How to Tell Time in Portuguese: Ask and Answer Naturally — Practice

Ask what time it is with Que horas são?

The everyday question is Que horas são? (What time is it?). The answer uses ser: é uma hora for one o’clock, and são for the other hours. This singular-versus-plural pattern is worth learning as a complete phrase because English uses “it is” in both cases.

You may also hear Tem horas? in some contexts when asking whether someone has the time, but Que horas são? is a clear phrase every learner can use. Add com licença or por favor if you want to soften the question with someone you do not know.

Add minutes after the hour

To say a time such as 2:10, you can state the hour and minutes: são duas e dez. For 2:30, say são duas e meia. For 2:15, são duas e quinze is clear and widely understood. Digital times and spoken conventions can vary, so focus first on recognizing the numbers.

At one o’clock, keep the singular form: é uma e meia (1:30). After that, the plural são is used with the hour. Practicing the full phrase helps you avoid translating English word order directly.

Say when an event starts with às

When saying that something happens at a particular time, use às before most clock times: às nove (at nine), às dez e meia (at 10:30). The form is a contraction of the preposition a and the feminine plural article as in this time expression.

The expression à uma is used for one o’clock: A reunião começa à uma (The meeting starts at one). Keep it separate from the answer É uma hora. One tells when something happens; the other tells what time it is.

Clarify morning, afternoon, and exact schedules

Use da manhã (in the morning), da tarde (in the afternoon), and da noite (in the evening/night) when the context could be unclear. Brazil commonly uses both 24-hour schedules in writing and 12-hour expressions in everyday speech.

If you did not understand a time, repeat what you heard as a question. This confirms the number and gives the other person a chance to correct it. Pair the time with an event so the schedule is easier to remember.

Remember: Say three real times from your week, including one with minutes and one with da manhã or da noite. Review Portuguese numbers on Real Life Portuguese, then practice confirming a meeting time with a Brazilian teacher at I Speak Portuguese.

Check your understanding

Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.

Recall the Portuguese, then say it

Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.

1. What time is it?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Que horas são?

2. It is one o’clock.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   É uma hora.

3. It is three o’clock.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   São três horas.

4. It is 5:20.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   São cinco e vinte.

5. Class starts at 2:30.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A aula começa às duas e meia.

6. The movie starts at 8:15.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   O filme começa às oito e quinze.

Make the phrase useful to you

Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.

Say three real times from your week, including one with minutes and one with da manhã or da noite. Review Portuguese numbers on Real Life Portuguese, then practice confirming a meeting time with a Brazilian teacher at I Speak Portuguese.

Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.

Sources and your next lesson

This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our How to Tell Time in Portuguese: Ask and Answer Naturally lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.

To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.