Say you are going to catch a movie with a friend after work. Your friend calls and asks if you are on your way. Unfortunately you are still at work. How do you say that in Portuguese?
In this lesson I will teach you two very useful uses of the word Ainda:
- Ainda = still, as in “I am still at work.”
- Ainda não = not yet
These little words can make your communication much more effective and natural.
Ainda = Still
Example 1
Clara: Você está a caminho?
Paulo: Não, ainda estou no trabalho.
Clara: Ainda?
Translation:
Clara: Are you on your way?
Paulo: No, I am still at work.
Clara: Still?
Example 2
Clara: Ouvi dizer que aquele restaurante novo é ótimo.
Paulo: Ainda preciso ir lá!
Translation:
Clara: I heard that new restaurant is great.
Paulo: I still need to go there!
Example 3
Clara: Vou sair do trabalho mais tarde hoje.
Paulo: Lembre que você ainda tem que passar na casa da sua mãe.
Translation:
Clara: I will leave work later today.
Paulo: Remember that you still have to stop by at your mom’s.
Ainda não = Not yet
Example 1
Clara: Você está a caminho?
Paulo: Ainda não. Ainda estou no trabalho.
Clara: Ainda?
Translation:
Clara: Are you on your way?
Paulo: Not yet. I’m still at work.
Clara: Still?
Example 2
Clara: Já almoçou?
Paulo: Ainda não.
Translation:
Clara: Did you have lunch yet?
Paulo: Not yet.
Example 3
Clara: Já foi ao novo restaurante?
Paulo: Ainda não.
Translation:
Clara: Have you been to the new restaurant?
Paulo: Not yet.
Ainda Não? in a Question
Example 1
Clara: Você está a caminho?
Paulo: Não, ainda estou no trabalho.
Clara: Você ainda não saiu do escritório?
Translation:
Clara: Are you on your way?
Paulo: No, I am still at work.
Clara: You haven’t left the office yet?
Example 2
Hugo, Mel e Téo: Você ainda não colocou a comida da gente?!!
Translation:
Hugo, Mel, and Téo: You haven’t put our food yet?!!
There is more about Ainda
Make sure you also visit my lesson showing how to use Ainda to say “even more”, “even less”, “even better”, etc. Super useful. Visit the lesson now to make your Portuguese more effective.
Ainda Bem
Ainda bem is a great expression that we use all the time here in Brazil. I teach it in my book 51 Portuguese Idioms – Speak Like a Brazilian.
Get the book at Amazon.com to sound really good and natural speak Brazilian Portuguese.
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Nathan Tumazi says
August 19, 2015 at 9:08 pmOi Luciana,
I am a huge fan of yours! Your website is da hora! 🙂
I wanted to ask you: In the sentence ” Lembre que você ainda tem que passar que na casa da sua mãe” Why do we have to say “passar que…”? Could we not just say ” Lembre que você ainda tem que passar na casa da sua mãe”?
Abs!!
Luciana Lage says
August 20, 2015 at 5:55 amOh no, that was a typo 🙁 Thank you so much for bringing that extra “que” to my attention. I have fixed it.
Muito obrigada por acompanhar o blog e pelo seu comentário, Nathan 🙂
John Thomason says
August 18, 2015 at 2:13 pmI find it interesting that caminho doesn’t use an article in these examples although trabalho does.
Luciana Lage says
August 18, 2015 at 5:54 pmOi, John
That is a good observation. “A caminho” means “On my way”. But we do not use the possessive.
Karl Winner says
August 18, 2015 at 10:37 am“… da dua mãe.”
Typo??
da sua mãe … instead??
just wondering about the word “dua” here.
Luciana Lage says
August 18, 2015 at 12:55 pmTypo! Thank you so much for showing me that. I have just fixed it.