Portuguese time words for building simple daily sentences

Introduction

Learning how to talk about time is essential for everyday Portuguese. This article teaches beginner-friendly Brazilian Portuguese time words and shows how to build simple daily sentences for schedules, appointments, and casual conversations. Clear examples, vocab lists, and common mistakes will help you start using time words confidently right away.

Why time words matter for beginners

Time words are used in many situations: telling the time, planning meetings, reading schedules, asking for opening hours, and describing routines. Mastering a small set of vocabulary and sentence patterns lets you navigate buses, order at cafés, and set appointments without confusion.

Core vocabulary: Portuguese time words you must know

Start with these basic words. The first appearance of each key Portuguese term is bolded to highlight it.

hora — hour; o’clock

minuto — minute

meia — half (used in time: half past)

quarto — quarter (used in time: quarter past, quarter to)

manhã — morning

tarde — afternoon

noite — evening/night

agora — now

hoje — today

amanhã — tomorrow

ontem — yesterday

às — at (used before a time, contracted form of a + as)

de manhã — in the morning

da tarde — in the afternoon

da noite — in the evening/night

preciso — I need (useful for arranging times)

How to say the time: basic patterns

Portuguese uses similar time patterns to English but with a few differences. Here are beginner patterns and example sentences.

Pattern: Hour + horas for exact hours (24-hour time also common in formal contexts)

São + 3 + horas.
Example: São três horas. — It is three o’clock.

Pattern: Hour + e + minutes for minutes past the hour

São duas e quinze. — It is 2:15.

Pattern: Hour + e + meia for half past

São oito e meia. — It is 8:30.

Pattern: Hour + para as/para + next hour for minutes to the next hour (more common: X para as Y)

São dez para as três. — It is 2:50 (ten to three).

Pattern: Use meia-noite and meio-dia for midnight and noon

É meio-dia. — It is noon.

É meia-noite. — It is midnight.

Using às for specific appointment times

When you schedule or say when something happens, use às before the time. This is a contracted form meaning at the (plural feminine), used with numeric times.

O médico é às nove. — The doctor’s appointment is at nine.

A aula começa às 14h. — The class starts at 2 PM.

Common daily phrases with time words

Here are realistic beginner phrases you will see or need in everyday situations such as cafes, transport, and appointments.

Que horas são? — What time is it?

Que horas abre o banco? — What time does the bank open?

O ônibus sai às sete e meia. — The bus leaves at 7:30.

Vou chegar às oito da noite. — I will arrive at 8 in the evening.

Tenho uma reunião amanhã às 10h. — I have a meeting tomorrow at 10 AM.

Volto daqui a quinze minutos. — I’ll be back in fifteen minutes.

Estou ocupado agora. — I am busy now.

Describing routines using time expressions

Routines usually use present tense verbs with time words like de manhã, à tarde, and à noite. These are useful for talking about daily habits.

Eu acordo às seis da manhã. — I wake up at 6 in the morning.

Trabalho de segunda a sexta, das nove às dezoito. — I work Monday to Friday, from 9 to 6.

Janto com a família às sete da noite. — I have dinner with my family at 7 PM.

Using tomorrow, today, and yesterday

These words help place actions in time and are essential for basic conversation and planning.

Hoje não posso. — I cannot today.

Amanhã vou ao mercado. — Tomorrow I will go to the market.

Ontem cheguei tarde. — Yesterday I arrived late.

Reading schedules and signs

Public signs and timetables often use 24-hour time or abbreviations. Learn a few patterns so you can read them quickly.

Common formats: 08:30, 14h, 17:45. The h abbreviation is common in Brazil in informal schedules.

Funcionamento: 09h às 18h. — Hours: 9 AM to 6 PM.

Próximo ônibus: 15:20. — Next bus: 3:20 PM.

Polite phrases for arranging or changing times

When making or changing plans, simple polite phrases make interactions smoother.

Você pode às 11? — Can you do 11?

Podemos mudar para as cinco? — Can we change to five?

Desculpe, não posso nesse horário. — Sorry, I cannot at that time.

Que horas fica bom para você? — What time works for you?

Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them

Mistake: Forgetting às before a time in scheduled contexts. Remember to say às when specifying exact appointment times.

Error example: *O médico é nove.* Correct: O médico é às nove.

Mistake: Using meia incorrectly. Meia follows the hour with e: oito e meia (8:30). Do not say meia de oito.

Error example: *Meia oito.* Correct: Oito e meia.

Mistake: Confusing da manhã/da tarde/da noite positions. Use them after the time: sete da manhã (7 AM), not da manhã sete.

Error example: *Da manhã sete.* Correct: Sete da manhã.

Practice exercises for beginners

Use these short exercises to check comprehension. Try to say them aloud or write the answers in Portuguese.

1) What is 7:15? Answer: São sete e quinze or São sete e um quarto.

2) How do you say 12:30? Answer: São doze e meia or É meio-dia e meia.

3) You want to arrange coffee at 4 PM. Ask: Você pode às quatro da tarde?

4) A bus leaves at 18:45. How to read it: Dezoito e quarenta e cinco or Dezoito horas e quarenta e cinco.

Tips to remember and use time words faster

1) Learn numbers 1–60 in Portuguese; minutes rely on those numbers.

2) Practice with a digital clock: read times aloud in Portuguese whenever you check the time.

3) Use short role-play dialogues: make appointments, ask bus times, or say when you have lunch.

4) Pay attention to public timetables and signs in Portuguese when possible to reinforce format recognition.

Short conversational examples

These mini-dialogues simulate common beginner situations.

Dialog 1 — Asking the time:
Você: Que horas são?
Amigo: São três e vinte.

Dialog 2 — Scheduling:
Você: Podemos nos encontrar amanhã às 16h?
Amigo: Sim, às quatro da tarde está bom.

Dialog 3 — Transport:
Você: Quando sai o próximo ônibus?
Funcionário: O próximo é às 11h30.

Quick reference cheat sheet

São + hour + horas — exact hour

Hour + e + minutes — minutes past

Hour + e + meia — half past

Hour + para as + next hour — minutes to

às + time — at (appointment)

de manhã / da tarde / da noite — parts of day

Conclusion

Mastering Brazilian Portuguese time words gives you immediate practical power for travel, work, and social life. With a short core vocabulary, simple patterns for saying the time, and real situational phrases, beginners can start making and understanding appointments, reading schedules, and describing daily routines. Practice the examples, avoid common mistakes, and use the cheat sheet for quick review.