How to Say ‘That is exactly what I wanted to ask.’ in Portuguese
Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.
EH-ruh EE-soo MEZH-moo kuh kuh-REE-uh pair-goon-TAR
[EH-ruh EE-soo MEZH-moo kuh kuh-REE-uh pair-goon-TAR]
💬 Usage Tip: [Isso mesmo] is a very useful chunk meaning [exactly that] or [that's right]. You can use it on its own to confirm something: [—É para sábado? —Isso mesmo.]
Phrase Breakdown
Era isso mesmo
EH-ruh EE-soo MEZH-moo
That was exactly it / That's right
Confirms that the previous point is correct or exactly what was meant.
Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.
That was exactly what I wanted to ask.
Words in this phrase
Era
[EH-ruh]
was / that was
Used here to confirm that the other person understood correctly.
Na frase “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “Era” confirma a ideia anterior.
In the sentence “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “Era” confirms the previous idea.
isso
[EE-soo]
that
Points to the exact thing being discussed.
Em “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “isso” refere-se ao tema mencionado.
In “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “isso” refers to the topic mentioned.
mesmo
[MEZH-moo]
exactly / indeed
Adds emphasis to show precise agreement.
Na frase “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “mesmo” reforça que era exatamente isso.
In the sentence “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “mesmo” reinforces that it was exactly that.
Que queria perguntar
kuh kuh-REE-uh pair-goon-TAR
That I wanted to ask
Introduces the main action of the speaker: asking the question.
Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.
That was exactly what I wanted to ask.
Words in this phrase
que
[kuh]
that / which
Relative pronoun connecting the confirmation to the intended question.
Em “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “que” liga a confirmação à ação de perguntar.
In “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “que” links the confirmation to the act of asking.
queria
[kuh-REE-uh]
wanted
Imperfect of querer, often softer and more polite in conversation.
Na frase “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “queria” torna a frase mais delicada.
In the sentence “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “queria” makes the phrase softer.
perguntar
[pair-goon-TAR]
to ask
Verb used when introducing a question or enquiry.
Em “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “perguntar” indica a dúvida do cliente.
In “Era isso mesmo que queria perguntar.”, “perguntar” indicates the customer’s question.
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