How to Say ‘I was thinking.’ in Portuguese
Estava a pensar.
esh-TAH-vah ah pen-SAR
[esh-TAH-vah ah pen-SAR]
💬 Usage Tip: European Portuguese often uses [estar a] + verb for what English says with [be ...ing]: [estava a pensar], [estou a ver]. In Brazil you'll often hear [estava pensando] instead.
Phrase Breakdown
Estava
[esh-TAH-vah]
I was
Imperfect tense of 'to be', often used to soften a statement or suggestion.
Usei «Estava» para soar menos direto.
I used “I was” to sound less direct.
a
[ah]
to
In this structure, it links the verb to an ongoing action, like 'was thinking'.
O «a» liga a ação de forma natural.
The “to” links the action naturally.
pensar
[pen-SAR]
thinking
Gerund-like meaning in the phrase «estar a pensar», meaning to be thinking.
Disse «pensar» para introduzir uma ideia com cuidado.
I said “thinking” to introduce an idea carefully.
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