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How to Say ‘I'm sorry, but she's in a meeting.’ in Portuguese

Lamento, mas ela está numa reunião.

lah-MEN-too mas EH-lah shtah NOO-mah hee-oo-nee-OWN

[lah-MEN-too mas EH-lah shtah NOO-mah hee-oo-nee-OWN]

Phrase Breakdown

Lamento,

lah-MEN-too

I'm sorry,

This is a polite apology, literally 'I regret'. Say 'luh-MAYN-too'. The 'en' is nasal.

Example

Lamento o atraso.

I'm sorry for the delay.

Words in this phrase

Lamento

[lah-MEN-too]

I'm sorry

From 'lamentar', to regret; a polite way to say sorry.

Example

Lamento, não temos esse tamanho.

I'm sorry, we don't have that size.

mas ela está

mas EH-lah shtah

but she is

'mas' means 'but'. Its 's' links to the vowel in 'ela' with a 'z' sound: 'muh-ZEH-luh shTAH'.

Example

Liguei, mas ela está fora.

I called, but she is out.

Words in this phrase

mas

[mas]

But

Used to introduce something contrasting.

Example

Eu gostaria de ir, mas não posso.

I would like to go, but I can't.

ela

[EH-lah]

she

Third-person feminine subject pronoun.

Example

Ela não come carne.

She doesn't eat meat.

está

[shtah]

are (you, formal) / is

Form of 'estar' (to be, for states) used with 'você' or formal address, or for he/she/it.

Example

O senhor está cansado?

Are you tired, sir?

numa reunião.

NOO-mah hee-oo-nee-OWN

in a meeting.

Say 'NOO-muh ree-oo-nee-OWNG' and keep the final nasal sound.

Example

O chefe está numa reunião.

The boss is in a meeting.

Words in this phrase

numa

[NOO-mah]

in a

Contraction of 'em' + 'uma', used with feminine nouns.

Example

Moro numa casa pequena.

I live in a small house.

reunião

[hee-oo-nee-OWN]

meeting

Feminine noun for a gathering of people, e.g. at work.

Example

A reunião começa às dez.

The meeting starts at ten.

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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