How to Talk About Deadlines and Appointments in Portuguese — Practice

Ask when an appointment starts

Use Que horas começa…? to ask what time an event begins and Que horas é…? to ask when an appointment is. Horário can mean a scheduled time or timetable, while compromisso can refer to an appointment or engagement. Include the day so both people know which date you mean.

Brazil uses the 24-hour clock in many written schedules, while people also use 12-hour expressions in conversation. Confirm whether a time is in the morning or afternoon when there could be confusion. Learn the spoken number forms with a full example rather than reading the digits only.

Talk about deadlines and due dates

Prazo means deadline or time limit, and data de entrega means due date or submission date. Ask Qual é o prazo? (What is the deadline?) or Até quando preciso enviar? (By when do I need to send it?). In a work or school setting, repeat the date and time to make sure you heard correctly.

When setting a deadline, say the date explicitly instead of relying on amanhã if the message may be read later. If a task has a time zone or a precise cut-off, ask the person to confirm it in writing.

Confirm an arrival time or reschedule

Use Vou chegar às… to give an expected arrival time. If you are running late, say Estou atrasado/atrasada and provide a realistic estimate. To reschedule, ask whether another day or time is available. Directly naming the change helps the other person respond with an option.

A previsão can be an estimate or forecast, depending on context. If your arrival time is uncertain, say Acho que chego por volta das… (I think I’ll arrive around…). Avoid giving a precise time if you do not know it yet.

Use a confirmation loop for important plans

Repeat the event, date, and time in one short sentence: Então, ficou para terça às nove da manhã. Ask whether you understood correctly and save the details in writing. This confirmation loop is useful for lessons, appointments, travel, and work meetings.

Connect this page with Real Life Portuguese lessons on telling time, days of the week, and numbers. I Speak Portuguese teachers can role-play scheduling a lesson or meeting so you can practice dates and times aloud. Speak the number clearly and ask for repetition whenever you need it.

Remember: For a reliable schedule, confirm the event, date, and time together. Use prazo for deadlines and say whether a time is morning or afternoon when needed.

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 does the appointment start?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Que horas começa a consulta?

2. Is the meeting at two in the afternoon?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A reunião é às duas da tarde?

3. I have an appointment on Thursday morning.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Tenho um compromisso na quinta-feira de manhã.

4. What is the deadline to send the form?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Qual é o prazo para enviar o formulário?

5. Is the due date the fifteenth?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A data de entrega é dia quinze?

6. By when do I need to confirm the reservation?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Até quando preciso confirmar a reserva?

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.

For a reliable schedule, confirm the event, date, and time together. Use prazo for deadlines and say whether a time is morning or afternoon when needed.

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 Talk About Deadlines and Appointments 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.