How to Say ‘Take a Break’ in Portuguese: Fazer uma Pausa — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Use fazer uma pausa for a short break
Fazer uma pausa means to take a pause or break. It fits work, study, and conversation. Name the length with uma pausa de dez minutos (a ten-minute break).
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Vamos fazer uma pausa de dez minutos. | Let’s take a ten-minute break. |
| Preciso fazer uma pausa antes de continuar. | I need to take a break before continuing. |
Use parar um pouco for a casual pause
Parar um pouco means to stop for a little while. Descansar means to rest. These phrases work when you are tired or want to pause an activity; a day away from work is folga, which is a different idea.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Vou parar um pouco para tomar água. | I’m going to stop for a bit to drink some water. |
| Depois do almoço, quero descansar por meia hora. | After lunch, I want to rest for half an hour. |
Ask for a break or suggest one to a group
Could we take a break? can be podemos fazer uma pausa? To suggest a quick pause informally, vamos parar um pouco? Make the length clear if other people are waiting.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Podemos fazer uma pausa antes da próxima atividade? | Could we take a break before the next activity? |
| Vamos parar por cinco minutos e depois voltamos. | Let’s stop for five minutes and then come back. |
Remember: Use fazer uma pausa for a break, descansar for resting, and folga for time off work.
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.
Let’s take a ten-minute break.
Show a Portuguese answer
Vamos fazer uma pausa de dez minutos.
I need to take a break before continuing.
Show a Portuguese answer
Preciso fazer uma pausa antes de continuar.
I’m going to stop for a bit to drink some water.
Show a Portuguese answer
Vou parar um pouco para tomar água.
After lunch, I want to rest for half an hour.
Show a Portuguese answer
Depois do almoço, quero descansar por meia hora.
Could we take a break before the next activity?
Show a Portuguese answer
Podemos fazer uma pausa antes da próxima atividade?
Let’s stop for five minutes and then come back.
Show a Portuguese answer
Vamos parar por cinco minutos e depois voltamos.
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 fazer uma pausa for a break, descansar for resting, and folga for time off work.
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 Say ‘Take a Break’ in Portuguese: Fazer uma Pausa 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.
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