In this lesson you'll learn:
- The days of the week and the months of the year
- Words like today, tomorrow and the weekend
- How to ask and tell the time
Days of the week
| Portuguese | Sounds like | English |
|---|---|---|
| segunda-feira | seh-GOON-dah FAY-rah | Monday |
| terça-feira | TEHR-sah FAY-rah | Tuesday |
| quarta-feira | KWAR-tah FAY-rah | Wednesday |
| quinta-feira | KEEN-tah FAY-rah | Thursday |
| sexta-feira | SAYS-tah FAY-rah | Friday |
| sábado | SAH-bah-doo | Saturday |
| domingo | doh-MEENG-goo | Sunday |
Counting days: Monday is literally "the second day" (segunda), Tuesday "the third" (terça), and so on, because the week starts on Sunday. In everyday speech people drop the -feira: Até segunda! (See you Monday!). Days and months are written with a small letter.
Months of the year
| Portuguese | Sounds like | English |
|---|---|---|
| janeiro | zhah-NAY-roo | January |
| fevereiro | feh-veh-RAY-roo | February |
| março | MAR-soo | March |
| abril | ah-BREEW | April |
| maio | MY-oo | May |
| junho | ZHOO-nyoo | June |
| julho | ZHOO-lyoo | July |
| agosto | ah-GOHS-too | August |
| setembro | seh-TEM-broo | September |
| outubro | oh-TOO-broo | October |
| novembro | noh-VEM-broo | November |
| dezembro | deh-ZEM-broo | December |
Dates go day first, then month: 5 de março (March 5). In numbers that's 05/03, so read dates carefully in Brazil!
| Portuguese | Sounds like | English |
|---|---|---|
| Que dia é hoje? | kee DJEE-ah eh OH-zhee | What's the date today? |
| Hoje é dia cinco de março. | OH-zhee eh DJEE-ah SEENG-koo djee MAR-soo | Today is March 5th. |
| Hoje é sexta-feira. | OH-zhee eh SAYS-tah FAY-rah | Today is Friday. |
| O meu aniversário é em maio. | oo MEH-oo ah-nee-vehr-SAH-ree-oo eh ayng MY-oo | My birthday is in May. |
Today, tomorrow and more
| Portuguese | Sounds like | English |
|---|---|---|
| hoje | OH-zhee | today |
| amanhã | ah-mah-NYAHNG | tomorrow |
| ontem | OHN-tayng | yesterday |
| agora | ah-GAW-rah | now |
| de manhã | djee mah-NYAHNG | in the morning |
| à tarde | ah TAR-djee | in the afternoon |
| à noite | ah NOY-tchee | at night |
| a semana | ah seh-MAH-nah | the week |
| o fim de semana | oo feeng djee seh-MAH-nah | the weekend |
| o mês | oo mays | the month |
| o ano | oo AH-noo | the year |
Telling the time
| Portuguese | Sounds like | English |
|---|---|---|
| Que horas são? | kee AW-rahs sowng | What time is it? |
| É uma hora. | eh OO-mah AW-rah | It's one o'clock. |
| São duas horas. | sowng DOO-ahs AW-rahs | It's two o'clock. |
| São três e meia. | sowng trays ee MAY-ah | It's half past three. |
| São quatro e quinze. | sowng KWAH-troo ee KEEN-zee | It's a quarter past four. |
| É meio-dia. | eh MAY-oo DJEE-ah | It's noon. |
| É meia-noite. | eh MAY-ah NOY-tchee | It's midnight. |
| A que horas? | ah kee AW-rahs | At what time? |
| Às oito horas. | ahs OY-too AW-rahs | At eight o'clock. |
Singular or plural? Use é for one o'clock, noon and midnight, and são for everything else. Timetables, TV and tickets often use the 24-hour clock: O ônibus sai às 18h (dezoito horas), "The bus leaves at 6 p.m."
Practice
Answer in Portuguese.
- Which day comes after sexta-feira?
- How do you say "tomorrow morning"?
- It's 2:00. What time is it?
- It's 7:30. What time is it?
- How do you say "See you on Monday!"?
Show answers
- sábado (Saturday)
- amanhã de manhã
- São duas horas.
- São sete e meia.
- Até segunda!