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mês passado

A2 noun #1,200 most common 15 min read

mês passado

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Practice it Examples Notes & Tips mês passado in 30 Seconds

Explanation mês passado in your Level:

At the A1 level, learning 'mês passado' is an essential step in moving beyond just talking about the present moment. It allows you to start forming simple sentences about things you did recently. You learn that 'mês' means month and 'passado' means past. The most important rule at this stage is to memorize the phrase as a single chunk of vocabulary. You will practice using it with basic verbs in the past tense, such as 'fui' (I went), 'comi' (I ate), or 'vi' (I saw). For example, 'Eu fui ao cinema no mês passado' (I went to the cinema last month). You also learn the basic preposition 'no', which is necessary to say 'in the last month'. While you might not understand the complex grammar behind the contraction of 'em' + 'o' just yet, memorizing 'no mês passado' is sufficient for basic communication. You will use this phrase to talk about your routine, recent holidays, or simple events in your life. It is a building block for storytelling and a key component of basic conversational Portuguese.

At the A2 level, your understanding of 'mês passado' deepens. You start to see how it fits into broader grammatical structures. You learn that 'mês' is a masculine noun, which is why we use 'passado' and not 'passada'. This helps reinforce the concept of gender agreement in Portuguese. You also become more comfortable with the prepositions associated with time. You understand that 'no mês passado' means 'in the last month', but you also start using 'do mês passado' to mean 'of the last month', as in 'a conta do mês passado' (last month's bill). You begin to use 'mês passado' with a wider variety of verbs in the Pretérito Perfeito, allowing you to tell more detailed stories about your past experiences. You might say, 'Eu viajei para o Brasil no mês passado e visitei muitas praias' (I traveled to Brazil last month and visited many beaches). You also start to recognize that in informal spoken Portuguese, people might drop the 'no' and just say 'mês passado eu viajei', though you are encouraged to use the full form in writing.

At the B1 level, 'mês passado' becomes a tool for more complex narratives. You are no longer just stating simple facts; you are telling stories and comparing different times. You learn to use 'mês passado' with both the Pretérito Perfeito (for completed actions) and the Pretérito Imperfeito (for ongoing actions in the past). For example, 'No mês passado, eu estava trabalhando muito quando recebi a notícia' (Last month, I was working a lot when I received the news). This shows a higher level of grammatical control. You also start using 'desde o mês passado' (since last month) to talk about actions that started in the past and continue to the present, often requiring different verb structures. You become aware of the subtle differences between 'mês passado' (the calendar month) and 'há um mês' (a month ago), using each appropriately depending on whether you are referring to a specific block of time or measuring elapsed time. Your vocabulary expands to include related terms like 'o mês anterior', allowing for more varied and sophisticated expression in both speech and writing.

At the B2 level, your use of 'mês passado' is fluent and natural. You use it effortlessly in professional and formal contexts. You are comfortable discussing business metrics, writing reports, and analyzing trends using phrases like 'Em comparação com o mês passado, as vendas aumentaram' (Compared to last month, sales increased). You understand the nuances of prepositions and use them flawlessly, whether it's 'no', 'do', or 'desde o'. You are fully aware of the distinction between 'mês passado' and 'o último mês' and use them correctly to avoid ambiguity in complex discussions. You can also use 'mês passado' in hypothetical or conditional sentences, such as 'Se eu tivesse estudado mais no mês passado, teria passado na prova' (If I had studied more last month, I would have passed the test). At this level, the phrase is fully integrated into your active vocabulary, and you can manipulate it to express precise temporal relationships in any context, from casual debates to formal presentations.

At the C1 level, 'mês passado' is a basic tool that you use to construct highly complex and nuanced arguments. You are capable of using it in literary or academic contexts, where precise time referencing is crucial. You understand regional variations in its usage, such as the tendency in some Brazilian dialects to omit the preposition entirely in speech, and you can adapt your own speech to match the register of your interlocutor. You use advanced structures like 'remonta ao mês passado' (dates back to last month) or 'referente ao mês passado' (referring to last month). You can easily navigate complex temporal shifts in a narrative, jumping back and forth between 'o mês passado', 'o mês anterior', and 'naquele mês' without losing the listener. Your understanding of the phrase goes beyond its literal translation; you grasp its cultural weight in expressions of urgency, delay, or nostalgia. You can correct others' subtle mistakes regarding its use and explain the grammatical reasoning behind those corrections.

At the C2 level, your mastery of 'mês passado' is indistinguishable from that of a highly educated native speaker. You use it instinctively, without any conscious thought about grammar or translation. You can employ it in idiomatic expressions, wordplay, or rhetorical devices. You understand how the concept of 'last month' fits into the broader cultural perception of time in Portuguese-speaking societies, whether it implies a recent, pressing memory or a distant, finalized event depending on the context. You can read classic literature or complex legal documents that use variations of the phrase and instantly comprehend the exact temporal relationships being established. You can write sophisticated essays or deliver compelling speeches where 'mês passado' serves as a critical anchor point for your arguments. At this ultimate level of proficiency, the phrase is merely a single thread in the rich tapestry of your Portuguese vocabulary, woven seamlessly into your expression of complex ideas.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

mês passado in 30 Seconds

Means 'last month' in English.
Used with past tense verbs.
Usually preceded by 'no' (no mês passado).
Refers to the previous calendar month.

The Portuguese phrase 'mês passado' translates directly to 'last month' in English. It is an incredibly common expression used in everyday conversations, formal writing, business contexts, and casual storytelling to refer to the calendar month immediately preceding the current one. Understanding how to use this phrase correctly is essential for any learner of Portuguese, as it forms the backbone of narrating past events, discussing schedules, and establishing timelines. When you want to talk about something that happened recently but not as recently as yesterday or last week, 'mês passado' is the go-to phrase. In Portuguese, time expressions are heavily reliant on prepositions, and 'mês passado' is usually preceded by the contraction 'no' (em + o), resulting in 'no mês passado'. This means 'in the last month'. However, in informal spoken Brazilian Portuguese, you will frequently hear people drop the preposition entirely and simply say 'mês passado eu viajei' (last month I traveled). This flexibility makes it a versatile phrase, but it is important to understand the grammatical rules that govern its use in different contexts. The word 'mês' is a masculine noun meaning 'month', and 'passado' is an adjective meaning 'past' or 'last'. Because 'mês' is masculine, the adjective 'passado' must also be in its masculine singular form. If you were talking about a week, which is feminine ('semana'), you would say 'semana passada'. This agreement between noun and adjective is a fundamental rule in Portuguese grammar and applies strictly to time expressions.

Literal Translation: The literal translation is 'month past', where the noun comes before the adjective, as is typical in Romance languages.

Eu comecei a estudar português no mês passado.

Beyond the basic grammatical structure, the usage of 'mês passado' extends into various social and professional domains. In a business setting, you might hear phrases like 'os lucros do mês passado' (last month's profits) or 'o relatório do mês passado' (last month's report). In these cases, the preposition 'de' (of) combines with the article 'o' to form 'do', meaning 'of the'. This demonstrates how 'mês passado' can act not just as an adverbial phrase of time, but also as a noun phrase that can possess other nouns.

Business Context: In corporate environments, reviewing the previous month's performance is standard, making this phrase indispensable for meetings and reports.

As vendas caíram muito no mês passado.

When recounting personal stories, 'mês passado' helps set the scene. Whether you are telling a friend about a vacation, a new restaurant you tried, or a movie you watched, establishing the timeline is crucial for clear communication. The phrase is almost exclusively used with past tense verbs, specifically the Pretérito Perfeito (simple past) for completed actions, or the Pretérito Imperfeito (imperfect past) for ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

Storytelling: Using time markers like this helps your listener follow your narrative without getting confused about when events occurred.

Nós fomos à praia quase todos os dias no mês passado.

Furthermore, it is important to distinguish between 'mês passado' and 'no último mês'. While they can sometimes be used interchangeably, 'no último mês' often implies the last 30 days leading up to today, whereas 'mês passado' strictly refers to the previous calendar month. For example, if today is November 15th, 'mês passado' means October (from the 1st to the 31st), while 'no último mês' could mean the period from October 15th to November 15th. This subtle distinction is vital for accurate communication, especially in formal or legal contexts where exact dates matter.

O meu aniversário foi no mês passado.

Eles se casaram no mês passado em uma cerimônia linda.

In summary, mastering 'mês passado' involves understanding its grammatical gender, its interaction with prepositions, its association with past tense verbs, and its specific meaning regarding the calendar. It is a foundational phrase that will significantly improve your ability to communicate effectively in Portuguese.

Using 'mês passado' correctly in sentences requires a solid grasp of Portuguese prepositions and verb tenses. The most common way to integrate this phrase into a sentence is by using the preposition 'em' combined with the definite article 'o', which forms 'no'. Therefore, 'no mês passado' is the standard, grammatically correct way to say 'in the last month' or simply 'last month'. For example, 'Eu comprei um carro no mês passado' (I bought a car last month). This structure is universally understood and accepted in both spoken and written Portuguese across all dialects. However, the flexibility of the language allows for variations. In casual Brazilian Portuguese, it is extremely common to omit the preposition entirely. You will frequently hear sentences like 'Mês passado eu fui ao cinema' (Last month I went to the movies). While this might be considered slightly informal in strict grammatical terms, it is completely natural and widely used in everyday conversation.

Preposition Usage: The contraction 'no' (em + o) is the standard preposition used with 'mês passado' to indicate when an action occurred.

Choveu bastante no mês passado.

Another crucial aspect of using 'mês passado' is verb conjugation. Because the phrase explicitly refers to a completed period in the past, it must be accompanied by verbs in a past tense. The most frequent tense used is the Pretérito Perfeito, which describes actions that were completed in the past. For instance, 'Ela viajou para Paris no mês passado' (She traveled to Paris last month). The action of traveling is finished. However, you can also use the Pretérito Imperfeito to describe ongoing or habitual actions that took place during that month. For example, 'Eu trabalhava muito no mês passado' (I was working a lot last month). This implies a continuous state or repeated action throughout the previous month.

Verb Tenses: Always pair 'mês passado' with past tense verbs, primarily the Pretérito Perfeito for single events or Pretérito Imperfeito for ongoing situations.

Nós visitamos nossos avós no mês passado.

You can also use 'mês passado' with other prepositions to express different relationships to time. If you want to say 'since last month', you would use 'desde'. For example, 'Eu não como carne desde o mês passado' (I haven't eaten meat since last month). Notice that when using 'desde', you must include the definite article 'o': 'desde o mês passado'. If you want to talk about something belonging to or originating from last month, you use 'do' (de + o). For example, 'A conta de luz do mês passado foi muito alta' (Last month's electricity bill was very high).

Possession and Origin: Use 'do' (de + o) to indicate that a noun belongs to or is associated with the previous month.

O salário do mês passado já acabou.

Estou doente desde o mês passado.

Sentence placement is also flexible. 'Mês passado' can appear at the beginning or the end of a sentence. Placing it at the beginning often emphasizes the time frame. 'No mês passado, eu li três livros' emphasizes that it was last month specifically that you achieved this. Placing it at the end is more neutral: 'Eu li três livros no mês passado'. Both are perfectly correct and widely used.

No mês passado, tivemos muitos problemas no trabalho.

Mastering these sentence structures will make your Portuguese sound much more natural and fluent.

The phrase 'mês passado' is ubiquitous in Portuguese-speaking environments. You will encounter it in virtually every context where people discuss the past, making it one of the most high-frequency time expressions in the language. In everyday casual conversations, it is a staple. Friends catching up over coffee will use it to recount recent events: 'Você lembra daquela festa no mês passado?' (Do you remember that party last month?). Family members use it to discuss household matters: 'A conta de água veio mais cara que no mês passado' (The water bill came higher than last month). It is the natural way to refer to the immediate past without needing to specify the exact name of the month, which saves time and cognitive effort in casual speech.

Casual Conversations: It is the default phrase for recounting recent personal events, gossip, or daily life updates among friends and family.

Eu vi o João no supermercado no mês passado.

In professional and business environments, 'mês passado' is equally prevalent, though often used with slightly more formal sentence structures. Meetings frequently begin with a review of recent performance: 'Vamos analisar os resultados do mês passado' (Let's analyze last month's results). Financial reports, sales figures, and project timelines all rely heavily on this phrase to establish comparisons and track progress. You will see it in emails, memos, and official presentations. In these contexts, precision is important, so 'mês passado' strictly refers to the previous calendar month, not just a vague period of thirty days.

Business and Finance: Crucial for comparing metrics, discussing budgets, and reviewing past performance in a corporate setting.

A meta de vendas do mês passado foi atingida com sucesso.

The news media is another domain where 'mês passado' is constantly used. Journalists use it to provide context for current events. A news anchor might say, 'O desemprego caiu em relação ao mês passado' (Unemployment fell compared to last month). Articles about politics, economics, and social issues frequently reference the previous month to show trends or highlight recent changes. Because news is inherently about recent events, 'mês passado' is a critical tool for journalists to anchor their stories in time.

News and Media: Journalists use it to provide temporal context and compare current statistics with recent historical data.

A inflação subiu muito no mês passado, segundo o governo.

O acidente ocorreu no mês passado e ainda está sendo investigado.

You will also hear it in service and retail interactions. If you return an item to a store, you might say, 'Eu comprei isso no mês passado' (I bought this last month). If you are scheduling a medical appointment, the receptionist might ask, 'Você fez exames no mês passado?' (Did you have tests done last month?). Its utility spans across all levels of formality and all types of interactions, making it a truly indispensable phrase for anyone navigating life in a Portuguese-speaking country.

Eu paguei essa fatura no mês passado.

While 'mês passado' is a relatively straightforward phrase, English speakers and other learners of Portuguese often make a few predictable mistakes when trying to use it. The most common error stems from direct translation from English. In English, we simply say 'last month' without any preposition. This leads many learners to say things like 'Eu viajei mês passado' in Portuguese. While this is actually acceptable and very common in informal Brazilian Portuguese, it is technically grammatically incomplete in formal writing or European Portuguese, where the preposition 'em' (contracted with 'o' to form 'no') is required: 'Eu viajei no mês passado'. A more serious mistake related to prepositions is using the wrong one. Learners sometimes translate 'in the last month' directly and say 'em o mês passado' instead of using the contraction 'no', or worse, they might say 'por mês passado' or 'para mês passado', which are completely incorrect and will confuse native speakers.

Missing Prepositions: Forgetting to use 'no' before 'mês passado' is common. While okay in casual speech in Brazil, it should be avoided in formal writing.

Incorreto: Eu fui para lá em mês passado. Correto: Eu fui para lá no mês passado.

Another frequent mistake involves gender agreement. Because 'mês' ends in an 's' and doesn't have the typical 'o' ending of masculine words, some learners mistakenly treat it as feminine, especially if they are confusing it with 'semana' (week). This leads to the incorrect phrase 'mês passada'. It is crucial to remember that 'mês' is a masculine noun, and therefore the adjective must be 'passado'. This rule is absolute and violating it sounds very unnatural to native ears. Similarly, learners might try to pluralize it incorrectly. If you want to say 'the past months', it becomes 'os meses passados'.

Gender Disagreement: Using the feminine form 'passada' with the masculine noun 'mês' is a clear marker of a non-native speaker.

Incorreto: A mês passada foi boa. Correto: O mês passado foi bom.

Verb tense errors are also common. Because 'mês passado' refers to a completed time period in the past, it must be used with past tense verbs. Learners sometimes accidentally use the present tense, saying things like 'Eu trabalho muito no mês passado' instead of the correct 'Eu trabalhei muito no mês passado'. This creates a jarring chronological contradiction in the sentence. It is essential to ensure that the time marker and the verb tense are in agreement.

Tense Mismatch: Using present or future tense verbs with a past time marker like 'mês passado' makes the sentence illogical.

Incorreto: Eu vou viajar no mês passado. Correto: Eu viajei no mês passado.

Incorreto: Nós comemos pizza no mês passado amanhã. Correto: Nós comemos pizza no mês passado.

Finally, confusing 'mês passado' with 'o último mês' is a subtle but important mistake. As mentioned earlier, 'mês passado' refers to the previous calendar month (e.g., October, if it is currently November). 'O último mês' can mean the last 30 days from today. Using them interchangeably can lead to misunderstandings regarding deadlines or specific timelines.

Ele esteve doente durante todo o mês passado.

While 'mês passado' is the most direct and common way to say 'last month', Portuguese offers several alternative phrases and related vocabulary that can add nuance and variety to your speech. Understanding these alternatives helps you express time more precisely and sounds more like a native speaker. One of the most common alternatives is 'o mês anterior', which translates to 'the previous month'. This phrase is slightly more formal and is frequently used in written texts, business reports, and news articles. It is particularly useful when you are narrating a sequence of events in the past and want to refer to the month before a specific past event, rather than the month before the current present moment. For example, 'Em dezembro, as vendas foram boas, mas no mês anterior foram ruins' (In December, sales were good, but in the previous month they were bad).

O Mês Anterior: A more formal alternative meaning 'the previous month', often used in narratives or formal reports to establish a relative timeline.

Os lucros foram maiores que os do mês passado.

Another related phrase is 'o último mês', meaning 'the last month'. As discussed in the common mistakes section, this can sometimes be synonymous with 'mês passado', but it often carries the specific meaning of the last 30 days leading up to the present moment, regardless of calendar boundaries. It can also be used to refer to the final month of a specific period, such as 'o último mês do ano' (the last month of the year, which is December) or 'o último mês da gravidez' (the last month of pregnancy). Therefore, context is key when using 'o último mês'.

O Último Mês: Can mean the last 30 days or the final month of a sequence. It is broader in meaning than 'mês passado'.

Eu trabalhei muito durante o mês passado.

If you want to refer to a time further back, you can use phrases like 'há um mês' (a month ago) or 'há dois meses' (two months ago). The verb 'haver' (conjugated as 'há') is used to indicate elapsed time in the past. This is different from 'mês passado' because 'há um mês' measures exactly one month backward from today, whereas 'mês passado' refers to the calendar block. For example, if today is the 15th, 'há um mês' means the 15th of the previous month.

Há um mês: Translates to 'a month ago'. It measures elapsed time rather than referring to a calendar month.

Nós nos conhecemos no mês passado.

O projeto foi finalizado no mês passado.

Finally, for more general references to the recent past, words like 'recentemente' (recently) or 'ultimamente' (lately) can be used. While these do not specify a month, they occupy a similar temporal space in conversation and are excellent vocabulary additions for a learner looking to expand their ability to discuss past events.

Tudo mudou desde o mês passado.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

"Os lucros da empresa decaíram em relação ao mês passado."

Neutral

"Eu paguei essa conta no mês passado."

Informal

"Mês passado eu fui pra praia."

Child friendly

"O meu aniversário foi no mês passado!"

Slang

"Mês passado deu ruim."

Fun Fact

In many Romance languages, the structure is similar: 'le mois passé' (French), 'el mes pasado' (Spanish), 'il mese passato' (Italian). This shows the shared Latin root for conceptualizing time as something that physically 'passes' us by.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ˈmeʃ pɐˈsa.du/

US /ˈmes paˈsa.du/

mês pas-SA-do

Rhymes With

cansado atrasado pesado casado usado baseado focado parado

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'mês' as 'mez' with a 'z' sound.
Pronouncing the final 'o' in 'passado' as a hard 'o' instead of a soft 'u'.
Forgetting to stress the 'SA' syllable in 'passado'.
Saying 'passada' instead of 'passado'.
Separating the words too much instead of linking them smoothly.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 1/5

Very easy to recognize in text.

Writing 2/5

Requires remembering the preposition 'no' and masculine agreement.

Speaking 2/5

Easy to pronounce, but learners might forget the preposition.

Listening 2/5

Native speakers might blend 'no mês' together quickly.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

mês passado em o no

Learn Next

semana passada ano passado mês que vem próximo mês ontem

Advanced

anterior recente ultimamente decorrido pretérito

Grammar to Know

Pretérito Perfeito

Eu comprei (completed action) um carro no mês passado.

Pretérito Imperfeito

Eu trabalhava (ongoing action) muito no mês passado.

Contraction of Prepositions

em + o = no (no mês passado).

Gender Agreement

mês (masculine) + passado (masculine).

Possessive with 'de'

de + o = do (a conta do mês passado).

Examples by Level

Eu fui ao cinema no mês passado.

I went to the cinema last month.

Uses Pretérito Perfeito 'fui' with 'no mês passado'.

O meu aniversário foi no mês passado.

My birthday was last month.

Simple past statement of fact.

Nós comemos pizza no mês passado.

We ate pizza last month.

Basic past tense conjugation for 'nós'.

Eu comprei um livro no mês passado.

I bought a book last month.

Action completed in the past.

Ela viajou no mês passado.

She traveled last month.

Third-person singular past tense.

Choveu muito no mês passado.

It rained a lot last month.

Impersonal verb 'chover' in the past.

Eu vi o João no mês passado.

I saw João last month.

Irregular verb 'ver' in the past.

A festa foi no mês passado.

The party was last month.

Using 'foi' to indicate when an event happened.

Eu comecei a estudar português no mês passado.

I started studying Portuguese last month.

Using 'começar a' + infinitive in the past.

A conta de luz do mês passado foi muito cara.

Last month's electricity bill was very expensive.

Using 'do' to show possession/origin.

Eu não fui à academia no mês passado.

I didn't go to the gym last month.

Negative sentence in the past tense.

O que você fez no mês passado?

What did you do last month?

Forming a question in the past tense.

Nós visitamos nossos avós no mês passado.

We visited our grandparents last month.

Regular verb 'visitar' in the past.

Eu trabalhei todos os dias no mês passado.

I worked every day last month.

Combining 'mês passado' with 'todos os dias'.

Ela comprou um carro novo no mês passado.

She bought a new car last month.

Completed action with an object.

O filme estreou no mês passado.

The movie premiered last month.

Vocabulary related to entertainment.

Eu estava muito ocupado no mês passado, por isso não te liguei.

I was very busy last month, that's why I didn't call you.

Using Pretérito Imperfeito 'estava' for a state of being.

Desde o mês passado, eu decidi comer de forma mais saudável.

Since last month, I decided to eat healthier.

Using 'desde o' to indicate a starting point.

O relatório referente ao mês passado já está pronto.

The report referring to last month is already done.

Formal vocabulary 'referente a'.

Em comparação com o mês passado, as temperaturas caíram.

Compared to last month, temperatures have fallen.

Using 'em comparação com' for analysis.

Eu não a vejo desde o mês passado.

I haven't seen her since last month.

Present tense with 'desde' to show an ongoing state.

O aluguel aumentou no mês passado.

The rent increased last month.

Vocabulary related to housing and finance.

No mês passado, nós finalmente terminamos a reforma da casa.

Last month, we finally finished the house renovation.

Using 'finalmente' to emphasize completion.

Ela me disse que viajou para a Europa no mês passado.

She told me she traveled to Europe last month.

Reported speech in the past.

A empresa registrou um lucro recorde no mês passado.

The company recorded a record profit last month.

Business terminology and formal sentence structure.

Se eu soubesse disso no mês passado, teria agido diferente.

If I had known this last month, I would have acted differently.

Using the Imperfeito do Subjuntivo 'soubesse'.

Os dados do mês passado indicam uma leve recuperação econômica.

Last month's data indicates a slight economic recovery.

Academic/professional vocabulary 'indicam'.

Apesar das dificuldades no mês passado, conseguimos bater a meta.

Despite the difficulties last month, we managed to hit the target.

Using 'apesar de' for contrast.

O pagamento referente ao mês passado será efetuado amanhã.

The payment referring to last month will be made tomorrow.

Passive voice 'será efetuado'.

Ele tem trabalhado incansavelmente desde o mês passado.

He has been working tirelessly since last month.

Pretérito Perfeito Composto 'tem trabalhado'.

A taxa de desemprego do mês passado foi a menor do ano.

Last month's unemployment rate was the lowest of the year.

Superlative structure 'a menor do'.

Houve uma mudança significativa na política da empresa no mês passado.

There was a significant change in company policy last month.

Using 'houve' (past of haver) for existence.

O escândalo que veio à tona no mês passado abalou as estruturas do governo.

The scandal that came to light last month shook the foundations of the government.

Advanced idiomatic expression 'veio à tona'.

A fatura, cujo vencimento ocorreu no mês passado, ainda consta como pendente.

The invoice, whose due date was last month, still appears as pending.

Using the relative pronoun 'cujo'.

Tendo em vista os resultados do mês passado, a estratégia precisará ser revista.

Bearing in mind last month's results, the strategy will need to be reviewed.

Formal introductory phrase 'Tendo em vista'.

O evento do mês passado serviu de divisor de águas para a nossa organização.

Last month's event served as a watershed moment for our organization.

Metaphorical language 'divisor de águas'.

Não obstante os contratempos do mês passado, o projeto segue o cronograma.

Notwithstanding last month's setbacks, the project is on schedule.

Formal conjunction 'Não obstante'.

A inflação acumulada desde o mês passado corrói o poder de compra da população.

The inflation accumulated since last month erodes the population's purchasing power.

Economic terminology and strong verbs 'corrói'.

Ele alegou que o contrato fora assinado no mês passado, o que se provou falso.

He claimed the contract had been signed last month, which proved to be false.

Using the Mais-que-perfeito 'fora'.

A resolução aprovada no mês passado entrará em vigor imediatamente.

The resolution approved last month will come into effect immediately.

Legal/administrative vocabulary 'entrará em vigor'.

A celeuma instaurada no mês passado em torno da nova lei parece ter arrefecido.

The uproar established last month around the new law seems to have cooled down.

Highly literary vocabulary 'celeuma', 'arrefecido'.

Remonta ao mês passado a gênese deste conflito diplomático.

The genesis of this diplomatic conflict dates back to last month.

Inverted sentence structure for stylistic effect.

Os ecos da tragédia ocorrida no mês passado ainda reverberam na comunidade.

The echoes of the tragedy that occurred last month still reverberate in the community.

Poetic and metaphorical phrasing.

Conquanto o mês passado tenha sido profícuo, não podemos repousar sobre os louros.

Even though last month was fruitful, we cannot rest on our laurels.

Advanced conjunction 'Conquanto' and idiom 'repousar sobre os louros'.

A querela judicial, iniciada no mês passado, promete arrastar-se por anos.

The legal dispute, initiated last month, promises to drag on for years.

Formal legal term 'querela'.

O corolário das decisões tomadas no mês passado é a atual estagnação econômica.

The corollary of the decisions made last month is the current economic stagnation.

Academic vocabulary 'corolário'.

A despeito das intempéries do mês passado, a colheita foi salva.

Despite last month's bad weather, the harvest was saved.

Literary term for bad weather 'intempéries'.

Foi no mês passado que se deu o epílogo daquela longa e exaustiva saga.

It was last month that the epilogue of that long and exhausting saga took place.

Literary structure 'se deu o epílogo'.

Common Collocations

no mês passado

do mês passado

desde o mês passado

final do mês passado

início do mês passado

metade do mês passado

lucro do mês passado

vendas do mês passado

salário do mês passado

relatório do mês passado

Common Phrases

O que você fez no mês passado?

— A common question to ask someone about their recent activities.

O que você fez no mês passado? Viajou?

Comparado ao mês passado

— Used to draw a comparison between the current situation and the previous month.

Comparado ao mês passado, está mais frio.

Em relação ao mês passado

— A more formal way to say 'compared to last month'.

Os lucros subiram em relação ao mês passado.

Atrasado desde o mês passado

— Indicates that something has been delayed since the previous month.

O aluguel está atrasado desde o mês passado.

Igual ao mês passado

— Means something is the same as it was in the previous month.

A conta veio igual ao mês passado.

Melhor que o mês passado

— Indicates improvement over the previous month.

Este mês está melhor que o mês passado.

Pior que o mês passado

— Indicates a decline compared to the previous month.

O trânsito está pior que o mês passado.

Lá pro mês passado

— An informal way to vaguely refer to a time around last month.

Eu comprei isso lá pro mês passado.

Referente ao mês passado

— Formal phrase meaning 'referring to last month', often used on bills.

Pagamento referente ao mês passado.

Ficou para o mês passado

— An idiom meaning something is in the past and should be forgotten.

Essa briga já ficou para o mês passado.

Often Confused With

mês passado vs semana passada

Means 'last week'. Remember that 'semana' is feminine, so it takes 'passada'.

mês passado vs ano passado

Means 'last year'. Follows the same masculine grammatical rules as 'mês passado'.

mês passado vs último mês

Can mean the last 30 days, whereas 'mês passado' specifically means the previous calendar month.

Idioms & Expressions

"Águas passadas não movem moinhos"

— Literally 'past waters don't move mills'. It means 'it's water under the bridge'. While not containing 'mês passado', it uses the concept of 'passado' to talk about letting go of the past.

Esqueça essa briga, águas passadas não movem moinhos.

neutral

"Viver no passado"

— To live in the past. To constantly think about how things used to be.

Ele precisa seguir em frente e parar de viver no passado.

neutral

"Coisa do passado"

— A thing of the past. Something that is obsolete or no longer happens.

Mandar cartas pelo correio é coisa do passado.

neutral

"Passado negro"

— A dark past. Refers to a history of bad or illegal actions.

Aquele político tem um passado negro.

informal

"Passado a limpo"

— To make a clean copy (of a text), or metaphorically, to clarify a situation.

Precisamos passar essa história a limpo.

neutral

"Ficar no passado"

— To stay in the past. To be forgotten or left behind.

Os nossos problemas devem ficar no passado.

neutral

"Um passado glorioso"

— A glorious past. Often used to describe sports teams or nations.

O clube tem um passado glorioso, mas um presente difícil.

formal

"Sem passado nem futuro"

— Without past or future. Describing a hopeless situation or person.

É um projeto sem passado nem futuro.

informal

"O passado bate à porta"

— The past knocks at the door. When old problems or acquaintances reappear.

Cuidado, às vezes o passado bate à porta.

literary

"Passado recente"

— Recent past. A formal way to refer to events that happened not long ago.

No passado recente, a economia era mais forte.

formal

Easily Confused

mês passado vs passada

Learners often use the feminine form by mistake.

'Passada' is used with feminine nouns like 'semana' (week). 'Passado' is used with masculine nouns like 'mês' (month).

A semana passada foi boa. O mês passado foi bom.

mês passado vs anterior

Both refer to the past.

'Anterior' means 'previous' and is more formal. It is often used in writing.

O mês anterior teve mais chuvas.

mês passado vs próximo

Opposite meaning, but related to time.

'Próximo' means 'next' (future), while 'passado' means 'last' (past).

Eu vou viajar no próximo mês.

mês passado vs atrás

Used to express past time.

'Atrás' means 'ago' (e.g., um mês atrás = a month ago). 'Mês passado' means 'last month'.

Eu cheguei um mês atrás.

mês passado vs recentemente

Both refer to the past.

'Recentemente' is a general term meaning 'recently', without specifying a month.

Eu fui ao médico recentemente.

Sentence Patterns

[Subject] + [Verb in Past] + no mês passado.

Eu viajei no mês passado.

No mês passado, [Subject] + [Verb in Past].

No mês passado, eu viajei.

[Noun] + do mês passado + [Verb].

A conta do mês passado foi cara.

[Subject] + [Verb] + desde o mês passado.

Eu estou doente desde o mês passado.

[Subject] + [Verb Imperfect] + no mês passado.

Eu trabalhava muito no mês passado.

Em comparação com o mês passado, [Clause].

Em comparação com o mês passado, as vendas subiram.

Referente ao mês passado, [Clause].

Referente ao mês passado, o relatório está pronto.

Remonta ao mês passado [Noun Phrase].

Remonta ao mês passado a origem do problema.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Extremely high. Used daily by native speakers.

Common Mistakes

Eu viajei em mês passado. → Eu viajei no mês passado.
You must use the contraction 'no' (em + o), not just 'em'.
A mês passada foi boa. → O mês passado foi bom.
'Mês' is a masculine noun, so it requires masculine adjectives and articles.
Eu trabalho muito no mês passado. → Eu trabalhei muito no mês passado.
You cannot use a present tense verb with a past time marker.
A conta de mês passado. → A conta do mês passado.
You must use the contraction 'do' (de + o) to show possession.
Desde mês passado. → Desde o mês passado.
When using 'desde', you must include the definite article 'o'.

Tips

Gender Agreement

Always pair 'mês' with 'passado' (masculine) and 'semana' with 'passada' (feminine).

The Contraction 'No'

Remember that 'no' is the contraction of 'em' + 'o'. It literally means 'in the'.

Casual Speech

Don't be surprised if Brazilians drop the 'no' in conversation. It's very common.

Formal Writing

Always include 'no' when writing emails, essays, or formal messages.

Expand Your Vocab

Learn 'o mês anterior' as a formal alternative to sound more advanced.

Check Your Verbs

If you use 'mês passado', double-check that your verb is in the past tense.

Using 'Do'

Use 'do mês passado' when talking about bills or reports belonging to that month.

Using 'Desde'

Use 'desde o mês passado' to say 'since last month'.

Link the Words

Pronounce 'no mês passado' as one continuous phrase, not three separate words.

Calendar Month

Remember it refers to the calendar block, not just the last 30 days.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'MESS' (mês) that you made in the 'PAST' (passado). The mess is in the past month.

Visual Association

Visualize a calendar. Cross out the current month with a big red X, and draw a circle around the previous month. Label that circled month 'mês passado'.

Word Web

mês passado calendário tempo ontem ano passado semana passada passado história

Challenge

Look at your bank statement or credit card bill. Point to the charges from the previous month and say out loud: 'Eu comprei isso no mês passado'.

Word Origin

The word 'mês' comes from the Latin 'mensis', meaning month. The word 'passado' is the past participle of the verb 'passar', which comes from the Vulgar Latin 'passare', meaning to step or walk. Together, they literally mean 'the month that has walked by' or 'the month that has stepped past'.

Original meaning: The month that has already elapsed.

Romance Languages (Latin origin).

Cultural Context

There are no cultural sensitivities or offensive connotations associated with this phrase. It is completely neutral.

English speakers just say 'last month'. In Portuguese, you must use the preposition 'no' (in the) in formal contexts, making it 'in the last month'.

News headlines frequently use 'em relação ao mês passado' (in relation to last month). Financial reports always feature a 'comparativo com o mês passado'. Everyday conversations: 'A conta de luz veio mais alta que no mês passado'.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Talking about past events

Eu viajei no mês passado.
A festa foi no mês passado.
Eu vi ele no mês passado.
Choveu no mês passado.

Discussing bills and finances

A conta do mês passado.
O salário do mês passado.
Paguei no mês passado.
Mais caro que no mês passado.

Business and work

O relatório do mês passado.
As vendas do mês passado.
A meta do mês passado.
Comparado ao mês passado.

Health and appointments

Fui ao médico no mês passado.
Fiz exames no mês passado.
Estou doente desde o mês passado.
A consulta foi no mês passado.

News and current events

A inflação do mês passado.
O desemprego no mês passado.
O acidente ocorreu no mês passado.
Em relação ao mês passado.

Conversation Starters

"O que você fez de bom no mês passado?"

"Você viajou para algum lugar no mês passado?"

"Como foi o seu trabalho no mês passado?"

"Você assistiu a algum filme bom no mês passado?"

"A sua conta de luz veio mais cara que no mês passado?"

Journal Prompts

Escreva sobre três coisas importantes que aconteceram na sua vida no mês passado.

Qual foi o maior desafio que você enfrentou no mês passado?

Descreva uma viagem ou passeio que você fez no mês passado.

Como os seus hábitos mudaram desde o mês passado?

Escreva sobre um livro que você leu ou um filme que você viu no mês passado.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

In formal writing and European Portuguese, yes, it is required. However, in casual spoken Brazilian Portuguese, it is very common to omit it and just say 'mês passado'.

Because the word 'mês' (month) is a masculine noun in Portuguese. Adjectives must agree with the gender of the noun they describe.

Generally, no. Because it refers to a completed time period in the past, it should be used with past tense verbs. Using present tense creates a logical contradiction.

'Mês passado' refers to the specific calendar month before the current one. 'Há um mês' means exactly one month (approx. 30 days) ago from today's date.

You say 'desde o mês passado'. Notice that you must include the definite article 'o' after 'desde'.

You say 'o aluguel do mês passado'. The preposition 'de' combines with 'o' to form 'do', indicating possession or origin.

Yes, extensively. It is the standard way to refer to the previous month's performance, sales, or reports.

In Portugal and Rio de Janeiro, it sounds like 'sh'. In most of Brazil, it sounds like a standard 's'.

Yes, you can say 'No mês passado, eu viajei'. This places more emphasis on the time frame.

The plural is 'os meses passados', meaning 'the past months'.

Test Yourself 200 questions

writing

Write a sentence saying you traveled to Portugal last month.

Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.

Sample answer

Eu viajei para Portugal no mês passado.