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How to Say ‘Hold on a minute!’ in Portuguese

Espere um pouco!

eh-SPER-ay oom POH-koo

[eh-SPER-ay oom POH-koo]

💬 Usage Tip: 'Espere' sounds like 'eh-sper-eh', and 'um pouco' means 'a little bit'.

🇵🇹 In Portugal: Commonly used in dramatic and comedic settings in Portuguese TV and film.

Phrase Breakdown

Espere

[eh-SPER-ay]

Wait

To remain stationary or delayed.

Example

Espere um pouco, volto já.

Wait a moment, I'll be right back.

um

[oom]

a

Indicates a single unit or thing.

Example

Pegue um copo.

Get a glass.

pouco

[POH-koo]

little

A small amount or degree.

Example

Espere um pouco para ver o resultado.

Wait a little to see the result.

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