How to say “The kids are playing nearby” in Portuguese

Introduction

Learning simple conversational phrases helps beginners feel confident in real situations. This article explains how to say The kids are playing nearby in Brazilian Portuguese, breaks down vocabulary, gives pronunciation tips, and provides short dialogues and practical examples you can use today.

Basic Translation and Natural Variations

The most direct and natural way to say The kids are playing nearby in Brazilian Portuguese is As crianças estão brincando ali perto.

Other common, slightly shorter variations include As crianças estão brincando por perto and As crianças brincam ali perto. Each version is natural in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.

What each version means

As crianças estão brincando ali perto uses the present continuous to emphasize action happening right now.

As crianças estão brincando por perto is similar but uses por perto, a common colloquial way to say nearby.

As crianças brincam ali perto uses the simple present, which Brazilians often use to describe ongoing or habitual actions.

Key Words and Short Explanations

As crianças — the kids; criança means child, crianças is plural.

estão — are (third person plural of estar, used for temporary states and actions).

brincando — playing (gerund form of brincar, used for actions in progress).

ali perto — over there nearby; ali indicates a general nearby place, perto means near.

por perto — nearby; a very natural alternative to ali perto in spoken language.

Pronunciation Tips for Beginners

Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation is generally phonetic. Focus on these points for the phrase As crianças estão brincando ali perto.

Say as in English but lighter on the s: As [ahz].

crianças [kree-AHN-sah] — stress on the second syllable; the ã is nasal (like the n in French bon).

estão [es-TAW] — nasal vowel at the end; the ão sounds like ow with nasalization.

brincando [breen-KAHN-doo] — r as a soft flap in the middle, ã nasal again.

ali [ah-LEE] — clear vowels, stress on second syllable.

perto [PEHR-too] — r is like an English d or soft h in many Brazilian accents; keep vowels open.

When to Use Each Version

Use As crianças estão brincando ali perto when you want to say the kids are playing right now and point out their location.

Use As crianças estão brincando por perto in casual conversation to indicate the children are somewhere nearby but you are not specifying exact spot.

Use As crianças brincam ali perto to describe regular behavior, for example if kids often play in a nearby area.

Common Related Phrases and Vocabulary

criança / crianças — child / children

brincar — to play

brinquedo — toy

parquinho — playground

praça — park or square

por perto / ali perto — nearby

está / estão — is / are (from estar)

chega perto — come closer

olha — look (used to draw attention)

Practical Examples in Everyday Contexts

Scenario: At a park talking to a friend

Oi, olha: As crianças estão brincando ali perto. Vamos sentar no banco?

Scenario: Calling someone on the phone about where kids are

Não se preocupe. As crianças brincam por perto, eu estou vendo elas.

Scenario: Telling a neighbor the kids are making noise

Desculpe pelo barulho. As crianças estão brincando ali perto.

Short Beginner-Friendly Dialogues

Dialogue 1 — In the park

Maria: Onde estão as crianças?

João: As crianças estão brincando ali perto. Eles estão no parquinho.
Maria: Obrigada. Vou lá!

Dialogue 2 — At home

Ana: Você viu os meninos?

Paulo: Sim, as crianças brincam por perto. Estão no quintal.
Ana: Perfeito, obrigada.

Simple Questions and Natural Replies

Question: Onde estão as crianças?

Reply: As crianças estão brincando ali perto.

Question: As crianças estão bem?

Reply: Sim, estão brincando por perto e estão calmas.

Question: Onde os filhos estão?

Reply: Estão no parquinho, ali perto.

Polite Ways to Get Attention or Ask Someone to Move Kids

Por favor, as crianças podem brincar mais quietinhas?

Desculpe, as crianças estão brincando ali perto. Você pode ajudar a cuidar?

Você pode checar se as crianças estão seguras lá no parquinho, por favor?

Common Beginner Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Using estar vs ser incorrectly: For actions happening now, use estar. Do not say As crianças são brincando; that is incorrect. Use estão brincando or brincam.

Omitting articles: In Portuguese, include the article: say As crianças, not only Crianças estão. Omitting sounds unnatural for beginners.

Mixing formal and informal prepositions: Avoid literal translations like near by or perto de aqui. Use ali perto or por perto for natural speech.

Extra Useful Short Phrases for Parents and Caregivers

Vem cá — come here (used to call a child closer)

Fica aqui — stay here

Não corra — don’t run

Brinca com cuidado — play carefully

Quero ver — let me see

How to Practice Naturally

Listen to short Brazilian Portuguese clips or children’s shows to hear words like crianças, brincar, parquinho and perto used naturally.

Repeat simple sentences aloud: As crianças estão brincando ali perto. Try different variations and point to real locations when practicing to build context.

Use the phrases in real situations: at a park, a playground, or at home to get comfortable with pronunciation and rhythm.

Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

As crianças estão brincando ali perto — The kids are playing nearby (right now)

As crianças estão brincando por perto — The kids are playing nearby (colloquial)

As crianças brincam ali perto — The kids play nearby / They are playing nearby (simple present)

Conclusion

These simple phrases will help you communicate about kids and their location in everyday Brazilian Portuguese. Focus on the key verbs brincar and estar, learn the location words ali perto and por perto, and practice short dialogues to build confidence. Use the examples above in real contexts like parks, homes, or messages.