Meaning
To feel the need to act quickly.
Cultural Background
In the 'locomotive' city of Brazil, 'ter pressa' is the default state. People often walk fast and eat 'on the go'. While punctuality is valued, there is a traditional appreciation for 'vagar' (leisure). 'Ter pressa' is often seen as a temporary stressor rather than a lifestyle. In Luanda, 'ter pressa' is often related to the chaotic traffic (o 'engarrafamento'). It's a common excuse for being late. The 'carioca' lifestyle is famously more relaxed. 'Ter pressa' might be mentioned, but it's often balanced with a 'stop at the beach' attitude.
Use 'muita'
To sound more natural, use 'muita pressa' instead of just 'pressa' when you are really late.
Avoid 'Ser'
Never say 'Eu sou pressa'. It's the most common beginner mistake.
Meaning
To feel the need to act quickly.
Use 'muita'
To sound more natural, use 'muita pressa' instead of just 'pressa' when you are really late.
Avoid 'Ser'
Never say 'Eu sou pressa'. It's the most common beginner mistake.
The 'Estar com' trick
In Brazil, if you want to sound like a local, use 'Tô com pressa' (short for Estou com pressa).
Test Yourself
Conjugate the verb 'ter' correctly.
Eu ______ pressa de chegar em casa.
The first person singular of 'ter' is 'tenho'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Select the right way to say 'They are in a hurry'.
We use 'ter' and the plural form 'têm' with an accent.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Você quer um café? B: Não, obrigado. Eu ______ ______ pressa.
'Tenho muita pressa' is a natural way to decline an offer when you are busy.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are late for a flight. What do you say to the taxi driver?
This expresses the urgency needed for the situation.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Ter vs Estar com
Practice Bank
4 exercisesEu ______ pressa de chegar em casa.
The first person singular of 'ter' is 'tenho'.
Select the right way to say 'They are in a hurry'.
We use 'ter' and the plural form 'têm' with an accent.
A: Você quer um café? B: Não, obrigado. Eu ______ ______ pressa.
'Tenho muita pressa' is a natural way to decline an offer when you are busy.
You are late for a flight. What do you say to the taxi driver?
This expresses the urgency needed for the situation.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, a car is 'rápido'. Only people or organizations 'have pressa'.
'Ter pressa' is more general/habitual, while 'estar com pressa' is usually for right now.
Yes, it is 'a pressa'. That's why we say 'muita pressa' and not 'muito pressa'.
You can say 'Depressa!' or 'Apresse-se!'.
Not if said with a polite tone. It's a factual statement about your time.
No, that doesn't make sense. You would say 'Tenho pressa de te ver' (I'm in a hurry to see you).
It means 'Haste is the enemy of perfection'—if you do things too fast, you'll make mistakes.
Yes, it's universal across all Portuguese-speaking countries.
Only if you are explaining that you are a fast worker, but be careful not to sound impatient.
You can say 'ter tempo' (to have time) or 'estar calmo' (to be calm).
Related Phrases
estar com pressa
similarTo be in a hurry (right now)
apressar-se
specialized formTo hurry up
num vapt-vupt
synonymIn a flash
correr
similarTo run
ter urgência
specialized formTo have urgency
