Que Horas Aí? Arrange a Call Across Time Zones in Portuguese

Ask whose local time the number refers to

Oito no seu horário ou no meu? means “Eight in your time or mine?” A shorter informal check is Que horas aí? — “What time is it there?” Here, aí points to the other person’s location; aqui is where you are.

When arranging the call, specify the reference: Pode ser às oito da noite no seu horário? — “Could it be at eight in the evening your time?” Then state the corresponding time where you are. Check the actual date and cities in a current clock or calendar rather than memorizing an offset from this language example.

Say both times and check the date

Suppose, purely for practice, that your calendar shows eight in the evening for your partner and six in the evening for you. Say Então, oito da noite para você e seis da tarde para mim? — “So eight in the evening for you and six in the evening for me?” These are invented corresponding times, not a claim about any two real countries.

For a date check, use Aí já vai ser sábado ou ainda vai ser sexta? — “Will it already be Saturday there, or will it still be Friday?” If you are uncertain, name the full date instead of relying on tomorrow. People in different places may not mean the same calendar day by amanhã.

Agree on who starts the call

Você me liga ou eu te ligo? — “Will you call me, or shall I call you?” answers a different question from the time. If you need to check first, Mando uma mensagem antes de ligar means “I’ll send a message before calling.”

Decide what to do if the connection fails: Se cair a ligação, eu te ligo de novo. — “If the call drops, I’ll call you again.” If your availability is uncertain, say Vou confirmar e te aviso — “I’ll check and let you know.” As in the invitation episode, a pending check is not a confirmed plan.

A complete call arrangement

You: Topa conversar no sábado? — Are you up for talking on Saturday?
Partner: Topo. Às oito? — Yes. At eight?
You: Oito da noite no seu horário? — Eight in the evening your time?
Partner: Isso. — Right.
You: Vou conferir no calendário e te mando os dois horários. Eu te ligo. — I’ll check the calendar and send you both times. I’ll call you.

The learner does not invent the conversion during the conversation. They explain the check they will make. After checking, they still need to send and confirm the two times. This is an original extension of making an invitation concrete, not a quotation from the episode.

Practice: make an ambiguous plan usable

1. Someone proposes nine. Ask whether they mean morning or evening and whose time it is.
2. You have verified the two local times. State both, using an invented pair for the role-play.
3. Your partner thinks you will call, but you expected them to call. Ask and agree on one person.
4. You cannot confirm your availability yet. Explain that the plan remains open.

End with a one-line message containing the date, both local times and the caller. Read it aloud and ask a partner to repeat their own time. That final check is more useful than an enthusiastic yes attached to an ambiguous number.

Continue with related practice

Explore How to Invite Someone Out in Brazilian Portuguese for related language or listening practice. The dialogues and exercises on this page are original written teaching examples. They are not episode transcripts or additional audio recordings.

Use Real Life Portuguese for native audio and everyday conversation practice before your call. Prepare one short question and one follow-up from a familiar situation, then use the call to connect rather than asking your partner to teach the entire lesson.

Disclosure: Bruno Lopes is a co-founder of the app. For focused feedback on your own replies, bring a short example to a trial lesson.