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How to Say ‘It must be a breakdown.’ in Portuguese

Deve ser avaria.

DEH-vee sehr uh-vuh-REE-uh

[DEH-vee sehr uh-vuh-REE-uh]

💬 Usage Tip: deve ser means "it must be", for a good guess. You can reuse it freely: deve ser o gás "it must be the gas".

Phrase Breakdown

Deve

[DEH-vee]

must

Indicates necessity or obligation.

Example

Ele deve estudar mais.

He must study more.

ser

[sehr]

Existence or state of being.

Example

Isso pode ser verdade.

That might be true.

avaria

[uh-vuh-REE-uh]

breakdown / fault

A mechanical or technical failure in a machine or appliance.

Example

O carro tem uma avaria.

The car has a fault.

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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