How to say “I haven’t seen them in a while” in Portuguese

Introduction

Learning how to express that you have not seen someone for a long time is essential for everyday conversations in Brazilian Portuguese. This article explains common ways to say I haven’t seen them in a while, gives natural examples, and shows how to use each phrase in different contexts so you can sound natural and confident.

Basic ways to say I haven’t seen them in a while

The most direct and frequent way to say I haven’t seen them in a while is to use the verb ver combined with a time expression. The simplest phrase is Não os vejo há muito tempo. This is clear and formal. For more casual speech, Brazilians often use different verbs and constructions depending on who they are talking about and how much time has passed.

Common phrases and their tone

Não os vejo há muito tempo — neutral and slightly formal. Use with acquaintances or in writing.
Não os vejo faz tempo — informal and very common in speech. It drops the preposition há and uses faz, which feels colloquial.
Não os vejo desde + time marker — specific and useful when you can name a last meeting, for example Não os vejo desde o ano passado.
Faz tempo que não os vejo — flexible and conversational. Often used with an exclamation or follow-up comment.

Personal pronouns and object forms

In Portuguese, the way you say them changes depending on whether you use direct object pronouns or mention names. In spoken Brazilian Portuguese, people often omit object pronouns and simply say the noun or the person name. Formal written Portuguese uses pronouns like os, as, o, a. For everyday talk, say the person’s name or role.

Examples with pronouns

Não os vejo há muito tempo — I haven’t seen them in a long time (referring to a mixed or masculine group).
Não as vejo há muito tempo — I haven’t seen them in a long time (referring to an all-female group).
Não o vejo há muito tempo — I haven’t seen him in a long time.
Não a vejo há muito tempo — I haven’t seen her in a long time.

Examples with names and roles (more natural)

Não vejo o João há muito tempo — I haven’t seen João in a long time.
Faz tempo que não vejo a Maria — I haven’t seen Maria for a while.
Não vejo meus primos faz tempo — I haven’t seen my cousins in a while.
Faz tempo que não vejo meus colegas — I haven’t seen my colleagues for a long time.

Colloquial and regional variations

Brazilian Portuguese is rich in regional expressions. While all the phrases above are understood nationwide, you will hear different preferences depending on the region, age group, and level of formality.

Very colloquial ways

Já faz um tempão que não os vejo — using tempão adds emphasis and is very colloquial, meaning a really long time.
Nem lembro a última vez que os vi — I don’t even remember the last time I saw them. This is more expressive and useful when the time gap feels indefinite.
Tá mó tempo que não vejo eles — extremely informal, with the contraction tá and slang mó tempo; common among young speakers.

Regional notes

In the Northeast, you might hear slight pronunciation differences, but the structure stays the same. In São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, informal contractions like não vejo and faz tempo are very common. When speaking with older people or in formal settings, prefer Não os vejo or Não os vejo há muito tempo.

Time expressions to pair with the phrase

Pairing the base phrase with a time expression makes your meaning precise. Use months, years, weeks, or vague expressions depending on what you want to convey.

Specific time markers

Não os vejo desde ontem — I haven’t seen them since yesterday.
Não os vejo desde a semana passada — I haven’t seen them since last week.
Não os vejo desde o mês passado — I haven’t seen them since last month.
Não os vejo desde o ano passado — I haven’t seen them since last year.

Vague time markers

Não os vejo há muito tempo — I haven’t seen them in a long time.
Faz um tempo que não os vejo — It’s been a while since I saw them.
Faz dias que não os vejo — I haven’t seen them for days (can imply shorter gap or emphasize recent absence).

Choosing the right verb: ver vs. encontrar vs. ver com frequência

Different verbs give slightly different meanings. Knowing when to use each one helps you sound natural.

Ver

ver is the most neutral verb meaning to see. Use it for casual encounters or general sighting.
Example: Faz tempo que não vejo o Pedro — I haven’t seen Pedro in a long time.

Encontrar

encontrar implies meeting intentionally or encountering by chance. It is more active than ver.
Example: Não encontro a Ana faz séculos — I haven’t run into Ana in ages.

Conviver, frequentar, estar com

To express not spending time with someone or not seeing them regularly, use verbs like conviver, frequentar, or estar com.
Example: Não convivo com eles há muito tempo — I haven’t been spending time with them for a long time.
Example: Não fico com os amigos daquele trabalho faz tempo — I haven’t hung out with those coworkers in a while.

Politeness and context: formal vs. informal

How you say I haven’t seen them depends on your relationship with the listener and the setting. Use more formal forms in business or written communication and casual forms in conversation with friends.

Formal

Não os vejo há muito tempo — suitable for emails, formal conversations, or speaking with elders.
Não a vejo desde + specific date — formal and precise, useful for reports or polite questions.

Informal

Faz tempo que não vejo eles — relaxed and common among friends.
Nem lembro a última vez que os vi — casual, expressive, and friendly.

Short dialogues to show natural usage

Below are brief dialogues that show how Brazilians might use these phrases in everyday conversation. Use these as templates to adapt to your own situations.

Dialogue 1 — friends in a cafe
A: Você viu o Lucas recentemente?
B: Faz tempo que não vejo o Lucas. Acho que ele está morando em outra cidade.

Dialogue 2 — work colleagues
A: Alguma notícia da equipe do projeto anterior?
B: Não os vejo desde a reunião de dezembro. Eles pareciam ocupados.

Dialogue 3 — running into a neighbor
A: Como está a família do seu vizinho?
B: Não os vejo há muito tempo. Vou tentar visitá-los no fim de semana.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Beginners often mix up pronoun placement or use literal translations from English. Here are typical errors and simple corrections.

Incorrect pronoun placement

Wrong: Vejo eles não há muito tempo — This word order is unnatural.
Correct: Não os vejo há muito tempo or Faz tempo que não vejo eles.

Literal translation errors

Wrong: I haven’t seen them in a while translated word-for-word can become Não vi eles em um tempo — awkward and unnatural.
Correct: Use natural Portuguese structures like Faz tempo que não os vejo or Não os vejo há muito tempo.

Choosing the right pronoun for gender and number

Remember to match pronouns to the group: use os for masculine or mixed groups, as for feminine groups. If you refer to a single male or female, use o or a respectively.

Usage notes and nuances

Intensity of time: Expressions like tempão, faz séculos, or há muito tempo emphasize a long period. Use them to convey surprise or emphasis. Specificity: If you can name a time or event, use desde for precision. Politeness: For formal contexts, prefer full forms with object pronouns and correct agreement.

Idiomatic alternatives: Brazilians also use idioms to express long separations, such as faz séculos que não nos vemos (it has been ages since we saw each other) or perdi o contato com eles (I lost contact with them) when referring to a breakdown in communication.

Practice suggestions for learners

To internalize these phrases, practice by describing people you miss or those you seldom see. Replace names in the example dialogues with people from your life: relatives, classmates, former coworkers. Notice how native speakers choose between ver and encontrar and how often they use desde vs. há/ faz.

Listening and imitation

Listen to Brazilian podcasts, telenovelas, and YouTube videos focusing on everyday conversations. Pause and repeat lines that include the target phrases. Shadowing native speech helps your rhythm and intonation when using phrases like Faz tempo que não vejo or Não os vejo há muito tempo.

Additional real-life examples

Faz tempo que não vejo meus avós — I haven’t seen my grandparents in a long time.
Não os vejo desde que mudaram de bairro — I haven’t seen them since they moved neighborhoods.
Não vejo minha prima faz meses — I haven’t seen my cousin for months.
Não a vejo há dias — I haven’t seen her for days.

Quick reference table (phrases to memorize)

Keep these short, useful phrases handy for conversation:

Faz tempo que não vejo + person
Não os vejo há muito tempo
Não os vejo desde + time/event
Não encontro + person + faz tempo

Conclusion

Expressing I haven’t seen them in a while in Brazilian Portuguese is straightforward once you know the common verbs and time expressions. Use Não os vejo há muito tempo for clarity and formality, favor Faz tempo que não vejo or Não os vejo desde for casual or specific contexts, and match pronouns for gender and number. Listening to native speakers and practicing the sample dialogues will help you sound natural and confident.