durante o dia
durante o dia in 30 Seconds
- Refers to the period of daylight.
- Used to describe routines and schedules.
- Contrasts with 'durante a noite'.
- A fixed phrase that does not change.
The Portuguese expression durante o dia is a fundamental temporal locution that translates most accurately to 'during the day' or 'throughout the day' in English. It is composed of the preposition 'durante' (meaning during) and the noun phrase 'o dia' (the day). In Portuguese, this phrase is used to delineate actions, states, or events that occur within the window of daylight hours or the standard waking hours of a twenty-four-hour cycle. It is an essential building block for A2 learners because it allows for the description of routines, professional schedules, and natural phenomena. Unlike the English 'all day,' which implies a continuous duration from start to finish, durante o dia often suggests occurrences that happen at various points within that timeframe. It is the linguistic tool used to distinguish daytime activities from nocturnal ones, making it indispensable for daily conversation, medical instructions, and weather reporting.
- Temporal Scope
- Refers specifically to the hours between sunrise and sunset, or the standard working day.
- Grammatical Role
- Functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying verbs to indicate when an action happens.
- Register
- Neutral to formal; it is appropriate for everything from casual chats to scientific papers.
É importante beber muita água durante o dia para manter a hidratação.
When using this phrase, speakers are often contrasting the daytime with the nighttime. For instance, if someone says they work 'durante o dia,' they are implicitly stating they are not on the night shift. In a biological context, it describes the behavior of diurnal animals. In a social context, it sets the stage for appointments or errands. The word 'durante' comes from the Latin 'durare,' which means to last or endure, emphasizing the span of time. Therefore, when you use this phrase, you are mentally drawing a line from the morning to the evening and placing your action somewhere within that span. It is a versatile phrase that does not require conjugation, making it a reliable 'anchor' for beginners to extend their sentences and provide more detail about their lives.
As lojas costumam ficar abertas durante o dia todo.
Using durante o dia is structurally straightforward in Portuguese. It usually appears at the end of a sentence to provide temporal context, but it can also be placed at the beginning for emphasis. Because it is a fixed phrase, you do not need to worry about gender or number agreement with the subject of the sentence. The preposition 'durante' remains unchanged regardless of whether you are talking about one person or many people. When placed at the start of a sentence, it is often followed by a comma to set the scene: 'Durante o dia, a cidade é muito barulhenta.' This structure is particularly common in descriptive writing or when comparing different times of day. It is also frequently paired with frequency adverbs like 'geralmente' (generally) or 'sempre' (always).
- Sentence Final Position
- Standard usage: 'Eu estudo durante o dia.'
- Sentence Initial Position
- Emphatic usage: 'Durante o dia, eu prefiro não usar o computador.'
Ela gosta de caminhar no parque durante o dia.
One important aspect of usage is its interaction with other prepositions. For example, you might say 'durante o dia de hoje' (during today) to be more specific. It can also be combined with 'todo' to form 'durante o dia todo' (throughout the entire day), which emphasizes the continuity of the action. In more formal or literary contexts, 'durante o dia' can be replaced by 'ao longo do dia' (along the day), but 'durante o dia' remains the most common and versatile choice for everyday communication. It is essential for learners to practice this phrase to avoid the common mistake of simply saying 'em o dia' (which is grammatically incorrect) when they want to say 'during the day'.
O sol brilha intensamente durante o dia no deserto.
In the Lusophone world, durante o dia is heard in a vast array of contexts. In a professional setting, you will hear it when discussing shifts: 'Você trabalha durante o dia ou à noite?' (Do you work during the day or at night?). In a medical context, doctors and pharmacists use it constantly to provide instructions for medication: 'Tome este remédio duas vezes durante o dia.' (Take this medicine twice during the day). It is also a staple of weather forecasts on television and radio, where meteorologists describe temperature fluctuations: 'A temperatura vai subir durante o dia.' (The temperature will rise during the day). In tourism, guides use it to explain when certain attractions are accessible or when the best lighting for photography occurs.
- Workplace
- 'O escritório está aberto apenas durante o dia.'
- Health & Wellness
- 'Tente fazer pequenas pausas durante o dia.'
Muitas pessoas preferem estudar durante o dia por causa da luz natural.
Socially, it is used to coordinate plans. If you are visiting a friend, you might say, 'Eu passo na sua casa durante o dia.' (I'll stop by your house during the day). This implies a level of flexibility, suggesting that the visit will happen sometime between morning and evening, but without a fixed hour. In literature and news reporting, it provides a temporal backdrop for events: 'Durante o dia, os manifestantes ocuparam a praça.' (During the day, the protesters occupied the square). Its frequency in media and daily speech makes it one of the most 'natural' sounding ways to refer to daytime events, and mastering it helps a learner sound much more fluent and less like they are translating word-for-word from English.
O trânsito é muito pesado durante o dia no centro da cidade.
One of the most frequent errors English speakers make is confusing durante o dia with 'o dia todo'. While 'durante o dia' means 'at some point(s) within the day,' 'o dia todo' means 'the entire duration of the day without stopping.' For example, saying 'Eu dormi durante o dia' suggests you took a nap, whereas 'Eu dormi o dia todo' suggests you slept from morning until night. Another mistake is trying to use the preposition 'em' (in) instead of 'durante'. Learners often say 'no dia' (in the day) when they mean 'during the day.' While 'no dia' is correct in specific contexts (like 'no dia do meu aniversário'), it doesn't convey the sense of 'throughout' or 'during' a period of light.
- Confusion with 'Todo o Dia'
- Mistaking 'during' (within a window) for 'all' (the whole window).
- Preposition Errors
- Using 'em o dia' or 'pelo dia' incorrectly.
Errado: Eu trabalho no dia. Correto: Eu trabalho durante o dia.
Additionally, some learners forget the article 'o'. They might say 'durante dia,' which sounds incomplete and grammatically broken to a native ear. The phrase is a fixed unit: Preposition + Article + Noun. Another nuance is the difference between 'durante o dia' and 'diariamente'. 'Diariamente' means 'every day' (frequency), while 'durante o dia' refers to the time of day (period). If you say 'Eu tomo café durante o dia,' it means you drink coffee while the sun is up. If you say 'Eu tomo café diariamente,' it means you drink coffee every single day of the week. Distinguishing these temporal concepts is key to achieving B1 and B2 levels of proficiency.
Não confunda: durante o dia (time) com 'todos os dias' (frequency).
There are several alternatives to durante o dia, each with its own subtle nuance. The most common informal alternative, especially in Brazil, is 'de dia'. This is shorter and very frequent in spoken language: 'Eu prefiro sair de dia.' It conveys the exact same meaning but feels less 'heavy' than the full prepositional phrase. Another alternative is 'ao longo do dia', which translates to 'along the day' or 'throughout the day'. This phrase emphasizes the progression or the sequence of events as the day unfolds. It is slightly more sophisticated and often used in professional or academic contexts to describe processes.
- De dia
- Informal and common: 'Ele só dorme de dia.'
- Ao longo do dia
- Emphasizes progression: 'A umidade aumenta ao longo do dia.'
- Pelo dia
- Less common, sometimes used to mean 'through the day' in a spatial or distributive sense.
Você pode usar ao longo do dia para parecer mais formal.
Another related term is 'durante as horas claras' (during the light hours), though this is much more technical and rare. For the opposite meaning, one would use 'durante a noite' (during the night). Understanding these variations allows a speaker to choose the right tone for the right audience. While 'durante o dia' is the 'safe' choice that works in 100% of situations, being able to recognize 'de dia' in a fast-paced conversation or 'ao longo do dia' in a business meeting is a hallmark of an advanced learner. It's also worth noting 'no decorrer do dia', which is a very formal way to say 'as the day proceeds,' often found in news reports or formal announcements.
Comparação: durante o dia vs. 'de dia'.
How Formal Is It?
Fun Fact
The Latin root 'dies' is also the source of the word 'deity' (god), because in ancient Indo-European religions, gods were associated with the bright sky of the day.
Pronunciation Guide
- Pronouncing 'durante' as 'doo-ran-tee' with a hard 't' (common for English speakers).
- Merging 'durante' and 'o' into one word 'duranteo'.
- Pronouncing 'dia' as 'dee-ah' in a Brazilian context where it should be 'jee-ah'.
- Stress on the last syllable of 'durante'.
- Nasalizing the 'an' in 'durante' incorrectly.
Difficulty Rating
Very easy to recognize for English speakers.
Requires remembering the article 'o' and the spelling of 'durante'.
Need to master the Brazilian 'd' (jee) sound or the European 'd' (dee).
Clearly audible in most speech.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Prepositional Phrases of Time
Durante o dia, à noite, de manhã.
Definite Article Usage
O dia (masculine singular).
Adverbial Placement
Eu trabalho (verbo) durante o dia (advérbio).
Negation with Time Phrases
Eu não saio durante o dia.
Frequency Adverbs with Time Phrases
Sempre estudo durante o dia.
Examples by Level
Eu bebo água durante o dia.
I drink water during the day.
Simple subject-verb-object-adverbial phrase structure.
O sol brilha durante o dia.
The sun shines during the day.
Present tense statement of fact.
Você trabalha durante o dia?
Do you work during the day?
Interrogative sentence using the phrase.
As crianças brincam durante o dia.
The children play during the day.
Plural subject with the fixed phrase.
Eu estudo português durante o dia.
I study Portuguese during the day.
Routine description.
O gato dorme durante o dia.
The cat sleeps during the day.
Third person singular verb.
Nós caminhamos durante o dia.
We walk during the day.
First person plural subject.
Ela lê livros durante o dia.
She reads books during the day.
Describing a hobby.
Durante o dia, eu prefiro ficar em casa.
During the day, I prefer to stay at home.
Phrase used at the beginning for emphasis.
Ele toma café várias vezes durante o dia.
He drinks coffee several times during the day.
Using 'várias vezes' to show frequency within the period.
A loja fica aberta durante o dia todo.
The shop stays open throughout the entire day.
Adding 'todo' to emphasize the whole duration.
Não faz frio durante o dia aqui.
It is not cold during the day here.
Negative sentence describing weather.
Eu vi muitos pássaros durante o dia.
I saw many birds during the day.
Past tense usage (Pretérito Perfeito).
Durante o dia, o trânsito é muito ruim.
During the day, the traffic is very bad.
Describing a city condition.
Ela faz exercícios durante o dia.
She does exercises during the day.
Routine activity.
O museu é mais bonito durante o dia.
The museum is more beautiful during the day.
Comparative structure with the phrase.
Durante o dia, as temperaturas podem chegar a 30 graus.
During the day, temperatures can reach 30 degrees.
Describing climatic ranges.
Eles costumam descansar um pouco durante o dia.
They usually rest a bit during the day.
Using 'costumam' to describe a habit.
A luz muda muito durante o dia para fotografar.
The light changes a lot during the day for photography.
Discussing technical conditions.
Durante o dia, o barulho da construção incomoda.
During the day, the construction noise is annoying.
Describing environmental factors.
É melhor resolver esses problemas durante o dia.
It is better to solve these problems during the day.
Giving advice with 'é melhor'.
Durante o dia, os animais procuram por comida.
During the day, the animals look for food.
Generalizing about nature.
Eu tento não usar o celular durante o dia.
I try not to use my phone during the day.
Stating a personal goal.
Muitas coisas acontecem na cidade durante o dia.
Many things happen in the city during the day.
Abstract description of activity.
A produtividade tende a oscilar durante o dia.
Productivity tends to fluctuate during the day.
Formal vocabulary like 'oscilar' and 'tende'.
Durante o dia, a atmosfera é carregada de energia.
During the day, the atmosphere is charged with energy.
Metaphorical/Descriptive language.
O medicamento deve ser administrado em doses iguais durante o dia.
The medication must be administered in equal doses during the day.
Passive voice and medical terminology.
Durante o dia, o centro financeiro pulsa com atividade.
During the day, the financial center pulses with activity.
Using evocative verbs like 'pulsar'.
Eles mantêm a vigilância constante, mesmo durante o dia.
They maintain constant vigilance, even during the day.
Using 'mesmo' for emphasis/contrast.
Durante o dia, as sombras encurtam e depois se alongam.
During the day, shadows shorten and then lengthen.
Describing physical processes.
É fascinante observar como a vida urbana se transforma durante o dia.
It's fascinating to observe how urban life transforms during the day.
Complex sentence with infinitive verbs.
Durante o dia, evite a exposição direta ao sol forte.
During the day, avoid direct exposure to strong sun.
Imperative mode for health advice.
A variação térmica observada durante o dia é um fator crucial.
The thermal variation observed during the day is a crucial factor.
Scientific/Academic register.
Durante o dia, a narrativa se desenrola através de pequenos encontros.
During the day, the narrative unfolds through small encounters.
Literary analysis register.
As flutuações do mercado ocorrem predominantemente durante o dia.
Market fluctuations occur predominantly during the day.
Economic/Business register.
Durante o dia, o silêncio da casa é preenchido pelo som do vento.
During the day, the silence of the house is filled by the sound of the wind.
Poetic/Descriptive structure.
É imperativo que a equipe permaneça alerta durante o dia inteiro.
It is imperative that the team remains alert throughout the entire day.
Subjunctive mood after 'é imperativo'.
Durante o dia, as tensões políticas pareciam momentaneamente suspensas.
During the day, political tensions seemed momentarily suspended.
Complex historical/political narrative.
A luz solar, incidindo durante o dia, altera a percepção das cores.
Sunlight, falling during the day, alters the perception of colors.
Gerund/Participle phrase integration.
Durante o dia, o fluxo de informações é ininterrupto e exaustivo.
During the day, the flow of information is uninterrupted and exhaustive.
Critical/Contemporary commentary.
A efemeridade da luz durante o dia evoca uma reflexão sobre o tempo.
The ephemerality of light during the day evokes a reflection on time.
Philosophical/High-level abstract vocabulary.
Durante o dia, o palimpsesto urbano revela suas camadas mais profundas.
During the day, the urban palimpsest reveals its deepest layers.
Highly metaphorical/Academic language.
A atividade enzimática intensifica-se durante o dia sob condições ideais.
Enzymatic activity intensifies during the day under ideal conditions.
Technical scientific register (Biochemistry).
Durante o dia, a dialética entre o público e o privado torna-se evidente.
During the day, the dialectic between the public and the private becomes evident.
Sociological/Philosophical register.
O fenômeno, embora raro durante o dia, foi devidamente documentado.
The phenomenon, although rare during the day, was duly documented.
Concessive clause with 'embora'.
Durante o dia, o brio da cavalaria era posto à prova em torneios.
During the day, the mettle of the cavalry was put to the test in tournaments.
Archaic/Historical literary register.
A orquestração do tráfego aéreo durante o dia exige precisão absoluta.
The orchestration of air traffic during the day requires absolute precision.
Complex noun phrases and professional jargon.
Durante o dia, a cacofonia das metrópoles silencia a voz interior.
During the day, the cacophony of metropolises silences the inner voice.
Sophisticated literary metaphor.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
— A general question about someone's daily routine or job.
O que você faz durante o dia enquanto as crianças estão na escola?
— To take a nap (sesta) during daylight hours.
Às vezes eu gosto de dormir um pouco durante o dia.
— States that an event took place while it was light.
O acidente aconteceu durante o dia, então havia testemunhas.
— To make use of the sunlight for activities.
Vamos aproveitar o sol durante o dia para ir à praia.
— The goal of staying physically or mentally busy.
É importante manter-se ativo durante o dia para ter saúde.
— Refers to dietary habits during waking hours.
Eu tento comer leve durante o dia para não ter sono.
— Refers to sunlight coming into a room.
Esta sala recebe muita luz natural durante o dia.
— Describes the noise level of a place during busy hours.
O bairro é muito barulhento durante o dia.
— Refers to the safety level of an area in daylight.
A área é segura durante o dia, mas evite-a à noite.
— Refers to difficult tasks done in the daytime.
Ele faz trabalho pesado durante o dia na fazenda.
Idioms & Expressions
— Something that is very obvious and easy to understand.
A explicação dele deixou tudo claro como o dia.
informal— Something that happens very quickly or suddenly.
Ele ficou rico do dia para a noite.
neutral— When something good happens that makes your whole day better.
Aquele elogio ganhou o meu dia.
informal— To take life slowly and focus on the present.
Depois do acidente, ele aprendeu a viver um dia de cada vez.
neutral— To be nearing the end of something (a job, a life, a machine).
Este carro velho está com os dias contados.
informal— In broad daylight (often used for surprising or illegal events).
O assalto ocorreu em pleno dia.
neutral— To be overly polite or to do something useless (regional/idiomatic).
Não adianta nada, é como dar bom dia a cavalo.
slang/regional— Used to say that something is rare or special.
Não é todo dia que ganhamos um prêmio desses.
informalSentence Patterns
Eu [verbo] durante o dia.
Eu trabalho durante o dia.
Durante o dia, [sujeito] [verbo].
Durante o dia, ela estuda.
[Sujeito] costuma [verbo] durante o dia.
Nós costumamos caminhar durante o dia.
É [adjetivo] [verbo] durante o dia.
É importante beber água durante o dia.
Embora [verbo], [sujeito] [verbo] durante o dia.
Embora esteja cansado, eu trabalho durante o dia.
[Sujeito] [verbo] tanto durante o dia quanto à noite.
A loja abre tanto durante o dia quanto à noite.
A atividade [verbo]-se durante o dia.
A tensão intensifica-se durante o dia.
Durante o dia, a [substantivo] revela-se [adjetivo].
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Related
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a DU-RANT (a long rant) that lasts all DIA (day). You are stuck listening to a rant 'durante o dia'.
Visual Association
Imagine a bright sun icon with a clock arrow moving from 9 AM to 5 PM. Label this arrow 'durante'.
Word Web
Challenge
Write three things you do 'durante o dia' and three things you do 'à noite' using the correct phrases.
Word Origin
The word 'durante' comes from the Latin 'durans', which is the present participle of 'durare' (to last, to endure). The word 'dia' comes from the Latin 'dies' (day).
Original meaning: The original meaning was 'while it lasts' or 'during the duration of'.
Romance (Latin-derived).Cultural Context
No specific sensitivities; it is a neutral temporal expression.
English speakers often say 'during the day' or 'in the daytime'. Portuguese uses 'durante o dia' or 'de dia'.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Job Interview
- Trabalho durante o dia.
- Disponibilidade durante o dia.
- Turno durante o dia.
- Prefiro trabalhar durante o dia.
Doctor's Visit
- Tome o remédio durante o dia.
- Sinto dor durante o dia.
- Beba líquidos durante o dia.
- Descanse durante o dia.
Travel Planning
- O que fazer durante o dia?
- Passeios durante o dia.
- Museus abertos durante o dia.
- Transporte durante o dia.
Weather Discussion
- Vai chover durante o dia?
- Muito sol durante o dia.
- Calor durante o dia.
- Previsão para durante o dia.
Studying
- Estudo durante o dia.
- Biblioteca aberta durante o dia.
- Foco durante o dia.
- Pausas durante o dia.
Conversation Starters
"O que você costuma fazer durante o dia para relaxar?"
"Você prefere trabalhar durante o dia ou durante a noite?"
"Como é o movimento na sua rua durante o dia?"
"Você costuma beber muito café durante o dia?"
"Qual é a coisa mais produtiva que você faz durante o dia?"
Journal Prompts
Descreva sua rotina ideal durante o dia.
Como o clima muda na sua cidade durante o dia?
Escreva sobre uma vez que você teve que ficar acordado durante o dia todo.
Quais são os sons que você ouve em sua casa durante o dia?
Como você se sente fisicamente durante o dia comparado com a noite?
Summary
The phrase 'durante o dia' is the standard Portuguese way to say 'during the day' or 'in the daytime'. It is essential for describing when you work, study, or perform daily habits, distinguishing them from nighttime activities. Example: 'Eu estudo muito durante o dia.'
- Refers to the period of daylight.
- Used to describe routines and schedules.
- Contrasts with 'durante a noite'.
- A fixed phrase that does not change.
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abertura
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acolá
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