Introduction
Many learners of Portuguese want to know how to talk about approximate amounts and times naturally. This article explains common Portuguese approximation expressions for numbers and time used in Brazil, showing grammar rules, examples, and usage tips. By the end you will understand how to say things like around five o’clock, roughly ten people, or more or less one hour with confidence.
- What are approximation expressions?
- Mais ou menos
- Cerca de
- Por volta de
- Aproximadamente
- Quase and quase meia
- Combining approximators with numerals
- Using approximation with plurals, genders, and articles
- Approximation and decimal numbers
- How natives choose between different approximators
- Nuances and cultural usage notes
- Examples in everyday conversation
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Summary of expressions and their typical contexts
- Conclusion
What are approximation expressions?
Approximation expressions allow speakers to show that a number, quantity, or time is not exact. In Brazilian Portuguese, speakers often use specific words and constructions to soften precision, indicate estimates, or express uncertainty politely. These expressions appear frequently in everyday conversation, news, and spoken instructions.
Common Portuguese words for approximation
The most useful words to mark approximation are mais ou menos, cerca de, por volta de, aproximadamente, and quase. Each has slightly different nuances and collocations with numbers and time. Below we explain these words one by one with examples.
Mais ou menos
Mais ou menos is the most colloquial and versatile expression for approximating amounts or time. It literally means more or less and can be used before or after numbers, or even as a standalone reply to indicate uncertainty.
Grammar notes:
• Place: Before a number or time — mais ou menos dez pessoas; mais ou menos às cinco.
• Standalone use: When asked a quantity, you can reply mais ou menos to mean roughly that amount.
• Agreement: Does not change with gender or number; it is invariant.
Examples:
Chegaram mais ou menos vinte convidados.
O filme começa mais ou menos às sete.
Quanto custou o presente? — Mais ou menos cinquenta reais.
Cerca de
Cerca de is slightly more formal than mais ou menos and is widely used in both speech and writing. It pairs with numbers and is similar to the English around or about. Use cerca de when you want to sound a bit more precise or when writing reports.
Grammar notes:
• Structure: cerca de + number (cerca de dez, cerca de 1.000).
• No agreement: It does not change form to agree with gender or plurality.
• Common with time and distance: cerca de uma hora, cerca de 20 quilômetros.
Examples:
O evento reuniu cerca de trezentas pessoas.
Eu vou levar cerca de uma hora para terminar.
O hospital fica cerca de cinco quilômetros daqui.
Por volta de
Por volta de is used mainly with time and dates, meaning around or about a certain time. It emphasizes approximation in temporal contexts and is commonly used when planning meetings or describing schedules.
Grammar notes:
• Structure: por volta de + time or date (por volta de três horas, por volta de julho).
• Often used with prepositions: por volta das sete, por volta do meio-dia.
• Slightly more formal than mais ou menos for time expressions.
Examples:
Chego em casa por volta de nove.
A reunião será por volta das quatorze horas.
Eles começaram a reforma por volta de 2018.
Aproximadamente
Aproximadamente is the most formal and is suitable for written language, academic texts, and precise-sounding estimates. Use it when you want to sound objective or when numbers come from statistics or measurements.
Grammar notes:
• Structure: aproximadamente + number or time (aproximadamente 50%, aproximadamente duas horas).
• No agreement: stays the same regardless of the noun that follows.
• Tone: formal, technical, and often found in reports and news.
Examples:
Participaram aproximadamente seiscentas pessoas.
A viagem dura aproximadamente três horas.
O estudo avaliou aproximadamente 2.000 casos.
Quase and quase meia
Quase means almost and is used to indicate a value just below a target. When used with time, quase often combines with meia or the number to form expressions like quase meia (almost half past) or quase oito (almost eight o’clock).
Grammar notes:
• Structure: quase + number/time (quase seis, quase meia).
• Use for precise near-misses: if something is 4.58, you might say quase cinco.
• Tone: common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese for near-exact times.
Examples:
É quase meia-noite.
São quase oito horas.
O copo está quase cheio.
Combining approximators with numerals
Portuguese allows several combinations of approximation words with numerals. Understanding how to place them and how they interact with articles and prepositions is helpful for natural speech.
Common patterns:
• approximator + de + number: cerca de vinte, aproximadamente dezoito (note: de is optional after aproximadamente).
• approximator + às + time: por volta das cinco, mais ou menos às sete.
• number + aproximator after the numeral: vinte, mais ou menos; cinco horas, mais ou menos.
Examples:
Cerca de vinte e cinco alunos faltaram.
O trem parte às dez, mais ou menos.
Eu estudo duas horas, aproximadamente.
Using approximation with plurals, genders, and articles
Approximation expressions do not agree with gender or number. They are invariable but sometimes appear next to articles. Pay attention to contractions with prepositions when necessary.
Details:
• Invariable: cerca de, por volta de, and aproximadamente do not change.
• Contractions: When combining with definite articles, use the standard contractions with de and em. For example, por volta de + o becomes por volta do, and por volta de + as becomes por volta das.
• Time with articles: às sete (a + as + sete) is common when specifying an approximate hour.
Examples:
Havia cerca de vinte e cinco alunos.
A festa foi por volta das dez horas.
Chegarei aproximadamente às quinze horas.
Approximation and decimal numbers
When estimating decimals or percentages, choose the word that matches the formality. In casual speech use mais ou menos; in formal contexts use aproximadamente or cerca de.
Examples:
A inflação ficou mais ou menos 3,5 por cento este mês.
O aumento foi aproximadamente 2,3%.
O produto pesa cerca de 0,75 kg.
How natives choose between different approximators
Native speakers pick an approximator based on formality, precision, and rhythm. For fast spoken conversation, mais ou menos and quase dominate. For news, reports, or written estimates, aproximadamente and cerca de are preferred. For time-specific talk, por volta de is very common.
Situational examples:
• Casual chat: Vamos ao bar às oito, mais ou menos.
• Scheduling: A reunião ocorrerá por volta das 14h.
• Report: O programa atende aproximadamente 1.200 jovens.
Nuances and cultural usage notes
Brazilian Portuguese speakers often use approximation to be polite, avoid commitment, or indicate flexibility. Saying mais ou menos can soften requests or invitations, while por volta de signals a realistic scheduling expectation rather than an exact start time.
Cultural tips:
• In social invitations, times are often loose. Saying venha às oito is sometimes interpreted as chegando por volta de oito e meia.
• Professionals and businesses may prefer precise times, but even then estimates are common when delays are likely.
• In markets and bargaining, sellers use approximation strategically when giving prices or quantities.
Examples in everyday conversation
Below are sample dialogues and sentences showing how approximation expressions appear naturally. These short snippets mirror realistic Brazilian Portuguese usage and rhythm.
Dialogue 1:
— Você vem à festa hoje?
— Sim, chego por volta das dez.
Dialogue 2:
— Quantas pessoas vieram?
— Mais ou menos trinta.
Dialogue 3:
— Quanto tempo você vai demorar?
— Cerca de vinte minutos.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Some learners overuse direct translations from English or mix inappropriate prepositions. Be mindful of common pitfalls and use the recommended collocations.
Tips:
• Avoid saying aproximadamente de after a number; use aproximadamente + number or cerca de + number.
• Remember contractions with articles: por volta do meio-dia, por volta das sete.
• Do not translate more or less literally in fixed time expressions like almost eight = quase oito, not quase às oito unless context requires the article.
Summary of expressions and their typical contexts
Quick reference:
• Mais ou menos — casual, flexible, both numbers and time.
• Cerca de — moderately formal, numbers, distances, quantities.
• Por volta de — time and dates, common in scheduling.
• Aproximadamente — formal, written estimates and statistics.
• Quase — almost, for near-exact values or times.
Conclusion
Mastering Portuguese approximation expressions helps you sound natural and confident in both casual conversations and formal contexts. Remember the different tones and collocations for mais ou menos, cerca de, por volta de, aproximadamente, and quase, and practice listening for them in Brazilian media to internalize usage. With these tools you can estimate quantities and times accurately and appropriately in Portuguese.
