A1 Nouns & Articles 17 min read Easy

Telling Time: Minutes in Portuguese

Tell time by saying the feminine hour, adding 'e', and then the masculine minutes (usually dropping the word 'minutos').
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

To tell time in Portuguese, use 'são' for plural hours and 'e' to add minutes after the hour.

  • Use 'São' for hours 2-12: 'São duas e dez' (It is 2:10).
  • Use 'É' only for 1:00: 'É uma e cinco' (It is 1:05).
  • Minutes are added with 'e': 'São três e vinte' (It is 3:20).
São + [Hour] + e + [Minutes]

Overview

Expressing time in Portuguese is fundamental for basic communication and navigating daily life. Unlike many languages where minutes might be straightforward, Portuguese incorporates grammatical gender and number agreement, which requires careful attention. The core concept revolves around the noun hora (hour), which is feminine, and minuto (minute), which is masculine.

This grammatical gender directly influences the forms of numbers and articles used when stating the time.

Portuguese speakers commonly utilize both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock systems. The 24-hour clock is prevalent in formal contexts such as official schedules, transportation timetables, news broadcasts, and digital displays. Conversely, the 12-hour clock is the standard for informal, everyday conversations, often disambiguated with phrases like da manhã (in the morning) or da tarde (in the afternoon).

Understanding the context helps you choose the appropriate system.

While the word horas (hours) is often explicitly stated or clearly implied, the noun minutos (minutes) is frequently omitted in casual speech. Instead, you simply state the numerical value of the minutes. This creates a more concise and natural flow, reflecting how native speakers communicate.

Mastery of this pattern is essential even at an A1 level, as it forms the basis of all time expressions.

How This Grammar Works

To tell time in Portuguese, you primarily use the verb ser (to be), which agrees in number with the implicit or explicit noun horas. The fundamental distinction is between singular (é) and plural (são).
  • Use É (it is) for expressions involving one o'clock, noon, or midnight. This is because uma hora (one hour), meio-dia (noon), and meia-noite (midnight) are grammatically singular.
  • Example: É uma e vinte. (It is 1:20.)
  • Example: É meio-dia e quinze. (It is 12:15 PM.)
  • Use São (they are) for all other hours (two through twenty-three). In these cases, the implicit noun horas is plural, even if not explicitly stated, necessitating the plural verb form.
  • Example: São três e quarenta. (It is 3:40.)
  • Example: São vinte e duas e cinco. (It is 22:05 or 10:05 PM.)
Minutes are typically connected to the hour using one of two primary methods: the additive method or the subtractive method. The additive method is universally understood and more commonly used, especially by beginners, while the subtractive method is often preferred for minutes past the half-hour in informal settings, with regional variations.
  1. 1Additive Method (Using e): This is the most straightforward and common way to express minutes. You state the hour, followed by the conjunction e (meaning "and"), and then the number of minutes. This method is valid for all minutes from 1 to 59.
  • Example: São dez e quinze. (It is 10:15.)
  • Example: É uma e trinta e cinco. (It is 1:35.)
  • This method is intuitive and mirrors a direct reading of the digits on a clock.
  1. 1Subtractive Method (Minutes to the Next Hour): This method is employed when the minutes are past the half-hour mark, indicating how many minutes are left until the next hour. There is a notable regional difference in usage.
  • Brazilian Portuguese (BP): Often uses para (for/to) to indicate minutes to the next hour.
  • Example: São quinze para as três. (It is a quarter to three / 2:45.)
  • Example: Faltam dez para as oito. (It's ten to eight / 7:50 – using faltam for "there are X minutes left").
  • European Portuguese (EP): Frequently uses menos (minus) for the same purpose, sometimes in a slightly more formal context.
  • Example: São três menos quinze. (It is a quarter to three / 2:45.)
  • Example: É uma menos vinte. (It is twenty to one / 12:40.)
Regardless of the method, the word minutos is almost always omitted in spoken time expressions, making the numbers themselves function as the minutes. The exception is when referring to a duration, where minutos is explicitly stated (e.g., esperei por dez minutos – I waited for ten minutes).
For the half-hour, the term meia (half) is used, derived from meia hora (half an hour). It is always feminine due to hora being feminine.
  • Example: São duas e meia. (It is 2:30.)
  • Example: É meio-dia e meia. (It is 12:30 PM.)

Formation Pattern

1
Forming time expressions in Portuguese follows a predictable sequence. This pattern typically involves the verb ser, the hour, a connector (usually e), and the minutes, with optional disambiguation for the time of day.
2
Choose the correct form of ser:
3
| Time Expression | Verb Form | Example |
4
| :---------------------- | :-------- | :-------------------------------------------- |
5
| 1:00 (one o'clock) | É | É uma e dez. (1:10) |
6
| 12:00 (noon) | É | É meio-dia e vinte. (12:20 PM) |
7
| 00:00 (midnight) | É | É meia-noite e trinta. (12:30 AM) |
8
| All other hours (2-24) | São | São sete e quarenta. (7:40) |
9
State the Hour: Use the cardinal number corresponding to the hour. Remember to use the feminine forms uma and duas.
10
| Hour | Number Form (feminine) |
11
| :--- | :--------------------- |
12
| 1 | uma |
13
| 2 | duas |
14
| 3-24 | (e.g., três, quatro, doze, vinte) |
15
Example: São onze e cinco. (11:05)
16
Example: É uma e quarenta. (1:40)
17
Connect with e (for additive minutes): For minutes 1 through 59, the conjunction e (and) links the hour and the minutes.
18
Example: São quatro e vinte e cinco. (4:25)
19
Example: São nove e cinquenta. (9:50)
20
State the Minutes: Use the cardinal number for the minutes. For 30 minutes, use meia.
21
| Minutes | Expression |
22
| :------ | :---------------------------- |
23
| 0-59 | (e.g., cinco, dez, quarenta) |
24
| 30 | meia |
25
Example: São oito e meia. (8:30)
26
Example: São duas e quarenta e sete. (2:47)
27
Subtractive Minutes (Optional, primarily for minutes 31-59):
28
Brazilian Portuguese: (faltam) [minutos] para as [próxima hora]
29
Example: São vinte para as seis. (5:40)
30
Example: Dez para a uma. (12:50 - a uma because it's uma hora)
31
European Portuguese: [próxima hora] menos [minutos]
32
Example: São seis menos vinte. (5:40)
33
Example: É uma menos dez. (12:50)
34
Disambiguate the 12-hour clock (Informal Contexts): Add a phrase to specify the time of day.
35
| Time of Day | Phrase | Example |
36
| :---------- | :----------------- | :--------------------------------------- |
37
| Morning | da manhã | São sete e quinze da manhã. (7:15 AM) |
38
| Afternoon | da tarde | São três e dez da tarde. (3:10 PM) |
39
| Evening/Night | da noite | São nove e meia da noite. (9:30 PM) |
40
| Early Morning | da madrugada | São quatro da madrugada. (4:00 AM) |
41
Example: São oito e vinte e cinco da noite. (8:25 PM)
42
Example: É uma e quarenta da manhã. (1:40 AM)

Gender & Agreement

The grammatical gender of nouns, particularly hora and minuto, dictates how numbers and the verb ser agree in Portuguese time expressions. This is a crucial aspect for accurate communication.
  • The word for hour, hora, is grammatically feminine. This fact fundamentally shapes how you express hours.
  • When referring to one o'clock, you must use the feminine form of the number one: uma. Therefore, it is always uma hora (one hour), not um hora.
  • Example: É uma e quinze. (It is 1:15.)
  • Similarly, for two o'clock, you use the feminine form of two: duas. Thus, duas horas (two hours).
  • Example: São duas e vinte e cinco. (It is 2:25.)
  • For all other hours (3 through 24), the cardinal numbers themselves are invariable for gender. However, because they are implicitly or explicitly modifying the feminine plural horas, the verb ser must be in its plural form, são.
  • Example: São dez horas. (It is ten o'clock.)
  • Example: São quatorze e trinta. (It is 14:30 / 2:30 PM.)
  • The word for minute, minuto, is grammatically masculine. However, in informal, casual time-telling, the noun minutos is almost universally omitted. This omission simplifies the agreement issue, as you primarily state the numerical value without needing to overtly match minutos.
  • You would say dez e quinze (10:15) where quinze implicitly refers to quinze minutos, but minutos is not said.
  • The masculine gender of minuto becomes relevant when discussing durations explicitly, such as dez minutos de espera (ten minutes of waiting), where the number dez modifies the masculine plural minutos.
  • The special case of meia: This term, meaning "half," is used for 30 minutes (.30). It is a shortened form of meia hora (half an hour). Since hora is feminine, meia must also be feminine.
  • Example: São três e meia. (It is 3:30.)
  • This is a common source of error for learners who might incorrectly use the masculine meio.
  • Meio-dia and Meia-noite: These expressions for noon and midnight are fixed phrases where gender agreement can seem counterintuitive but follows a logical pattern.
  • Meio-dia (noon) is masculine because dia (day) is a masculine noun. It literally means "half-day."
  • Example: É meio-dia em ponto. (It is exactly noon.)
  • Meia-noite (midnight) is feminine because noite (night) is a feminine noun. It literally means "half-night."
  • Example: É meia-noite e vinte. (It is 12:20 AM.)
  • When stating 12:30 PM, you say meio-dia e meia. Here, meio-dia is masculine, but meia refers to meia hora (half an hour) and thus remains feminine.
  • Similarly, for 12:30 AM, you say meia-noite e meia, with meia-noite being feminine and meia (from meia hora) also feminine.

When To Use It

Mastering time expressions in Portuguese is a daily necessity, impacting various aspects of formal and informal communication. The context dictates which clock system (12-hour or 24-hour) and level of formality to employ.
  • Formal Contexts (24-hour clock): For official announcements, public transportation schedules, news reports, and formal appointments, the 24-hour clock is the standard. In these situations, the word horas is often explicitly stated after the number.
  • Example: O comboio parte às dezessete horas e trinta. (The train departs at 17:30 / 5:30 PM.)
  • Example: A reunião está marcada para as vinte e uma horas. (The meeting is scheduled for 21:00 / 9:00 PM.)
  • Digital clocks and computer systems almost exclusively display time in the 24-hour format in Portuguese-speaking countries.
  • Informal Contexts (12-hour clock): In casual conversations, personal scheduling, texting, and informal settings, the 12-hour clock is predominant. To avoid ambiguity between AM and PM, phrases indicating the time of day are appended.
  • Example: Vamos almoçar à uma e meia da tarde. (We're having lunch at 1:30 PM.)
  • Example: Ligo para você às oito da noite. (I'll call you at 8 PM.)
  • These disambiguating phrases (da manhã, da tarde, da noite, da madrugada) are crucial for clarity in a 12-hour system, as oito alone could refer to 8 AM or 8 PM.
  • Asking for the Time:
  • Que horas são? (What time is it?) – The most common and polite way.
  • Tem horas? (Do you have the time?) – A common, more informal Brazilian Portuguese query.
  • Podes dizer-me as horas? (Can you tell me the time?) – A polite European Portuguese query.
  • Scheduling and Appointments: Time expressions are vital for organizing daily life.
  • A aula começa às nove em ponto. (The class starts at nine sharp.)
  • Tenho uma consulta médica às quatro e quarenta e cinco da tarde. (I have a doctor's appointment at 4:45 PM.)
  • Referring to Duration vs. Specific Time: It is crucial not to confuse stating the current time with expressing a duration. When referring to a duration, the word minutos is always explicit.
  • Specific time: São dez e vinte. (It is 10:20.) – minutos is omitted.
  • Duration: O filme dura cento e vinte minutos. (The film lasts 120 minutes.) – minutos is stated.
  • Duration: Esperei por vinte minutos. (I waited for twenty minutes.) – minutos is stated.
  • Digital Communication: In messages, emails, and social media, the full, natural expressions are used, often leaning towards the informal 12-hour system with time-of-day phrases. Abbreviations like "10h30" (10:30) are also common in written form, especially in European Portuguese, and for 24-hour context in Brazil.

Common Mistakes

Learners frequently encounter specific pitfalls when telling time in Portuguese, often due to direct translation from their native language or misunderstanding of grammatical gender and number agreement. Awareness of these common errors can significantly improve accuracy.
  • Confusing meio and meia: This is arguably the most common mistake. Meia is the feminine form of "half" and must be used when referring to half an hour because hora is feminine. Meio is the masculine form and would be used for masculine nouns (e.g., meio pão – half a bread).
  • Incorrect: São duas e meio.
  • Correct: São duas e meia. (It is 2:30.)
  • This error often stems from the existence of meio-dia (noon, masculine), leading learners to incorrectly generalize meio for all "half" time expressions.
  • Incorrect ser conjugation (é vs. são): Forgetting that é is for singular hours (uma hora, meio-dia, meia-noite) and são for plural hours (all others).
  • Incorrect: São uma e dez.
  • Correct: É uma e dez. (It is 1:10.)
  • Incorrect: É três e quinze.
  • Correct: São três e quinze. (It is 3:15.)
  • Using um instead of uma for one o'clock: Because hora is feminine, the number one must take its feminine form, uma.
  • Incorrect: É um e cinco.
  • Correct: É uma e cinco. (It is 1:05.)
  • Explicitly stating minutos in informal contexts: While grammatically correct, it sounds unnatural and overly formal in casual conversation. Native speakers omit minutos.
  • Less natural: São dez horas e quinze minutos.
  • Natural: São dez e quinze. (It is 10:15.)
  • Direct translation of "quarter past" or "quarter to" as um quarto: While um quarto exists and is understood, especially in European Portuguese or more formal contexts, quinze (fifteen) is significantly more common in Brazil and generally in casual speech in both variants.
  • Less common/more formal (especially BP): São três e um quarto.
  • More common: São três e quinze. (It is 3:15.)
  • Similarly, for quarter to, quinze para as (BP) or menos quinze (EP) is preferred over um quarto para as or um quarto menos.
  • Confusing de and da/das: When stating "at X o'clock," the contraction às (from a + as) is used because the preposition a is combined with the feminine plural article as for horas. De (of/from) is used in other contexts.
  • Incorrect: A reunião é de três horas.
  • Correct: A reunião é às três horas. (The meeting is at three o'clock.)

Common Collocations

Certain phrases and constructions frequently appear alongside time expressions, enriching communication and providing nuanced meaning. Incorporating these collocations makes your Portuguese sound more natural.
  • ...em ponto: Used to indicate "sharp" or "exactly" on the hour or half-hour.
  • Example: A aula começa às nove em ponto. (The class starts at nine sharp.)
  • Example: Vamos sair às cinco e meia em ponto. (We're leaving at exactly 5:30.)
  • Por volta de...: Means "around" or "approximately" a certain time.
  • Example: Chego por volta das dez. (I'll arrive around ten.)
  • Example: A festa termina por volta da meia-noite. (The party ends around midnight.)
  • Faltam X minutos para as Y (BP) / Y menos X (EP): To express "X minutes to Y" or "X minutes before Y o'clock." Faltam (there are X remaining) is very common in Brazilian Portuguese.
  • Example (BP): Faltam dez minutos para as sete. (It's ten to seven / 6:50.)
  • Example (EP): É sete menos dez. (It's ten to seven / 6:50.)
  • Há X minutos: Indicates a duration "X minutes ago." This is distinct from stating the current time.
  • Example: Ele ligou há cinco minutos. (He called five minutes ago.)
  • Example: O filme começou há vinte minutos. (The movie started twenty minutes ago.)
Às X horas: The standard way to say "at X o'clock," using the contraction às (from a as for horas). For uma hora, it's à uma.
  • Example: O encontro é às oito e quinze. (The meeting is at 8:15.)
  • Example: Vou lá à uma da tarde. (I'll go there at 1 PM.)
  • Meia hora: Explicitly means "half an hour" as a duration, often used when asking or stating how long something will take.
  • Example: Preciso de meia hora para terminar. (I need half an hour to finish.)
  • Example: A reunião vai durar meia hora. (The meeting will last half an hour.)
  • Daqui a X minutos: Means "in X minutes (from now)."
  • Example: O autocarro chega daqui a vinte minutos. (The bus arrives in twenty minutes.)
  • De X a Y horas: Expresses a time range, "from X to Y o'clock."
  • Example: A loja abre de nove a dezoito horas. (The store is open from 9 AM to 6 PM – using 24h format in this formal context).

Real Conversations

Understanding how time expressions are integrated into authentic dialogues helps bridge the gap between grammatical rules and practical application. Observe how native speakers ask for, give, and discuss time in various social contexts.

S

Scenario 1

Asking the time casually (Brazilian Portuguese)
V

Você

Com licença, você tem horas? (Excuse me, do you have the time?)
A

Amigo

Claro! São dez e vinte e cinco. (Of course! It's 10:25.)
S

Scenario 2

Scheduling an informal meeting (European Portuguese)
C

Colega

A que horas nos encontramos para o café? (What time shall we meet for coffee?)
V

Você

Pode ser às três e meia da tarde? (Can it be at 3:30 PM?)
C

Colega

Sim, três e meia em ponto está ótimo. (Yes, 3:30 sharp is great.)
S

Scenario 3

Discussing public transport (Brazilian Portuguese)
V

Você

Que horas chega o próximo ônibus? (What time does the next bus arrive?)
P

Passante

Hum... Faltam quinze para as cinco, se não atrasar. (Hmm... It's a quarter to five, if it's not late / 4:45.)
S

Scenario 4

Formal appointment (Mixed, 24-hour context)
S

Secretária

Sua consulta é amanhã às quatorze horas e dezessete. (Your appointment is tomorrow at 14:17 / 2:17 PM.)
V

Você

Às duas e dezessete da tarde, entendi. Obrigado. (At 2:17 PM, I understand. Thank you.)
S

Scenario 5

Texting a friend about dinner (Informal, 12-hour)
A

Amigo

Quando a gente janta? (When are we having dinner?)
V

Você

Que tal às sete e quarenta e cinco da noite? (How about 7:45 PM?)
A

Amigo

Perfeito! Chego lá por volta das sete e quarenta. (Perfect! I'll get there around 7:40.)

These examples illustrate the flexibility of using e for minutes past the hour, the optional use of subtractive methods (para as in BP), and the essential role of da manhã/da tarde/da noite for clarity in informal communication.

Quick FAQ

Addressing common questions directly can clarify lingering doubts and reinforce key learning points regarding telling time in Portuguese.
  • Q: Do I always have to say horas and minutos when telling the time?
  • A: Not always. In casual conversation, you typically omit minutos and often imply horas. For example, São dez e vinte (It's 10:20) is perfectly natural. You only explicitly say minutos when referring to a duration (e.g., Esperei por dez minutos – I waited for ten minutes).
  • Q: How do I say "sharp" or "exactly" on the hour?
  • A: Use the expression em ponto. For instance, São duas em ponto means "It is 2 o'clock sharp." It can also be used for half hours: São duas e meia em ponto (It is exactly 2:30).
  • Q: Is the 24-hour clock common in Portuguese-speaking countries?
  • A: Yes, very common, especially in formal settings, official schedules, and digital displays. However, in most informal spoken contexts, people use the 12-hour clock with da manhã, da tarde, da noite for clarity. It is important to be familiar with both.
  • Q: How do I express midnight and noon?
  • A: Noon is meio-dia (masculine), and midnight is meia-noite (feminine). Remember to use É with both, as they are grammatically singular.
  • Example: É meio-dia em Lisboa. (It is noon in Lisbon.)
  • Example: É meia-noite em ponto. (It is exactly midnight.)
  • Q: Can I use quinze instead of um quarto for "quarter past" or "quarter to"?
  • A: Absolutely. In Brazil, quinze is almost exclusively used. In European Portuguese, quinze is also common, but um quarto can be heard, especially in more traditional or formal contexts. For A1 learners, quinze is the safer and more universally understood option.
  • Q: How do I say "12:30 PM" and "12:30 AM"?
  • A: For 12:30 PM, you say É meio-dia e meia. (meio-dia is masculine, but meia refers to meia hora).
  • For 12:30 AM, you say É meia-noite e meia. (meia-noite is feminine, and meia again refers to meia hora). This is a key example of how meia remains feminine even when paired with meio-dia.

Time Formation Table

Hour Verb Connector Minutes
1:00
É
uma
hora
2:00
São
duas
horas
3:10
São
três
e dez
4:15
São
quatro
e quinze
5:30
São
cinco
e meia
6:45
São
seis
e quarenta e cinco

Common Abbreviations

Term Meaning
h
hora
min
minuto
14h
14:00

Meanings

This rule governs how to express the minutes past the hour in Portuguese, requiring agreement with the feminine noun 'hora'.

1

Standard Time

Expressing the current time.

“São cinco e dez.”

“É uma e meia.”

2

Duration

Expressing how long something takes.

“Demora dez minutos.”

“Faltam cinco minutos.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Telling Time: Minutes in Portuguese
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
São + [hour] + e + [min]
São duas e dez
Singular
É + uma + e + [min]
É uma e cinco
Question
Que horas são?
Que horas são?
Negative
Não são...
Não são duas ainda
Formal
24h format
São 14:30
Remaining
Faltam + [min] + para + [hour]
Faltam dez para as três

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Que horas são, por favor?

Que horas são, por favor? (Asking time)

Neutral
Que horas são?

Que horas são? (Asking time)

Informal
Tem horas?

Tem horas? (Asking time)

Slang
Qual a boa?

Qual a boa? (Asking time)

Time Components

Time

Verbs

  • É It is (1)
  • São It is (2-12)

Connectors

  • e and
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Examples by Level

1

São duas e dez.

It is 2:10.

2

É uma e cinco.

It is 1:05.

3

São três e vinte.

It is 3:20.

4

São quatro e quarenta.

It is 4:40.

1

Que horas são?

What time is it?

2

A aula começa às oito.

The class starts at eight.

3

São dez e meia.

It is 10:30.

4

Faltam dez para as cinco.

It is ten to five.

1

O trem sai às 14h30.

The train leaves at 14:30.

2

Chegarei às duas e quinze.

I will arrive at 2:15.

3

São quase três horas.

It is almost three o'clock.

4

São exatamente cinco e doze.

It is exactly 5:12.

1

A reunião foi remarcada para as dez e meia.

The meeting was rescheduled for 10:30.

2

Ele chegou às sete e quarenta e cinco.

He arrived at 7:45.

3

São horas de ir embora.

It is time to leave.

4

O evento termina às vinte e duas horas.

The event ends at 22:00.

1

São horas mortas da madrugada.

It is the dead of night.

2

A partida decorre às vinte e uma horas.

The match takes place at 21:00.

3

São cinco para as seis, em ponto.

It is five to six, sharp.

4

Não são horas de telefonar.

This is not the time to call.

1

Às tantas da noite, tudo se acalma.

At such a late hour, everything calms down.

2

São horas que não se contam.

Time that isn't counted.

3

O relógio marca as doze e um minuto.

The clock marks 12:01.

4

São horas de se tomar uma decisão.

It is time to make a decision.

Easily Confused

Telling Time: Minutes in Portuguese vs Ser vs Faltar

Learners mix up 'it is' and 'it is missing'.

Telling Time: Minutes in Portuguese vs 12h vs 24h

Mixing formats in one sentence.

Telling Time: Minutes in Portuguese vs Meia vs Trinta

Using 'meia' for other minutes.

Common Mistakes

✗

São uma e dez

✓

É uma e dez

Use 'É' for one.
✗

São dois e dez

✓

São duas e dez

Hours are feminine.
✗

Duas e dez

✓

São duas e dez

Need the verb.
✗

São duas horas e dez minutos

✓

São duas e dez

Don't need to say 'horas' or 'minutos'.
✗

São 14:30

✓

São quatorze e trinta

Don't mix formats.
✗

Falta dez para as duas

✓

Faltam dez para as duas

Verb must agree with minutes.
✗

Às 2:00

✓

Às duas

Use words for time.
✗

É meio dia e trinta

✓

É meio-dia e meia

Agreement with 'hora'.
✗

São 15h e 30

✓

São 15h30

Standard notation.
✗

O evento é em 5 horas

✓

O evento é daqui a 5 horas

Time until.
✗

São horas de comer

✓

É hora de comer

Singular idiomatic.
✗

São 22 horas

✓

São vinte e duas horas

Formal writing.
✗

O relógio marca as 12

✓

O relógio marca as doze

Formal style.

Sentence Patterns

São ___ e ___.

A aula é às ___.

Faltam ___ para as ___.

Eu cheguei às ___.

Real World Usage

Social Media constant

Live às 20h!

Texting constant

Chego às 5.

Job Interview very common

A reunião será às 9h.

Travel common

O voo sai às 15h30.

Food Delivery common

Entrega prevista para as 19h.

Classroom very common

A aula termina às 10h.

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💡

The 'Meia' Rule

Only use 'meia' for 30 minutes. For other numbers, use the full number.
⚠️

Don't drop the verb

Always say 'São' or 'É'. Never just say the numbers.
🎯

24h Format

In Brazil, use 24h format for all written schedules to avoid confusion.
💬

Regional 'Quarter'

In Portugal, 'um quarto' is common for 15 minutes; in Brazil, use 'quinze'.

Smart Tips

Use 'meia' instead of 'trinta' for a more natural sound.

São três e trinta. → São três e meia.

Always add 'por favor' to be polite.

Que horas são? → Que horas são, por favor?

Use the 24h format to avoid ambiguity.

Vejo você às 8. → Vejo você às 20h.

Use 'faltam' to sound more advanced.

São cinco e cinquenta. → Faltam dez para as seis.

Pronunciation

sã-oh

São

The 'ão' is nasal.

eh

É

Open vowel sound.

Question

Que horas são? ↑

Rising intonation for questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: 'É' is for one, 'São' for the rest, and 'e' connects the minutes like a bridge.

Visual Association

Imagine a clock face where the number 1 is a single candle (É) and all other numbers are a group of people (São).

Rhyme

Para uma hora, usamos o É, para as outras, o São é o que é.

Story

Maria looked at the clock. It was 1:00, so she said 'É uma'. Then time passed, it became 2:00, so she said 'São duas'. She added 'e dez' to be precise.

Word Web

horaminutorelógioponteirosegundotempo

Challenge

Look at your watch every hour today and say the time out loud in Portuguese.

Cultural Notes

Very casual with time, often using 12-hour format in speech.

More formal, often uses 'um quarto' for 15 minutes.

Similar to Portugal, formal time keeping is common.

Derived from Latin 'hora', meaning hour.

Conversation Starters

“

Que horas são?

“

A que horas você acorda?

“

Você prefere o formato de 24 horas?

“

Como você organiza seu tempo?

Journal Prompts

Describe your morning routine using times.
Write about a time you were late.
Compare your schedule with a friend's.
Reflect on the importance of punctuality.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the verb.

___ duas e dez.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São
Plural hours use 'São'.
Choose the correct time. Multiple Choice

It is 1:05.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: É uma e cinco
1:00 uses 'É'.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

São dois e dez.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São duas e dez
Hours must be feminine.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São três e dez
Standard order.
Translate to Portuguese. Translation

It is 4:30.

Answer starts with: São...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São quatro e meia
Meia is standard for 30.
Is this rule true? True False Rule

We use 'É' for 1:00.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Correct.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Que horas são? B: ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São cinco.
Verb agreement.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'faltar' for 5:50.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Faltam dez para as seis
Faltam agrees with minutes.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the verb.

___ duas e dez.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São
Plural hours use 'São'.
Choose the correct time. Multiple Choice

It is 1:05.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: É uma e cinco
1:00 uses 'É'.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

São dois e dez.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São duas e dez
Hours must be feminine.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

e / são / dez / três

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São três e dez
Standard order.
Translate to Portuguese. Translation

It is 4:30.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São quatro e meia
Meia is standard for 30.
Is this rule true? True False Rule

We use 'É' for 1:00.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Correct.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Que horas são? B: ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São cinco.
Verb agreement.
Build a sentence. Sentence Building

Use 'faltar' for 5:50.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Faltam dez para as seis
Faltam agrees with minutes.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Reorder to say 3:15 Sentence Reorder

quinze / e / são / três

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São três e quinze
Translate to Portuguese: It's 1:30. Translation

It's 1:30.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: É uma e meia.
How do you say 10:50 in a subtractive way? Multiple Choice

It's 10:50:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Dez para as onze.
Fill in the correct verb. Fill in the Blank

___ seis e quarenta.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São
Match the digital time to the Portuguese words. Match Pairs

Match the following:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 12:00 -> Meio-dia, 00:00 -> Meia-noite, 13:00 -> Uma hora
Fix the mistake: It's 2:00 sharp. Error Correction

São duas em ponto.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São duas em ponto.
Which is more common in Brazil for 4:45? Multiple Choice

4:45 in Brazil:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Quinze para as cinco.
Fill in the blank: It's 12:30 (Noon). Fill in the Blank

Meio-dia e ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: meia
Translate: 5:05 Translation

5:05

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São cinco e cinco.
Reorder: It's 7:20 Sentence Reorder

vinte / sete / são / e

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: São sete e vinte

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

Because 'hora' is feminine. We are saying 'duas (horas)'.

Yes, in writing, but in speech, we say 'São duas horas'.

Yes, 'meia' is short for 'meia hora'.

Use 'quinze' in Brazil or 'um quarto' in Portugal.

It is 'É uma e meia'.

No, it is implied.

Yes, especially when the time is close to the next hour.

We use 'ser' for time, never 'estar'.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Son las dos y diez

Spanish uses 'y', Portuguese uses 'e'.

French moderate

Il est deux heures dix

Portuguese changes verb based on number.

German low

Es ist zehn nach zwei

Prepositional vs additive structure.

Japanese low

Ni-ji juppun

No verb 'to be' required.

Arabic moderate

Al-sa'a ithnatan wa 'ashr

Different word order.

Chinese low

Liang dian shi fen

No verb agreement.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Portuguese Months & Their Gender (Always Masculine!)

Learn These First

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