Por Pouco: Say Something Nearly Happened in Portuguese — Practice

Use por pouco for a narrow margin

Por pouco means “by very little,” “by a small margin,” or “almost.” It describes a result that came close to happening or a difference that was small. Quase is a common alternative meaning “almost.”

One frequent pattern is por pouco não + verb. In a near-miss sentence, the negative often tells you that the event almost happened but did not: por pouco não perdi o voo means I nearly missed the flight, but I caught it.

Read the full sentence before interpreting não

In por pouco não + verb, do not translate each word mechanically. The phrase commonly describes a near miss, so por pouco não caí usually means “I almost fell” rather than “I barely did not fall.” The surrounding story confirms the outcome.

For a clear positive near-event, use quase + verb. If the outcome matters, state it in a second sentence: Por pouco não perdi o voo, mas cheguei ao portão a tempo (I almost missed the flight, but I reached the gate in time).

Remember: Use por pouco for a narrow margin or near miss; interpret por pouco não + verb as ‘almost’ and use the rest of the story to confirm the outcome.

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. I almost missed the flight.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Por pouco não perdi o voo.

2. He passed the exam by a narrow margin.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ele passou por pouco na prova.

3. I almost forgot my passport.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Quase esqueci meu passaporte.

4. I almost forgot the meeting, but the alarm went off.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Por pouco não esqueci a reunião, mas o alarme tocou.

5. The ball missed the window by a small margin.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A bola passou por pouco da janela.

6. I almost fell on the stairs, but I managed to steady myself.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Quase caí na escada, mas consegui me equilibrar.

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.

Use por pouco for a narrow margin or near miss; interpret por pouco não + verb as ‘almost’ and use the rest of the story to confirm the outcome.

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 Por Pouco: Say Something Nearly Happened in Portuguese 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.