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

Lamento, ela está numa reunião.

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

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

💬 Usage Tip: numa is em "in" plus uma "a" merged together, and this always happens. Likewise num escritório "in an office".

Phrase Breakdown

Lamento,

lah-MEN-too

I'm sorry,

A polite way to say 'I'm sorry' when giving bad news. Say it 'luh-MEN-tu'.

Example

Lamento, não sei.

I'm sorry, I don't know.

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.

ela está

EH-lah shtah

she is

'Ela' means 'she'. 'Está' describes a temporary state or location, and the stress falls on 'TÁ'.

Example

Ela está em casa.

She is at home.

Words in this phrase

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.

'Numa' is 'em' + 'uma' (in a). 'Reunião' ends with a nasal 'ão': 'rri-u-nee-ÃO'.

Example

Estou numa reunião.

I'm 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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