Introduction
Learning how to say early and late times in Brazilian Portuguese helps you read schedules, make appointments, and understand everyday conversation. This article explains how to use cedo and tarde in time phrases, with clear examples, vocabulary, common mistakes, and practical tips for beginners.
Basic meanings: cedo and tarde
cedo means early. Use it when something happens before the expected or usual time, or when you want to say you woke up or arrived early.
tarde means late or afternoon, depending on context. It can refer to being late for an appointment or to the period after noon. Context tells you which meaning applies.
Key vocabulary
cedo — early
tarde — late; afternoon
de manhã — in the morning
à tarde — in the afternoon
à noite — at night
hoje — today
amanhã — tomorrow
ontem — yesterday
Using cedo in time expressions
Use cedo to describe early in the morning or early relative timing. It often appears after the verb or at the end of a sentence.
Common patterns:
chegar cedo — to arrive early
acordar cedo — to wake up early
começar cedo — to start early
Examples with cedo
Eu acordei cedo hoje.
Translation: I woke up early today.
O ônibus chegou cedo.
Translation: The bus arrived early.
Vamos começar a reunião cedo, às oito.
Translation: Let’s start the meeting early, at eight.
Preciso ir embora cedo amanhã.
Translation: I need to leave early tomorrow.
Notes on position and emphasis
Cedo usually follows the verb or comes at the end of a sentence. To emphasize earliness you can place it after the subject: Eu cedo is not natural; use Eu acordei cedo.
In questions, use cedo the same way: Você chegou cedo? — Did you arrive early?
Using tarde for late and afternoon
Tarde is flexible. It can mean late as in not on time, or it can mean the afternoon period. Use context and prepositions to clarify meaning.
Tarde meaning late
Common verbs with tarde:
chegar tarde — to arrive late
ficar tarde — to be late (when it gets late)
desculpe o atraso — sorry for the delay (useful alternative)
Examples: tarde meaning late
Desculpe, eu cheguei tarde.
Translation: Sorry, I arrived late.
Ele sempre fica tarde no trabalho.
Translation: He always stays late at work.
Você vai se atrasar se sair agora, vai chegar tarde.
Translation: You will be late if you leave now; you’ll arrive late.
Tarde meaning afternoon
When referring to the afternoon period, use à tarde or simplesmente tarde in calendar/schedule contexts. The preposition helps avoid confusion with late.
Examples:
Vamos nos ver à tarde.
Translation: Let’s meet in the afternoon.
A reunião é à tarde, às quinze horas.
Translation: The meeting is in the afternoon, at 3 PM.
Prefiro estudar à tarde.
Translation: I prefer to study in the afternoon.
Time-of-day phrases and clock times
Beginners should learn typical clock patterns. Brazilians often use 24-hour time for schedules and 12-hour in speech, adding da manhã, da tarde, da noite for clarity.
Useful phrases:
às oito da manhã — at eight in the morning
às duas da tarde — at two in the afternoon
às dez da noite — at ten at night
Examples mixing cedo/tarde with clock times
Eu prefiro acordar cedo, às seis da manhã.
Translation: I prefer to wake up early, at six in the morning.
A aula começa às oito da manhã, não tarde.
Translation: The class starts at eight in the morning, not late.
O cinema começa às oito da noite, então não chega cedo demais.
Translation: The movie starts at eight at night, so don’t arrive too early.
Common expressions and short dialogues
Memorize short, realistic lines you might hear or use in everyday situations like buses, appointments, or messaging.
On the bus stop:
Passageiro A: O ônibus vai chegar cedo?
Passageiro B: Acho que não, geralmente chega tarde.
Translation: Passenger A: Will the bus arrive early? Passenger B: I think not, it usually arrives late.
Scheduling a meeting:
Pessoa 1: Podemos nos encontrar à tarde?
Pessoa 2: Sim, que horas?
Pessoa 1: Às três da tarde.
Translation: Person 1: Can we meet in the afternoon? Person 2: Yes, what time? Person 1: At three in the afternoon.
Practical tips for beginners
1. Learn da manhã / à tarde / da noite to avoid confusion between late and afternoon. Example: às dez da manhã (10 AM) vs. às dez da noite (10 PM).
2. Use the 24-hour format for written schedules: 14:00 is 14:00 or duas da tarde. Signage and timetables often use 24-hour time in Brazil.
3. When apologizing for lateness, use desculpe or desculpa with cheguei tarde. Example: Desculpe, cheguei tarde.
4. For early arrivals, use cheguei cedo or acordei cedo. Example: Eu cheguei cedo e esperei no café.
5. Practice short dialogues aloud to get natural rhythm: Você chegou cedo? / Sim, acordei cedo hoje.
Common beginner mistakes
Mistake 1: Using tarde to mean afternoon without preposition. Saying Vamos nos ver tarde can sound like we’ll meet late. Prefer Vamos nos ver à tarde for afternoon meetings.
Correction example: Vamos nos ver à tarde — We will meet in the afternoon.
Mistake 2: Incorrect position of cedo. Saying Eu cedo cheguei is unnatural. Correct: Eu cheguei cedo.
Correction example: Eu cheguei cedo no trabalho. — I arrived early at work.
Mistake 3: Confusing da tarde and de tarde. Both can be heard, but beginners should prioritize da tarde and à tarde for schedules. Example: À tarde vs. de tarde — both are understood, but à tarde is clearer for appointments.
Mini practice exercises
Translate these short sentences to English and then try to create similar sentences about your day.
1. Eu acordei cedo e fiz café.
2. A reunião é às duas da tarde.
3. Desculpe, eu cheguei tarde no trabalho.
4. Podemos nos encontrar à tarde, às quatro?
5. Ela sempre chega cedo ao ônibus.
Answers for self-check
1. I woke up early and made coffee.
2. The meeting is at two in the afternoon.
3. Sorry, I arrived late to work.
4. Can we meet in the afternoon, at four?
5. She always arrives early for the bus.
Quick reference cheat sheet
chegar cedo — to arrive early
acordar cedo — to wake up early
chegar tarde — to arrive late
à tarde — in the afternoon
da manhã — in the morning
da noite — at night
Conclusion
Understanding cedo and tarde lets you describe early or late times, read schedules, and make appointments in Brazilian Portuguese. Focus on position (verb then cedo), use à tarde for afternoon, and practice common phrases like Eu cheguei cedo and Desculpe, eu cheguei tarde to become comfortable quickly.
