, see you later.

Tudo bem, obrigada. — Okay, thank you.

Certo, só não esquece. — Right, just don’t forget.

Tranquilo, sem pressa. — No problem, no rush. (used when the deadline is flexible)

Quick tips to sound natural

Shorten sentences in speech: Vou devolver até as cinco is natural and common.

Use por favor for politeness when asking someone to return something to you or handing something back.

When texting, people often write: Vou devolver até 17h. Using 24-hour notation is common in formal or work messages (17h = 5 pm).

Using 24-hour time (optional)

In some workplaces and messages, you might see 17h instead of as cinco. Example: Vou devolver até as 17h. Either is correct; beginners can stick with as cinco for simplicity.

Putting it all together: realistic scenarios

Scenario 1: You’re at a café and borrowed a pen. You say Vou devolver até as cinco and the person nods.

Scenario 2: At work, you borrowed a key. In an email write: Eu vou devolver a chave até as cinco. This is clear and polite.

Scenario 3: With a friend you send a quick message: Posso pegar seu carregador? Resposta: Pode, só me devolve até as cinco? Answer: Vou devolver até as cinco.

Useful follow-up phrases

Se eu atrasar, eu te aviso — If I’m late, I’ll let you know.

Posso devolver antes, se preferir — I can return it earlier if you prefer.

Você prefere que eu deixe na recepção? — Do you prefer I leave it at the reception?

Summary of the main phrase

Remember the main, beginner-friendly form: Eu vou devolver até as cinco. You can shorten to Vou devolver até as cinco or swap devolver for trazer de volta depending on context. Use até to indicate by/until and include as before the hour for natural Brazilian Portuguese.

Conclusion

Mastering how to say I’ll bring it back by five in Brazilian Portuguese is simple with a handful of verbs and the time marker até. Use Eu vou devolver até as cinco or the shorter Vou devolver até as cinco in everyday exchanges. Practice the small dialogues and tips here, and you’ll sound natural and polite when promising to return things on time.