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How to Say ‘But I'd have to go around the block.’ in Portuguese

Mas tenho de dar a volta ao quarteirão.

mahsh TEN-yoo duh dar ah VOL-tuh ow kwar-tay-ROWNG

[mahsh TEN-yoo duh dar ah VOL-tuh ow kwar-tay-ROWNG]

🇵🇹 In Portugal: Drivers sometimes say this to hint the trip will cost more or take longer. They aren't refusing, and it's fine to say you still want it.

Phrase Breakdown

Mas tenho de dar a volta

mahsh TEN-yoo duh dar ah VOL-tuh

But I have to go around

'Mas' sounds like 'mush' and means 'but'. Say the rest smoothly: 'tenho de dar a volta'.

Example

Mas tenho de dar a volta primeiro.

But I have to go around first.

Words in this phrase

Mas

[mahsh]

but

Used to introduce a condition or playful twist, often teasing in a flirty way.

Example

Mas não penses que me convences assim tão facilmente.

But don’t think you can convince me that easily.

tenho

[TEN-yoo]

I have

First person singular of 'ter'; used to form compound expressions about recent experience.

Example

Tenho tentado dormir mais cedo.

I have been trying to sleep earlier.

[duh]

to (in 'have to')

Ter de means 'to have to'; de links it to the next verb.

Example

Tenho de sair já.

I have to leave now.

dar

[dar]

to give / to do

Dar a volta means to go around.

Example

Vamos dar um passeio.

Let's go for a walk.

[ah]

the (feminine singular)

Same article "a" used before a feminine noun; often unstressed in speech.

Example

A estação é ali à direita.

The station is right there on the right.

volta

[VOL-tuh]

turn / loop

A round trip or circuit; dar a volta is to go around something.

Example

Demos uma volta pela cidade.

We went around the city.

ao quarteirão.

ow kwar-tay-ROWNG

the block.

'Ao' sounds like 'ow'. 'Quarteirão' (city block) ends in a nasal '-RÃO': 'kwar-tay-ROWN'.

Example

Moro ao virar do quarteirão.

I live around the corner of the block.

Words in this phrase

[ow]

to the

Contraction of 'a' + 'o', meaning 'to the' for a masculine noun.

Example

Como chego ao centro?

How do I get to the centre?

quarteirão

[kwar-tay-ROWNG]

block

A city block surrounded by streets.

Example

A farmácia é neste quarteirão.

The pharmacy is on this block.

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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