Telling the Time

In Portuguese, telling the time is straightforward but involves a few specific terms. When stating the time, we use às followed by the hour. Noon and midnight have special expressions: meio-dia for noon and meia-noite for midnight.

• São dezenove horas. (It is 19:00 or 7:00 PM)
• São nove e meia. (It is 9:30)
• São dez horas. (It is 10:00)
• Às dois e meia. (At 2:30)
• Quarta e cinco typically refers to fifteen minutes past the hour.

When expressing durations or time intervals, you can use phrases like quinze minutos (fifteen minutes).

Using the Verb 'Ter' to Talk About Age

The verb ter is essential when expressing age in Portuguese. You pair it with a idade to create statements about how old someone is.

Using Prepositions to Express Past Times

Prepositions help root actions or events in time:

• à (to/at): Used for specific times, e.g., à meia-noite (at midnight).
• aos (on): For days or repetitive periods, e.g., aos domingos (on Sundays).
• de (of): Often indicates possession or parts, e.g., de manhã (in the morning).
• em (in/on/at): For months and general times, e.g., em agosto (in August).
• no/nos (in/on the): For precise locations or times, e.g., no passado (in the past).
• pelo/pelos (by/through): Used for indicating passage through time, e.g., pelos anos (through the years).

Using the Simple Present to Describe Habitual Actions in the Past

The simple present can illustrate habits or customary actions that occurred in the past:

• Antigamente, eu costumava acordar cedo. (In the past, I used to wake up early.)
• Geralmente, jogava futebol aos sábados. (Usually, I played soccer on Saturdays.)
• Normalmente, ela lia à noite. (Normally, she read at night.)

Habitual past actions can also include references like frequentemente (frequently) and raramente (rarely).

Describing the Months of the Year

The months are similar to English but require definite articles in context:

• janeiro, fevereiro, março
• abril, maio, junho
• julho, agosto, setembro
• outubro, novembro, dezembro

For example, em abril means "in April".

Describing the Days of the Week

• domingo, segunda-feira, terça-feira, quarta-feira, quinta-feira, sexta-feira, sábado

Days typically need the preposition à for specific references: à sexta-feira (on Friday).

Describing the Seasons of the Year

• inverno (winter), primavera (spring), verão (summer), outono (autumn)

Seasons are used with em: em outono (in autumn).

Describing Longer Periods of Time

Referring to extended durations involves terms like o ano (the year), o mês (the month), a semana (the week), a década (the decade), o dia (the day). Use them to create broader temporal contexts, like durante o ano (during the year) or ao longo da década (throughout the decade).