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A1 noun #2,000 le plus courant 13 min de lecture

Sábado

Top 2,000

At the A1 level, learning the word 'sábado' is a fundamental step in building your basic Portuguese vocabulary. As a beginner, your primary goal is to learn how to express simple concepts related to time, routines, and personal schedules. 'Sábado' is essential because it allows you to talk about the weekend, which is a common topic in everyday conversations. You will learn that 'sábado' means Saturday and that it is a masculine noun. This means you will use it with the article 'o' (the) and masculine adjectives. One of the most important grammar points at this level is learning how to say 'on Saturday'. In Portuguese, you do not use the word for 'on' directly; instead, you combine the preposition 'em' (in/on) with the article 'o' to make 'no'. So, 'on Saturday' is 'no sábado'. You will practice using this in simple sentences like 'Eu não trabalho no sábado' (I don't work on Saturday) or 'A festa é no sábado' (The party is on Saturday). You will also learn that unlike in English, days of the week in Portuguese are written with lowercase letters unless they start a sentence. So you write 'sábado', not 'Sábado'. Pronunciation is also key at this stage. The accent mark on the first 'a' (á) tells you to stress that syllable: SÁ-ba-do. Practicing this stress pattern will help you sound more natural. At A1, you will frequently use 'sábado' alongside other basic vocabulary, such as verbs for common activities (comer, beber, dormir, ir) and places (praia, cinema, casa). For example, 'No sábado, eu vou à praia' (On Saturday, I go to the beach). You will also learn to differentiate it from 'domingo' (Sunday) and understand the concept of 'fim de semana' (weekend). By mastering 'sábado' at the A1 level, you are laying the groundwork for more complex scheduling and storytelling in the future, enabling you to participate in basic social interactions and make simple plans with Portuguese speakers.

As you progress to the A2 level, your use of the word 'sábado' becomes more dynamic and integrated into broader conversational contexts. You are no longer just stating simple facts; you are beginning to describe routines, recount past events, and make future plans. At this stage, you will expand your grammatical toolkit to include plural forms and different prepositions. You will learn to use 'aos sábados' to express habitual actions, meaning 'on Saturdays' or 'every Saturday'. This is crucial for talking about your regular weekend routines, such as 'Eu jogo tênis aos sábados' (I play tennis on Saturdays) or 'Aos sábados, eu durmo até tarde' (On Saturdays, I sleep late). You will also start using demonstrative pronouns with 'sábado' to specify which Saturday you are talking about. You will learn 'neste sábado' (this Saturday), 'no próximo sábado' (next Saturday), and 'no sábado passado' (last Saturday). This allows you to navigate different tenses. For example, using the past tense (Pretérito Perfeito): 'No sábado passado, eu fui ao cinema' (Last Saturday, I went to the movies). Or using the near future: 'Neste sábado, eu vou estudar' (This Saturday, I am going to study). Furthermore, at the A2 level, you will begin to combine 'sábado' with times of the day to be more specific. You will learn phrases like 'sábado de manhã' (Saturday morning), 'sábado à tarde' (Saturday afternoon), and 'sábado à noite' (Saturday night). This adds detail to your communication, allowing you to say things like 'Vamos sair no sábado à noite?' (Shall we go out on Saturday night?). You will also start to understand the cultural context of 'sábado' in Portuguese-speaking countries, recognizing it as the primary day for socializing, running errands, and enjoying leisure activities. By mastering these variations and combinations, you significantly improve your ability to engage in meaningful conversations about your life, your plans, and your experiences, making your Portuguese much more functional and expressive.

Reaching the B1 level marks a transition from basic functional communication to more nuanced and descriptive language use. At this intermediate stage, your understanding of 'sábado' goes beyond simple scheduling; it becomes a tool for expressing preferences, discussing cultural norms, and telling detailed stories. You are expected to use 'sábado' effortlessly with various verb tenses, including the Imperfeito (Imperfect) to describe past habits. For example, 'Quando eu era criança, aos sábados eu brincava na rua' (When I was a child, on Saturdays I used to play in the street). This demonstrates a higher level of grammatical control. You will also start to encounter and use idiomatic expressions and collocations related to the weekend. You might hear phrases like 'sábado de aleluia' (Holy Saturday) in cultural or religious contexts, or discuss the traditional 'feijoada de sábado' in Brazil. Your vocabulary around 'sábado' will expand to include terms like 'véspera' (eve) and 'madrugada' (early morning/late night). For instance, 'A festa durou até a madrugada de sábado para domingo' (The party lasted until the early hours of Sunday morning). At the B1 level, you are also expected to handle more complex social interactions. You can negotiate plans, suggest alternatives, and express disappointment if plans fall through. 'Eu queria muito ir ao show no sábado, mas infelizmente tenho que trabalhar' (I really wanted to go to the concert on Saturday, but unfortunately I have to work). You will also be able to understand authentic texts, such as news articles, blog posts, or event invitations, where 'sábado' is used in various contexts. You will notice the subtle differences in register, understanding when a formal schedule uses 'sábado' versus a casual text message. Furthermore, you will refine your pronunciation, ensuring that the stress on the proparoxytone (SÁ-ba-do) is natural and that the word flows smoothly within the rhythm of a complete sentence. By the end of B1, 'sábado' is no longer just a vocabulary word; it is a fully integrated component of your communicative repertoire.

At the B2 level, you are achieving a degree of fluency that allows you to use the word 'sábado' with the naturalness and flexibility of a native speaker. You are not just communicating; you are expressing complex ideas, opinions, and cultural observations. Your use of 'sábado' will reflect a deep understanding of Portuguese syntax and sociolinguistics. You will seamlessly integrate the word into complex sentence structures, using the subjunctive mood where appropriate. For example, 'É improvável que ele venha no sábado' (It is unlikely that he will come on Saturday) or 'Caso chova no sábado, cancelaremos o churrasco' (In case it rains on Saturday, we will cancel the barbecue). You will also be comfortable using passive constructions and impersonal verbs in relation to scheduling: 'Ficou decidido que a reunião será no sábado' (It was decided that the meeting will be on Saturday). At this upper-intermediate level, you can engage in abstract discussions about the concept of the weekend itself. You might debate the work-life balance, discussing the importance of 'sábado' as a day of mental health and decompression. You can articulate the societal shift towards flexible working hours and how it impacts the traditional 'sábado' rest. Culturally, you will be aware of regional variations in how Saturday is spent across the Lusophone world, from the bustling nightlife of São Paulo to the relaxed coastal afternoons in the Algarve. You will understand literary and journalistic uses of the word, recognizing when 'sábado' is used metaphorically to represent a state of leisure or anticipation. Your vocabulary will include advanced collocations and phrasal verbs. You will easily navigate texts that discuss 'plantões de sábado' (Saturday shifts) in medical or professional contexts. Furthermore, your pronunciation and intonation will be highly refined, allowing you to use 'sábado' to convey subtle emotions—excitement, dread, or relief—simply through the tone of your voice. At B2, 'sábado' is a versatile tool that you use to navigate complex social, professional, and intellectual landscapes in Portuguese.

At the C1 level, your mastery of Portuguese is advanced, and your relationship with everyday words like 'sábado' reflects a deep, almost native-like intuition. You understand the word not just functionally, but historically, etymologically, and stylistically. You are aware that 'sábado' derives from the Latin 'sabbatum' and the Hebrew 'shabbat', and you can discuss how this religious origin influences modern secular calendars. In your own production, you use 'sábado' with absolute grammatical precision, employing it flawlessly in highly complex syntactic structures, including mixed conditionals and advanced subjunctive clauses. For example, 'Se não tivéssemos trabalhado tanto durante a semana, teríamos aproveitado melhor o sábado' (If we hadn't worked so hard during the week, we would have enjoyed Saturday more). You are adept at manipulating register, knowing exactly how to use 'sábado' in a formal academic paper, a professional legal document, or a highly colloquial conversation. You understand the subtle nuances of phrases like 'um sábado qualquer' (just any Saturday) versus 'o sábado' (the definitive Saturday). At this level, you can consume and analyze complex literature, poetry, and historical texts where 'sábado' might carry symbolic weight. You can appreciate the poetic rhythm of the word in a sentence and understand its use as a literary device to establish setting or mood. You are also fully conversant in the socio-economic implications of 'sábado', able to discuss labor laws regarding weekend pay, the economics of the weekend tourism industry, or the sociological impact of the 'sábado' on family dynamics in different Portuguese-speaking societies. Your vocabulary is expansive, encompassing obscure idioms and regional slang related to the weekend. You can effortlessly follow rapid, overlapping native speech where 'sábado' is spoken quickly or mumbled. At C1, your use of 'sábado' demonstrates a comprehensive command of the language's subtleties, allowing you to express yourself with eloquence, precision, and cultural depth.

At the C2 level, you possess a mastery of Portuguese that is virtually indistinguishable from a highly educated native speaker. Your understanding and use of the word 'sábado' encompass the absolute entirety of its linguistic, cultural, and historical dimensions. You navigate the word with effortless grace across all possible contexts, from the most rigorous academic discourse to the most localized, vernacular slang. You are capable of engaging in deep sociolinguistic analysis regarding the evolution of the word and its shifting cultural significance over centuries. You can deconstruct how the concept of 'sábado' has been portrayed in classic Lusophone literature, analyzing the works of Machado de Assis or Fernando Pessoa to understand how the weekend was conceptualized in different eras. You can effortlessly produce sophisticated, nuanced arguments about the modern commercialization of 'sábado' or its role in contemporary urban sociology. Grammatically, you are flawless. You employ 'sábado' within the most intricate rhetorical devices, using it in parallelisms, chiasmus, or subtle irony. You intuitively understand the microscopic differences in meaning created by altering word order or employing rare prepositions. For instance, you can articulate the poetic distinction between 'o sábado letárgico' and 'um letárgico sábado'. Your phonetic control is absolute; you can mimic various regional accents and dialects, understanding exactly how the pronunciation of 'sábado' shifts from the nasal twang of Lisbon to the open vowels of the Brazilian Northeast. You are also a creator of language at this level, able to invent novel metaphors or play with the word 'sábado' in creative writing or persuasive speech. You understand the unspoken cultural contracts associated with 'sábado' in different social strata and can navigate these with perfect etiquette. At C2, 'sábado' is not merely a word you know; it is a concept you can mold, analyze, and deploy with the ultimate sophistication and authority of a true master of the Portuguese language.

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

Sábado en 30 secondes

Means 'Saturday', the day between Friday and Sunday.
It is a masculine noun, so use 'o sábado'.
Use 'no sábado' for 'on Saturday' (specific event).
Use 'aos sábados' for 'on Saturdays' (habitual routine).

The Portuguese word 'sábado' translates directly to 'Saturday' in English. It is a masculine noun that represents the sixth day of the traditional Christian week, or the seventh day in some modern calendar systems. Understanding the meaning of 'sábado' goes far beyond its simple translation; it involves delving into the historical, cultural, and linguistic roots that shape the Portuguese language. The word originates from the Latin 'sabbatum', which in turn comes from the Hebrew 'shabbat', meaning 'day of rest'. This etymological journey highlights the deep historical connections between language and religion, as Saturday was traditionally the day of rest in the Jewish faith, a concept that heavily influenced the Roman calendar and subsequently the Romance languages. In contemporary Portuguese-speaking cultures, 'sábado' holds a profound significance as the primary day of leisure, socialization, and relaxation. It is the core of the 'fim de semana' (weekend), a time when people step away from their professional obligations and academic pursuits to focus on personal well-being, family, and community.

Etymology: Derived from Latin 'sabbatum' and Hebrew 'shabbat', meaning rest.

O meu dia favorito da semana é o sábado.

In Brazil, for example, Saturday is culturally synonymous with 'feijoada', a traditional black bean and pork stew that is typically consumed for lunch on this specific day, often accompanied by samba music and caipirinhas. In Portugal, it is a day for long lunches, visiting family in the countryside, or enjoying the coastal areas.

Gender: Masculine noun (o sábado).

Nós vamos à praia no próximo sábado.

The concept of Saturday is also deeply tied to the rhythm of urban and rural life. In many towns, Saturday mornings are dedicated to local markets ('feiras'), where fresh produce, meats, and artisanal goods are sold. This makes the word 'sábado' not just a temporal marker, but a trigger for specific sensory experiences: the bustling sounds of a market, the smell of street food, and the visual vibrancy of a community coming together.

Plural Form: Sábados (used to indicate recurring events on this day).

Eu não trabalho aos sábados.

Furthermore, the linguistic structure of the Portuguese week is unique. While Monday through Friday are numbered ('segunda-feira', 'terça-feira', etc., meaning second fair, third fair), Saturday and Sunday ('domingo') have distinct names derived from religious traditions. This sets 'sábado' apart linguistically from the standard workweek, reinforcing its special status.

Todo sábado de manhã, eu limpo a casa.

When learners first encounter this word, it is usually within the context of basic scheduling and routine descriptions. However, mastering its implications allows for a much richer understanding of Lusophone social dynamics. Whether it is discussing a 'sábado à noite' (Saturday night) out with friends, or a quiet 'sábado de manhã' (Saturday morning) reading the newspaper, the word is universally understood as a pivot point in the weekly cycle, a moment of transition from labor to leisure.

Eles casaram num lindo sábado de sol.

In summary, 'sábado' is a fundamental vocabulary word that bridges the gap between simple timekeeping and complex cultural participation, making it essential for anyone looking to achieve fluency and cultural competence in Portuguese.

Using the word 'sábado' correctly in Portuguese requires an understanding of prepositions, articles, and pluralization rules. Because 'sábado' is a masculine noun, it interacts specifically with the definite article 'o' and various prepositions to convey different temporal meanings. The most common preposition used with days of the week is 'em' (in/on). When combined with the masculine article 'o', 'em + o' contracts to form 'no'. Therefore, to say 'on Saturday', you must say 'no sábado'. This is a critical grammatical structure that learners must master early on.

Preposition 'No': Use 'no sábado' to mean 'on Saturday' for a specific, single event.

A festa é no sábado.

If you want to talk about a recurring event, something that happens every Saturday, you must use the plural form. In this case, the preposition 'a' is combined with the plural masculine article 'os' to form 'aos'. Thus, 'aos sábados' translates to 'on Saturdays' or 'every Saturday'. This distinction between a singular occurrence and a habitual action is fundamental in Portuguese syntax.

Habitual Action: Use 'aos sábados' to indicate routines happening every Saturday.

Eu jogo futebol aos sábados.

You will also frequently use demonstrative pronouns with 'sábado'. To say 'this Saturday', you combine 'em' with 'este' to create 'neste sábado'. To say 'that Saturday' (referring to the past or a distant future), you use 'naquele sábado'. When referring to the upcoming weekend, it is very common to say 'no próximo sábado' (next Saturday), and for the previous one, 'no sábado passado' (last Saturday).

Demonstratives: Neste sábado (this Saturday), naquele sábado (that Saturday).

O que você vai fazer neste sábado?

Another important aspect of usage is specifying the time of day. In Portuguese, you connect the day and the time of day using the preposition 'de' or 'à'. For example, 'sábado de manhã' (Saturday morning), 'sábado à tarde' (Saturday afternoon), and 'sábado à noite' (Saturday night). Notice the use of the grave accent (crase) in 'à tarde' and 'à noite', which indicates the contraction of the preposition 'a' and the article 'a'.

Vamos sair no sábado à noite.

Finally, when 'sábado' is the subject of the sentence, it takes the definite article 'o'. For instance, 'O sábado é o melhor dia da semana' (Saturday is the best day of the week). Omitting the article here would sound unnatural to a native speaker. By mastering these combinations of prepositions, articles, and modifiers, learners can express a wide range of temporal concepts accurately and naturally, ensuring clear communication when making plans, describing routines, or recounting past events.

O sábado passou muito rápido.

Understanding these nuances transforms a simple vocabulary word into a versatile tool for daily conversation.

The word 'sábado' is ubiquitous in Portuguese-speaking environments, echoing through casual conversations, professional scheduling, media broadcasts, and cultural events. Because it represents the pinnacle of the weekend, it is one of the most frequently spoken days of the week. You will hear it constantly in social contexts when people are making plans. Friends texting each other will ask, 'Vai fazer o quê no sábado?' (What are you doing on Saturday?). It is the anchor point for social gatherings, parties, dinners, and outings.

Social Plans: The most common context for hearing 'sábado' is when arranging meetups and leisure activities.

Combinamos de jantar fora no sábado.

In the realm of commerce and business, 'sábado' dictates operating hours. Many shops, banks, and public services have altered schedules on this day. You will often see signs on storefronts reading 'Horário de funcionamento: Segunda a Sexta das 9h às 18h, Sábado das 9h às 13h' (Operating hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm). Listening to radio or television commercials, you will frequently hear promotions tied to the weekend, such as 'Super promoção neste sábado!' (Super sale this Saturday!).

Media & TV: Television programming heavily promotes Saturday night specials and weekend sports broadcasts.

O programa vai ao ar todo sábado.

Sports culture, particularly football (soccer), is deeply intertwined with Saturday. While Sunday is the traditional day for major league matches, Saturday hosts numerous games, youth leagues, and casual matches among friends, known in Brazil as 'peladas de sábado'. You will hear sports commentators analyzing the 'rodada de sábado' (Saturday's round of matches). Furthermore, in domestic life, Saturday is often designated as the day for household chores that cannot be done during the workweek. The phrase 'faxina de sábado' (Saturday deep cleaning) is a relatable concept for many Portuguese speakers.

Household Routines: Saturday is culturally designated as a day for home maintenance and grocery shopping.

Hoje é sábado, dia de lavar a roupa.

In religious contexts, particularly within Judaism and certain Christian denominations like Seventh-day Adventists, 'sábado' retains its original meaning as the Sabbath, a day of rest and worship. In these communities, you will hear the word used with a sense of reverence and strict observance.

Eles guardam o sábado por motivos religiosos.

From the lively atmosphere of a weekend street market to the relaxed vibe of a family lunch, the word 'sábado' is the linguistic backdrop to the most enjoyable parts of life in the Lusophone world. Recognizing its varied contexts helps learners not only understand the language but also integrate into the cultural rhythm of the society.

A feira de sábado estava lotada.

Whether you are reading a schedule, listening to the news, or chatting with a neighbor, 'sábado' is a word you will encounter daily, serving as a constant reminder of the balance between work and rest.

When learning the word 'sábado', non-native speakers often fall into a few predictable traps related to capitalization, prepositions, pluralization, and pronunciation. Addressing these common mistakes early on is crucial for developing natural-sounding Portuguese. The most frequent error made by English speakers is capitalizing the word. In English, days of the week are proper nouns and always capitalized (Saturday). In Portuguese, however, days of the week are common nouns and must be written in lowercase (sábado) unless they are the first word of a sentence. Writing 'Eu vou no Sábado' is a glaring orthographic mistake that immediately marks the writer as a learner.

Capitalization Error: Writing 'Sábado' mid-sentence instead of the correct lowercase 'sábado'.

Correto: O sábado está ensolarado.

Another major stumbling block is the choice of preposition. English speakers translate 'on Saturday' directly and often try to use 'em sábado' or 'sobre sábado'. The correct prepositional phrase requires the contraction of 'em' + 'o', resulting in 'no sábado'. Failing to use the article 'o' makes the sentence sound broken. Similarly, when expressing a recurring event ('on Saturdays'), learners sometimes say 'nos sábados', which is technically understandable but less idiomatic than the standard 'aos sábados'.

Preposition Mismatch: Using 'em sábado' instead of the grammatically correct contraction 'no sábado'.

Incorreto: Eu trabalho em sábado. Correto: Eu trabalho no sábado.

Pronunciation also presents a challenge due to the acute accent on the first 'a' (á). The word is a proparoxytone (esdrúxula), meaning the stress must fall heavily on the antepenultimate syllable: SA-ba-do. Many learners mistakenly stress the penultimate syllable, pronouncing it sa-BA-do, which sounds entirely foreign to a native ear. The accent mark is your visual cue to hit that first syllable hard. Furthermore, the final 'o' is often reduced in spoken Portuguese, especially in Brazil, sounding more like a soft 'u' (SA-ba-du). Over-enunciating the final 'o' can make your speech sound robotic.

Pronunciation Stress: Failing to stress the first syllable (SÁ) makes the word difficult for natives to understand.

Lembre-se do acento em sábado.

Lastly, learners sometimes confuse the vocabulary when trying to say 'weekend'. They might say 'o fim de sábado' instead of 'o fim de semana'. While Saturday is part of the weekend, the terms are not interchangeable. 'Sábado' refers strictly to the specific 24-hour period.

Bom sábado para você!

By paying close attention to these common pitfalls—capitalization, prepositions, stress, and exact meaning—learners can quickly elevate their Portuguese from beginner to a more natural, fluent level. Consistent practice and self-correction are key to mastering these nuances.

Eles chegam no sábado de manhã.

When expanding your vocabulary around the concept of 'sábado', it is helpful to understand the constellation of related words that describe time, the week, and periods of rest. The most immediate companion to 'sábado' is, of course, 'domingo' (Sunday). Together, these two days form the 'fim de semana' (weekend). While 'sábado' is often associated with high energy, going out, chores, and socialization, 'domingo' is traditionally viewed as a day of rest, family lunches, and preparing for the upcoming week. Understanding this cultural dichotomy between the two days helps learners use them in appropriate contexts.

Domingo vs Sábado: Sábado is for activity and socializing; domingo is traditionally for rest and family.

Eu prefiro o sábado ao domingo.

Another crucial term is 'fim de semana' (weekend). While 'sábado' refers to the specific day, 'fim de semana' encompasses the entire period of rest, usually from Friday evening to Sunday night. You might say 'Tenha um bom fim de semana' (Have a good weekend) rather than 'Tenha um bom sábado e domingo'.

Fim de semana: The overarching term for the weekend, encompassing both Saturday and Sunday.

O sábado é o melhor dia do fim de semana.

You should also be familiar with the term 'feriado' (holiday). Sometimes a holiday falls on a Friday or Monday, creating a 'feriado prolongado' (long weekend), which makes the 'sábado' nestled in the middle even more festive. In contrast to these days of rest, the days from Monday to Friday are collectively known as 'dias úteis' (business days or weekdays). If a store is open 'todos os dias úteis', it means it is closed on 'sábado' and 'domingo'.

Dia Útil: A business day. Sábado is generally NOT considered a dia útil.

O banco não abre no sábado, pois não é dia útil.

Another related concept is 'véspera' (eve). Friday is often considered the 'véspera de sábado' (eve of Saturday), and Saturday itself is the 'véspera de domingo'. This word is highly useful when describing the anticipation of an event. For example, 'Na véspera de sábado, fomos ao cinema' (On the eve of Saturday [Friday], we went to the movies).

A festa de sábado foi incrível.

By learning 'sábado' alongside 'domingo', 'fim de semana', 'feriado', and 'dia útil', you build a comprehensive mental map of how Portuguese speakers organize their time, allowing you to participate more fully in scheduling and social conversations.

Trabalho de segunda a sábado.

How Formal Is It?

Formel

Informel

Argot

Niveau de difficulté

Grammaire à connaître

Exemples par niveau

Hoje é sábado.

Today is Saturday.

Use the verb 'ser' (é) to state the day of the week.

Eu não trabalho no sábado.

I don't work on Saturday.

Use 'no' (em + o) to say 'on' a specific Saturday.

O sábado é um dia bom.

Saturday is a good day.

As a subject, 'sábado' takes the masculine article 'o'.

Nós vamos ao parque no sábado.

We are going to the park on Saturday.

Basic future plan using 'ir' + place + time.

A festa é sábado à noite.

The party is Saturday night.

Combine the day with 'à noite' for time of day.

Eu gosto de dormir no sábado.

I like to sleep on Saturday.

Verb 'gostar de' followed by an infinitive verb.

Sábado e domingo são o fim de semana.

Saturday and Sunday are the weekend.

Plural verb 'são' used for two subjects.

Até sábado!

See you Saturday!

'Até' is used for farewells meaning 'until'.

Eu jogo futebol aos sábados.

I play soccer on Saturdays.

Use 'aos sábados' for habitual, recurring actions.

O que você vai fazer neste sábado?

What are you going to do this Saturday?

Use 'neste' (em + este) for 'this' upcoming Saturday.

No sábado passado, eu fui ao cinema.

Last Saturday, I went to the movies.

Use 'passado' to indicate the previous week (Pretérito Perfeito).

A loja abre de segunda a sábado.

The store opens from Monday to Saturday.

Use 'de... a...' to indicate a range of days.

Todo sábado de manhã, eu limpo a casa.

Every Saturday morning, I clean the house.

'Todo' means 'every' or 'all'.

Nós temos um jantar no próximo sábado.

We have a dinner next Saturday.

Use 'próximo' to refer to the future.

Ela sempre estuda aos sábados.

She always studies on Saturdays.

Adverb 'sempre' used with habitual 'aos sábados'.

O supermercado fica muito cheio no sábado.

The supermarket gets very crowded on Saturday.

Use 'ficar' to express a change of state or condition.

Quando eu era criança, visitava meus avós aos sábados.

When I was a child, I used to visit my grandparents on Saturdays.

Use the Imperfeito tense for past habits.

Eu queria sair, mas tenho que trabalhar neste sábado.

I wanted to go out, but I have to work this Saturday.

Expressing unfulfilled desires and obligations.

A feijoada de sábado é uma tradição no Brasil.

Saturday feijoada is a tradition in Brazil.

Cultural reference using 'de' to link noun to day.

Eles chegaram de madrugada, de sexta para sábado.

They arrived in the early hours, from Friday to Saturday.

Expressing the transition between days.

O trânsito no sábado à tarde costuma ser tranquilo.

Traffic on Saturday afternoon is usually calm.

Use 'costumar' + infinitive for 'usually do'.

Nós combinamos de nos encontrar no sábado ao meio-dia.

We agreed to meet on Saturday at noon.

Verb 'combinar de' for making plans.

Se chover no sábado, vamos cancelar o piquenique.

If it rains on Saturday, we will cancel the picnic.

Future subjunctive 'chover' in a conditional 'se' clause.

O sábado rendeu muito, consegui fazer tudo.

Saturday was very productive, I managed to do everything.

Idiomatic use of 'render' meaning to be productive.

É imprescindível que o relatório seja entregue até sábado.

It is essential that the report is delivered by Saturday.

Present subjunctive 'seja' after impersonal expression.

Caso você mude de ideia sobre o sábado, me avise.

In case you change your mind about Saturday, let me know.

Conjunction 'caso' requires the present subjunctive 'mude'.

Eles vêm adiando essa reunião sábado após sábado.

They have been postponing this meeting Saturday after Saturday.

Expression 'sábado após sábado' for repeated delays.

Ficou estabelecido que não haverá expediente aos sábados.

It was established that there will be no working hours on Saturdays.

Formal passive construction 'Ficou estabelecido'.

Apesar de ser sábado, ele acordou às seis da manhã.

Despite it being Saturday, he woke up at six in the morning.

Concessive clause 'Apesar de ser'.

O evento de sábado superou todas as nossas expectativas.

Saturday's event exceeded all our expectations.

Advanced vocabulary 'superou as expectativas'.

Trabalhar aos sábados é um sacrifício que estou disposto a fazer.

Working on Saturdays is a sacrifice I am willing to make.

Infinitive phrase as the subject of the sentence.

Ele vive como se todo dia fosse sábado.

He lives as if every day were Saturday.

Imperfect subjunctive 'fosse' after 'como se'.

Se tivéssemos planejado melhor, o sábado não teria sido tão caótico.

If we had planned better, Saturday wouldn't have been so chaotic.

Mixed conditional with pluperfect subjunctive and conditional perfect.

O sábado afigurava-se-lhe como um oásis no deserto da semana útil.

Saturday appeared to him as an oasis in the desert of the workweek.

Literary vocabulary 'afigurava-se-lhe' and metaphorical usage.

A injunção legal proíbe o corte de serviços essenciais aos sábados.

The legal injunction prohibits the cutting of essential services on Saturdays.

Formal legal terminology.

É um ledo engano achar que o sábado resolverá todos os problemas de estresse.

It is a foolish mistake to think that Saturday will solve all stress problems.

Advanced collocation 'ledo engano'.

A melancolia do fim de domingo já contamina a tarde de sábado.

The melancholy of the end of Sunday already contaminates Saturday afternoon.

Poetic and abstract expression of time.

Ele é um boêmio inveterado; para ele, a vida só começa no sábado à noite.

He is an inveterate bohemian; for him, life only begins on Saturday night.

Advanced descriptive vocabulary 'boêmio inveterado'.

A greve deflagrada na sexta-feira culminou na paralisação total no sábado.

The strike launched on Friday culminated in a total shutdown on Saturday.

Journalistic register 'deflagrada', 'culminou'.

Por mais que chova no sábado, o compromisso está mantido.

However much it rains on Saturday, the commitment is kept.

Concessive expression 'Por mais que' + subjunctive.

A sacralidade outrora inerente ao sábado diluiu-se na voracidade do consumismo moderno.

The sacredness once inherent to Saturday has been diluted in the voracity of modern consumerism.

Highly academic and sociological register.

Aquele sábado letárgico arrastava-se, imbuído de um tédio quase palpável.

That lethargic Saturday dragged on, imbued with an almost palpable boredom.

Literary prose, advanced adjectives.

A dicotomia entre o sábado laborioso e o sábado ocioso reflete as fraturas de classe da sociedade.

The dichotomy between the laborious Saturday and the idle Saturday reflects the class fractures of society.

Sociopolitical analysis terminology.

Não obstante as intempéries previstas para o sábado, a trupe prosseguiu com o espetáculo.

Notwithstanding the bad weather forecast for Saturday, the troupe proceeded with the show.

Formal concessive 'Não obstante'.

O sábado, epítome do ócio contemporâneo, paradoxalmente converteu-se num fardo de obrigações sociais.

Saturday, the epitome of contemporary leisure, has paradoxically converted into a burden of social obligations.

Philosophical observation, complex syntax.

Eis que desponta o sábado, alvissareiro, prometendo a efêmera redenção da labuta semanal.

Behold, Saturday dawns, auspicious, promising the ephemeral redemption from weekly toil.

Highly poetic and archaic vocabulary 'Eis que', 'alvissareiro'.

A jurisprudência consolidada não reconhece o sábado como dia útil para fins de contagem de prazos processuais.

Consolidated jurisprudence does not recognize Saturday as a business day for the purpose of counting procedural deadlines.

Strict legal jargon.

Ele vive num eterno sábado mental, alheio às vicissitudes da rotina mundana.

He lives in an eternal mental Saturday, oblivious to the vicissitudes of mundane routine.

Metaphorical and abstract use of the word.

Collocations courantes

no sábado

aos sábados

sábado à noite

sábado de manhã

sábado à tarde

próximo sábado

sábado passado

neste sábado

todo sábado

manhã de sábado

Phrases Courantes

Bom sábado!

Até sábado.

O que vai fazer no sábado?

Sábado é dia de...

Feijoada de sábado.

Sábado de aleluia.

Sábado animado.

Sábado de sol.

Sábado chuvoso.

Sabadou! (slang)

Souvent confondu avec

Sábado vs Domingo (Sunday - the other weekend day)

Sábado vs Sapatos (Shoes - sounds vaguely similar to beginners)

Sábado vs Sábio (Wise - shares the same root letters)

Expressions idiomatiques

Facile à confondre

Sábado vs

Structures de phrases

Comment l'utiliser

note

While 'sábado' is a noun, it functions heavily as an adverbial time marker in sentences. Its placement is flexible; it can go at the beginning ('No sábado, eu durmo') or at the end ('Eu durmo no sábado') of a sentence without changing the meaning, though placing it at the beginning adds slight emphasis to the day.

Erreurs courantes

Capitalizing 'sábado' in the middle of a sentence (e.g., Eu vou no Sábado).
Using the preposition 'em' instead of 'no' (e.g., A festa é em sábado).
Forgetting the accent mark on the first 'a' (e.g., sabado).
Pronouncing the stress on the second syllable (sa-BA-do) instead of the first (SÁ-ba-do).
Using 'nos sábados' instead of the more idiomatic 'aos sábados' for habitual actions.

Astuces

Always use 'no'

Never translate 'on' directly to 'em' when talking about days of the week. Always use the contraction 'no' (em + o) for singular days. Say 'no sábado', never 'em sábado'.

Hit the first syllable

The accent mark is your guide. Put all your vocal energy into the first syllable: SÁ. The rest of the word should be spoken quickly and softly: ba-do.

Keep it lowercase

Resist the English habit of capitalizing days. Unless it starts a sentence, 'sábado' must be written with a lowercase 's'. This is a common mistake that is easy to fix.

Learn the plural

If you do something every Saturday, use 'aos sábados'. This small change from 'no' to 'aos' completely changes the meaning from a one-time event to a habit.

Saturday means Feijoada

If you are in Brazil on a Saturday, look for 'Feijoada'. It is the traditional Saturday lunch. Knowing this cultural fact makes you sound more like a local.

Listen for the soft 'u'

In spoken Portuguese, especially in Brazil, the final 'o' in 'sábado' is often pronounced like a soft 'u'. Don't be confused if you hear 'SÁ-ba-du'.

Time of day combos

Memorize these three chunks: 'sábado de manhã', 'sábado à tarde', 'sábado à noite'. They are used constantly to make specific plans.

Use 'Sabadão'

Want to sound enthusiastic? Call it 'sabadão'. 'Vamos aproveitar o sabadão!' (Let's enjoy this great Saturday!). It shows you are comfortable with informal language.

Next vs. Last

To talk about the future, use 'no próximo sábado'. To talk about the past, use 'no sábado passado'. These are essential for storytelling.

Texting abbreviations

When texting, you might see 'sáb' for sábado, and 'fds' for fim de semana. Use these to sound more natural in written chats.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

SÁBADO starts with S, just like SATURDAY. Remember the accent on the first A makes you say 'AH!' because the weekend is here.

Origine du mot

Latin 'sabbatum', from Hebrew 'shabbat'.

Contexte culturel

Saturday lunch is synonymous with Feijoada.

Saturday is often used for visiting family in the 'aldeia' (village).

For Seventh-day Adventists and Jews in Lusophone countries, it remains the strict day of rest.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Amorces de conversation

"O que você vai fazer neste sábado?"

"Você trabalha aos sábados?"

"Como foi o seu sábado?"

"Vamos fazer alguma coisa no sábado à noite?"

"Qual é a sua rotina de sábado de manhã?"

Sujets d'écriture

Descreva o seu sábado perfeito.

O que você fez no sábado passado?

Como a sua rotina de sábado mudou desde que você era criança?

Escreva sobre uma tradição de sábado na sua família.

Por que o sábado é considerado o melhor dia da semana por muitas pessoas?

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

No, you do not capitalize days of the week in Portuguese. They are considered common nouns. You only capitalize 'sábado' if it is the very first word of a sentence. Writing 'Eu vou no Sábado' is incorrect; it should be 'Eu vou no sábado'.

To say 'on Saturday', you must use the contraction 'no', which is a combination of the preposition 'em' (in/on) and the masculine article 'o' (the). Therefore, 'on Saturday' translates to 'no sábado'. Do not use 'em sábado'.

To express a habitual action that happens every Saturday, you use the plural form 'sábados' and the contraction 'aos' (a + os). So, 'on Saturdays' is 'aos sábados'. For example, 'Eu trabalho aos sábados' (I work on Saturdays).

'Neste sábado' means 'this Saturday'. It is a contraction of the preposition 'em' and the demonstrative pronoun 'este'. You use it to refer to the Saturday of the current week.

In Portuguese, 'sábado' is a proparoxytone word (esdrúxula), meaning the stress falls on the antepenultimate (third-to-last) syllable. According to Portuguese spelling rules, all proparoxytone words must have a written accent mark. The acute accent on the 'á' tells you to stress that syllable: SÁ-ba-do.

No, 'o fim de sábado' would literally mean 'the end of Saturday'. To say 'the weekend', you must use the phrase 'o fim de semana'. The weekend includes both Saturday (sábado) and Sunday (domingo).

'Sabadão' is an augmentative form of 'sábado'. It is used informally and enthusiastically to refer to a great, fun, or long-awaited Saturday. You might hear someone say 'Hoje é sabadão!' to express excitement for the weekend.

To specify a time of day on Saturday, you link the day and the time with the preposition 'de' or 'à'. 'Saturday morning' is 'sábado de manhã'. 'Saturday afternoon' is 'sábado à tarde'. 'Saturday night' is 'sábado à noite'.

Generally, no. A 'dia útil' translates to a business day or workday (Monday through Friday). Saturday is considered part of the 'fim de semana' (weekend) and is not typically counted as a 'dia útil' for banking or legal purposes.

'Sextou' is a very popular Brazilian slang verb derived from 'sexta-feira' (Friday). It means 'It is Friday' or 'The weekend has started'. People say 'Sextou' to celebrate the end of the workweek and the imminent arrival of 'sábado', the main day of rest.