🤔🚶‍♂️🔄🚶‍♀️⏰

How to Say ‘Maybe we'll run into each other around’ in Portuguese

Se calhar ainda nos cruzamos por aí

seh kah-LYAR ah-EEN-dah noosh kroo-ZAH-moosh poor ah-EE

[seh kah-LYAR ah-EEN-dah noosh kroo-ZAH-moosh poor ah-EE]

🇵🇹 In Portugal: A relaxed, low-pressure goodbye that leaves the door open without asking for a number. It lets both people save face if the interest isn't mutual.

Phrase Breakdown

Se calhar

seh kah-LYAR

Maybe

A very common European Portuguese way to say 'perhaps'. Say 'se ka-LHAR'. The 'lh' sounds like 'lli' in 'million'.

Example

Se calhar chove amanhã.

Maybe it'll rain tomorrow.

Words in this phrase

[seh]

if (part of 'se calhar': maybe)

Combined with 'calhar' it forms a very common Portuguese expression meaning 'maybe' or 'perhaps'.

Example

Se calhar vou ao bar amanhã.

Maybe I'll go to the bar tomorrow.

calhar

[kah-LYAR]

to happen by chance

Verb meaning to happen or turn out; in 'se calhar' it means 'perhaps'.

Example

Calhou estarmos no mesmo sítio.

We happened to be in the same place.

ainda nos cruzamos

ah-EEN-dah noosh kroo-ZAH-moosh

we'll still bump into each other

'Ainda' means 'still' and 'nos cruzamos' means 'we cross paths'. Say 'a-IN-da nush kru-ZA-mush'.

Example

Ainda nos cruzamos um dia destes.

We'll bump into each other one of these days.

Words in this phrase

ainda

[ah-EEN-dah]

still, even (someday)

Here it suggests something may still happen in the future.

Example

Ainda nos vemos esta semana.

We'll still see each other this week.

nos

[noosh]

each other

Reflexive/reciprocal pronoun for 'we', meaning 'each other' or 'ourselves'.

Example

Nós conhecemo-nos ontem.

We met each other yesterday.

cruzamos

[kroo-ZAH-moosh]

we cross paths, we run into

Form of 'cruzar' (to cross) for 'we'; with 'nos' it means to bump into each other.

Example

Cruzamos-nos sempre no café.

We always run into each other at the café.

por aí

poor ah-EE

around

Means 'around' or 'out there'. Stress the final 'í': 'pur a-I'.

Example

Vemo-nos por aí.

See you around.

Words in this phrase

por

[poor]

around, through

Preposition indicating movement or location in a vague area.

Example

Andei por Lisboa toda a tarde.

I walked around Lisbon all afternoon.

aí

[ah-EE]

there, around

With 'por', 'por aí' means 'around' or 'out and about'.

Example

Vemo-nos por aí!

See you around!

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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