🏠☝️⏰9️⃣

How to Say ‘Inside, I only have a quarter past nine.’ in Portuguese

Lá dentro só tenho às nove e um quarto.

lah DEN-troo soh TEN-yoo ash NOV ee oong KWAR-too

[lah DEN-troo soh TEN-yoo ash NOV ee oong KWAR-too]

Phrase Breakdown

Lá dentro só tenho

lah DEN-troo soh TEN-yoo

Inside I only have

'Só' means 'only'. 'Tenho' is 'TEN-yoo', with the 'nh' like the 'ny' in 'canyon'.

Example

Lá dentro só tenho uma mesa.

Inside I only have one table.

Words in this phrase

Lá

[lah]

there

Points to a place away from the speaker.

Example

Lá fora está cheio.

Outside it's full.

dentro

[DEN-troo]

inside

The interior of a place.

Example

A mesa é lá dentro.

The table is inside.

só

[soh]

only; just

“só” indicates exclusivity: “only one-way” (not round trip).

Example

Só ida, por favor.

One-way only, please.

tenho

[TEN-yoo]

I have

First person singular of 'ter' (to have).

Example

Tenho uma mesa às nove.

I have a table at nine.

às nove e um quarto.

ash NOV ee oong KWAR-too

at quarter past nine.

Run 'nove e um' together smoothly.

Example

O comboio parte às nove e um quarto.

The train leaves at quarter past nine.

Words in this phrase

às

[ash]

at (a specific time)

“às” = “a” + “as”; used before clock times (às 10h30).

Example

Sai às 10h30 da plataforma 5.

It leaves at 10:30 from platform 5.

nove

[NOV]

nine

The number 9; with times, nine o'clock.

Example

Chegamos às nove.

We arrive at nine.

[ee]

and

A simple connector joining two qualities or ideas.

Example

Procuro um ambiente aberto e humano.

I am looking for an open and human environment.

[oong]

An indefinite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Em «um» prazer, o artigo introduz a expressão educada.

In “a” pleasure, the article introduces the polite expression.

quarto

[KWAR-too]

quarter

A quarter of an hour (15 minutes); also means 'room' or 'fourth'.

Example

São seis e um quarto.

It's a quarter past six.

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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