Introduction
Learning how to talk about time in Portuguese is essential for everyday conversation. This article explains three common time connectors: Antes, Depois, and Durante. You will learn their meanings, placement, grammar rules, and natural usage in Brazilian Portuguese, with clear examples and notes on nuances.
Overview: What are time connectors?
Time connectors link actions and events in time. In Portuguese, connectors like antes, depois, and durante help you show what happens earlier, later, or while something else happens. They work with verbs, noun phrases, and sometimes with prepositions to form more precise time expressions.
Basic meanings
Antes means before. Use it to refer to a point or period earlier than another.
Depois means after. It places an action or event later in time.
Durante means during, indicating that something happens throughout a period or at some point inside that period.
How to use Antes
Antes can be used alone or with the preposition de. Its form depends on whether you compare two actions or specify a point in time.
Antes de + infinitive
When you want to say do something before doing something else, use antes de followed by an infinitive. This is the most frequent structure in everyday speech.
Example:
Eu estudo antes de trabalhar.
Ela tomou café antes de sair.
Antes que + subjunctive
Use antes que plus the subjunctive when the event after which something should not happen is hypothetical, expected, or in the future and you want to express prevention or urgency.
Example:
Chegue cedo antes que o filme comece.
Fale comigo antes que seja tarde.
Antes (alone) + noun or clause
You can also place antes before a noun or clause to mean previously or earlier. Word order in Portuguese is flexible, so context and emphasis matter.
Example:
Antes da reunião, revise os documentos.
Eu morava em São Paulo antes.
Pronunciation and usage notes for Antes
In Brazilian Portuguese, the s in antes sounds like s as in casa. When used with a verb, prefer antes de + infinitive. Use antes que + subjunctive when expressing a concern or prevention about the future.
How to use Depois
Depois is used to indicate something that happens later than a reference point. It can be paired with de, do, or da depending on the noun that follows, or used alone before a clause or sentence.
Depois de + infinitive or noun
To say you will do something after doing another action, use depois de plus an infinitive. For specifying a time after a noun, combine de with the article if necessary.
Example:
Vou descansar depois de estudar.
Vamos almoçar depois do treino.
Ela saiu depois da festa.
Depois que + indicative
Use depois que to link clauses where the first event is completed before the second. With concrete past actions, the indicative mood is normal.
Example:
Depois que ele chegou, começamos a reunião.
Depois que eu terminei o livro, devolvi para a biblioteca.
Depois (alone) for sequence
Depois can stand alone as an adverb meaning later or afterwards. It often follows the verb or the clause it modifies.
Example:
Primeiro vamos ao mercado, depois ao banco.
Ela estudou medicina; depois mudou de carreira.
Placement and contractions
Remember contractions: de + o = do, de + a = da. So depois do jogo, depois da aula. Also, when referring to a specific time, you can use depois de + noun: depois do almoço means after lunch.
How to use Durante
Durante indicates that something happens throughout a time period or at some point inside a period. It is followed by a noun or noun phrase and never by an infinitive or subjunctive clause directly.
Durante + noun
Use durante with a noun to express the duration of an action. It does not require de afterwards.
Example:
Estudei durante a noite.
Ela leu muito durante a viagem.
Durante + o/a + time expression
Include articles when needed: durante o dia, durante as férias. In Portuguese, this mirrors English but pay attention to gender and number.
Example:
Durante o verão, a cidade fica cheia.
Durante as férias, os museus cerram em alguns dias.
Using Durante with verbs
You cannot use durante directly before an infinitive to mean while doing something. Instead, use gerund (verb ending -ndo) or a subordinate clause introduced by enquanto. The gerund is common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
Example with gerund:
Ela ouviu música enquanto estudava.
Ele conversou no telefone estudando para a prova.
Or with enquanto:
Ela ouviu música durante que estudava is less common; prefer enquanto: enquanto estudava.
Nuance: durante vs enquanto
Durante focuses on the duration and pairs with nouns. Enquanto connects two verbs or clauses and is followed by a verb in indicative or subjunctive depending on context. Use durante when naming the time span; use enquanto to show simultaneous actions.
Examples:
Ele dormiu durante o voo. (duration)
Ele dormiu enquanto o avião decolava. (simultaneous events)
Comparing Antes, Depois, and Durante
Understanding their differences helps you choose the right connector.
Position relative to reference point
Antes places an action earlier than the reference point.
Depois places it later.
Durante places it inside a period.
Typical structures
Antes
Antes de + infinitive
Antes que + subjunctive
Antes + noun/clause
Depois
Depois de + infinitive/noun
Depois que + indicative
Depois + adverb
Durante
Durante + noun/noun phrase
Enquanto + verb/gerund for simultaneous verbs
Examples side by side
Eu comi antes de sair. (I ate before leaving)
Eu comi depois de trabalhar. (I ate after working)
Eu comi durante a reunião. (I ate during the meeting)
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Beginners often confuse structures or mix connectors with wrong verb forms. Here are frequent errors and corrections.
Using durante with verbs directly
Incorrect: Estudei durante estudar.
Correct: Estudei durante a noite.
Or: Estudei enquanto estudava.
Mixing antes que with indicative
Incorrect: Saia antes que ele chegou.
Correct: Saia antes que ele chegue (use subjunctive since it expresses prevention if future/uncertain).
If the event already occurred: Saí antes que ele chegou is rarely used; prefer Saí antes de ele chegar when referring to the order in colloquial speech, but standard grammar for sequence often uses subjunctive with antes que when referring to potential outcomes.
Forgetting contractions with depois
Incorrect: Depois a reunião.
Correct: Depois da reunião.
Remember de + article becomes do/da when needed: depois do almoço, depois da escola.
Cultural and usage notes
Brazilian Portuguese often favors the gerund to express ongoing actions and uses conversational shortcuts. For example, people commonly say vou almoçar depois or a gente conversa depois. In formal writing or careful speech, maintain full structures like depois de + infinitive or depois que + clause.
Regional variation
Usage differences are usually minor across Brazil. In fast spoken Portuguese, connectors may be omitted if context is clear. In Brazil, using the gerund is natural in many regions, while European Portuguese may prefer different constructions.
Politeness and subtle meaning
Choosing between antes que + subjunctive and antes de + infinitive can change tone. Antes que sometimes conveys urgency or caution. For polite requests about timing, Brazilians might say chegue cedo, por favor, para evitar usar a strong subjunctive construction.
More example sentences
Eu gosto de caminhar depois do almoço.
Trabalhei muito antes da entrevista.
Durante a festa, tocou minha música preferida.
Estude antes de fazer a prova.
Vou ligar para você depois que eu chegar em casa.
Ele leu notícias durante o voo.
Practical tips for learners
1. Memorize the common pairings: antes de + infinitive, depois de + infinitive/noun, durante + noun.
2. Practice converting English time phrases into Portuguese using these structures.
3. Pay attention to context: choose subjunctive with antes que when the action is hypothetical or preventive.
4. Use gerund or enquanto for simultaneous verbs rather than durante + verb.
Conclusion
Mastering antes, depois, and durante will help you describe sequences and durations clearly in Portuguese. Remember the typical structures: antes de + infinitive, depois de + infinitive or noun, and durante + noun. Watch for subjunctive with antes que and prefer gerund or enquanto for simultaneous verbs. Listening to native speakers and practicing these patterns will make your timing sound natural.
