في 15 ثانية
- Used to describe killing time between two scheduled events.
- Implies a relaxed, low-pressure wait, often involving a coffee.
- Common in social settings when waiting for a friend or appointment.
المعنى
This phrase is used when you need to wait around for a little while or kill some time before your next appointment or event. It's that specific feeling of having a gap in your schedule that you need to fill with a coffee or a quick walk.
أمثلة رئيسية
3 من 6Waiting for a friend to finish work
Vou dar uma hora no café até você sair.
I'll kill an hour at the cafe until you get out.
Arriving early for a dental appointment
Cheguei cedo, vou dar uma hora na praça.
I arrived early, I'm going to kill some time in the square.
A polite way to decline an immediate task
Agora não posso, preciso dar uma hora antes da reunião.
I can't right now, I need to kill some time before the meeting.
خلفية ثقافية
In Brazil, 'dar uma hora' is often associated with the 'shopping mall culture'. Malls are seen as safe, social hubs where people spend time even if they don't intend to buy anything. While understood, 'dar uma hora' is less common in Portugal. Portuguese people prefer 'fazer tempo' or 'fazer hora'. Using 'dar uma hora' might mark you as a speaker of Brazilian Portuguese. In Rio, the phrase is extremely common and often used with 'dar um rolê'. It fits the relaxed, informal lifestyle of the city. In Luanda, you might hear 'matar o tempo' more frequently in formal settings, but 'dar uma hora' is used in casual street slang among the youth.
The 'Shopping' Rule
If you are in a Brazilian city and need to 'dar uma hora', just look for the nearest 'Shopping' (Mall). It's the universal answer.
Don't use with 'para'
Saying 'dar uma hora para alguém' means you are giving them 60 minutes of your time, which is a literal meaning, not the idiom.
في 15 ثانية
- Used to describe killing time between two scheduled events.
- Implies a relaxed, low-pressure wait, often involving a coffee.
- Common in social settings when waiting for a friend or appointment.
What It Means
Dar uma hora is the ultimate phrase for the 'in-between' moments. It means you are killing time. You have finished one thing but aren't ready for the next. It is not about being late. It is about managing a gap. Think of it as 'hanging out' with a purpose. That purpose is simply waiting for the clock to tick.
How To Use It
You use it as a verb phrase. You can say Vou dar uma hora. This means 'I am going to kill some time.' It is very flexible with timeframes. Even if you only have twenty minutes, you still say dar uma hora. It sounds natural and relaxed. You are telling people you aren't busy, but you aren't free for big plans either.
When To Use It
Use it when you arrive early for a doctor's appointment. Use it when your friend is finishing work in thirty minutes. It is perfect for those awkward gaps. Imagine you are at the mall. Your movie starts in an hour. You tell your partner, Vamos dar uma hora na livraria. It makes the waiting feel intentional and chill.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this in a high-pressure deadline situation. If your boss asks for a report, don't say you are dando uma hora. They will think you are wasting time! Also, avoid it if you are actually giving someone a physical clock. That would be very confusing. It is for time management, not for gifts.
Cultural Background
Brazilians and Portuguese people value social 'buffer' time. Life doesn't always run on a strict, robotic schedule. Dar uma hora reflects a relaxed attitude toward the clock. It suggests that waiting isn't a burden. It is an opportunity for a small coffee. It is part of the 'jeitinho' of handling a day that doesn't perfectly align.
Common Variations
You might hear dar um tempo. This is very similar but can also mean taking a break in a relationship. Ficar à toa is another cousin. That one means doing absolutely nothing at all. Dar uma hora is more specific to the act of waiting for a specific event. It is the bridge between two activities.
ملاحظات الاستخدام
This is a very safe, common idiom for daily life. It sits perfectly in the 'informal' category—use it with friends, family, and casual acquaintances. Just avoid it in formal emails or when you're supposed to be showing how hard you're working!
The 'Shopping' Rule
If you are in a Brazilian city and need to 'dar uma hora', just look for the nearest 'Shopping' (Mall). It's the universal answer.
Don't use with 'para'
Saying 'dar uma hora para alguém' means you are giving them 60 minutes of your time, which is a literal meaning, not the idiom.
Use the Gerund
Brazilians love the gerund. Say 'Estou dando uma hora' to sound much more natural when someone calls you while you're waiting.
أمثلة
6Vou dar uma hora no café até você sair.
I'll kill an hour at the cafe until you get out.
Shows the phrase used to bridge a gap between meeting up.
Cheguei cedo, vou dar uma hora na praça.
I arrived early, I'm going to kill some time in the square.
Common use when physical waiting rooms are boring.
Agora não posso, preciso dar uma hora antes da reunião.
I can't right now, I need to kill some time before the meeting.
Used here to imply you have a small window of prep or travel time.
O filme só começa às 20h, vamos dar uma hora no shopping?
The movie only starts at 8 PM, shall we kill some time at the mall?
Classic 'killing time' scenario in a retail setting.
O ônibus sumiu, o jeito é dar uma hora aqui no ponto.
The bus vanished, the only way is to kill an hour here at the stop.
Using the phrase to make light of a frustrating delay.
Preciso caminhar e dar uma hora para acalmar os nervos.
I need to walk and kill some time to calm my nerves.
Using the 'gap' in time to process emotions.
اختبر نفسك
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb 'dar'.
Ontem, eu cheguei cedo no cinema e ______ uma hora na livraria.
The sentence refers to 'yesterday' (ontem), so we need the preterite form 'dei'.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Select the natural Brazilian Portuguese option:
Option A is the standard idiomatic usage for killing time at a location.
Fill in the missing phrase in the dialogue.
A: O banco só abre às dez horas. B: Tudo bem, vamos ________ na padaria.
'Dar uma hora' fits the context of waiting for the bank to open.
Match the situation to the best use of 'dar uma hora'.
You are at the airport and your flight is delayed by 40 minutes.
Waiting at the duty-free shop is a classic way to 'dar uma hora'.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Where to 'Dar uma Hora'
Places
- • Shopping Mall
- • Coffee Shop
- • Public Park
- • Bookstore
بنك التمارين
4 تمارينOntem, eu cheguei cedo no cinema e ______ uma hora na livraria.
The sentence refers to 'yesterday' (ontem), so we need the preterite form 'dei'.
Select the natural Brazilian Portuguese option:
Option A is the standard idiomatic usage for killing time at a location.
A: O banco só abre às dez horas. B: Tudo bem, vamos ________ na padaria.
'Dar uma hora' fits the context of waiting for the bank to open.
You are at the airport and your flight is delayed by 40 minutes.
Waiting at the duty-free shop is a classic way to 'dar uma hora'.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
الأسئلة الشائعة
6 أسئلةNo! It can be any amount of time. It's a figurative expression for 'killing time'.
It's not rude, but it's very informal. It might sound like you don't have enough work to do.
You can, but it's much less common as an idiom. 'Dar uma hora' is the fixed phrase.
'Fazer hora' can sometimes mean you are stalling on purpose to avoid something. 'Dar uma hora' is usually just waiting.
Yes, but 'fazer tempo' is much more common there.
Usually, it's for shorter gaps (under 2 hours). For 5 hours, you'd just say 'esperar'.
عبارات ذات صلة
fazer hora
synonymTo kill time or stall.
dar um tempo
similarTo take a break or a pause.
passar o tempo
similarTo pass the time.
enrolar
slangTo dawdle or procrastinate.
dar a hora
contrastTo be the right time for something.
