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How to Say ‘The little one is still at daycare.’ in Portuguese

O pequeno ainda está na creche.

oo pe-KE-no eye-EEN-duh esh-TAH nah KREH-sh

[oo pe-KE-no eye-EEN-duh esh-TAH nah KREH-sh]

Phrase Breakdown

O pequeno

oo pe-KE-no

The little one

'Pequeno' means 'small'. With 'o' it means 'the little one' or 'the youngest'. In Portugal the first 'e' almost disappears: 'oo pkeh-noo'.

Example

O pequeno está a dormir.

The little one is sleeping.

Words in this phrase

[oo]

the

Masculine singular definite article meaning the.

Example

O check-in fecha cedo.

The check-in closes early.

pequeno

[pe-KE-no]

Small

Of a size that is less than normal or usual.

Example

A sala é pequena.

The room is small.

ainda está na creche.

eye-EEN-duh esh-TAH nah KREH-sh

is still at daycare.

'Ainda' (still) comes before the verb. Say it smoothly: 'uh-EEN-duh shTAH nuh KREHSH'.

Example

Ela ainda está na escola.

She's still at school.

Words in this phrase

ainda

[eye-EEN-duh]

still

Adverb meaning still or yet, depending on context.

Example

Ainda há esperança de vencer.

There is still hope of winning.

está

[esh-TAH]

Form of estar, used for condition or state.

Example

Está pronto para embarcar.

It is ready for boarding / You are ready to board.

[nah]

in the

A contraction of em + a, meaning 'in the' for a feminine singular noun.

Example

Na minha família, fazemos uma festa todos os anos.

In my family, we have a party every year.

creche

[KREH-sh]

nursery; daycare

A daycare centre for babies and toddlers.

Example

Levo a bebé à creche.

I take the baby to daycare.

Guides for Portuguese learners

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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