Today someone said on the phone: “No worries”. This phrase brought me back in time to when I first came from Brazil to the US. I was fluent in English at the time, but I sounded like a textbook. I remember how happy I was each time I learned how to communicate an idea just like Americans do. “No worries” was one of these phrases.
This is why I so enjoy writing these lessons on how to communicate what you need in Portuguese in a clear, Brazilian way. I hope you will have fun and impress your friends with each new phrase and expression.
Today I will give you two similar phrases for two different situations. The phrases are: “I’m leaving” and “I’m on my way out”.
Both phrases use the verb Sair, which means to leave or to go out.
I’m leaving
Example 1
Clara is to going to pick Daniela up at work so they can go get dinner together. Clara is ready to leave the office. She calls Daniela and says:
- Estou saindo. Você está pronta?
= I’m leaving. Are you ready?
Learn the -ing form in Portuguese.
Example 2
Bianca is waiting for Antônio at the restaurant. He is running late, so she calls and asks if he is on his way. He says:
- Estou saindo do escritório agora. Chego em dez minutos.
= I’m leaving the office now. I’ll be there in 10 minutes.
I’m on my way out
I really like this phrase, both in English and in Portuguese. Don’t ask me why 🙂 Sometimes I just like a word or phrase for how it sounds.
Example 1
Joana is just about to step out of the house to go to a doctor appointment when her cell rings. It is her husband. She answers and says:
- Estou de saída. Não posso falar agora. Te ligo depois, tá?
= I’m on my way out. I can’t talk now. I will call you later, OK?
Example 2
It is 7pm and Joana is still at work. When she is just about to step out of her office, her manager shows up to talk to her. She says:
- Eu estava de saída. Podemos conversar amanhã?
= I was on my way out. Can we talk tomorrow?
What phases would you like to learn next? Let me know in the comments!
Oi Luciana! Obrigado pela lição!
I wanted to ask a question: For “Te ligo depois, tá?”, is it possible to answer back with “tá” for something like “sure” or “ok”? What would be the most natural response in that situation?
Obrigado!
The most natural affirmative response to a question ending in “tá?” is “tá” 🙂 Great question. You can also say “tá bom” or “tá joia”.
Muito obrigado!
Great tips, Luciana. Exactly the kind of things I want to learn. Muito obrigada.
Eu é que agradeço por acompanhar o blog e comentar, Geraldine 🙂
I love to learn portugues, but I love more more the way you teach it.
Muito obrigada, Michiko! Your comment made me very happy 🙂
Hi Luciana , How are you ? I wish you success. I just wanna say that I really do appreciate your efforts for teaching portuguse. I was in Brazil once, and I wanna return there for the rest of my life , entao acho que eu deveria aprender mais O potuguese idioma , especialmente portugues coliqual , sei que O Brasil ta numa crise economia muito grave , mas eu acho que BRASIL TA TER DOS MEUS SONHOS , e como que vcs brasileiros dizem no final ; UM BEJO E FORTE ABRACO . ATE JA
Muito obrigada, Kourosh! Espero que você possa voltar ao Brasil logo 🙂