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Read the dialogue
Paulo is at his desk during lunch break. A colleague stops by to invite him to eat.
A: Ô Paulo, você não quer almoçar?
Hey Paulo, don't you want to go eat lunch?
B: Obrigado, hoje não. Acho que vou ficar aqui trabalhando mais um pouco.
Thanks, not today. I think I'm going to stay here working for a little longer.
A: Mas, você tem que comer também, não é?
But you've gotta eat too, right?
B: Depois, tem mil e uma coisas pra fazer aqui primeiro. Vai você, eu como depois.
Later, there are a million things to do here first. Go ahead, I'll eat later.
A: Tá bom, mas você não pode trabalhar o tempo todo. Assim não dá.
OK, but you can't work all the time. It just won't do.
B: Eu sei, é só hoje. Realmente, eu preciso terminar esse projeto.
I know, it's just for today. Really, I need to finish this project.
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Language focus
Focus 1
Ter que + infinitivo & Precisar + infinitivo
English: have to / need to
Both express obligation or necessity. They are nearly interchangeable in everyday speech.
Ter que often sounds a bit more external (you have to, the situation demands it).
Precisar often sounds more personal (I need to, it's important to me).
Ter que often sounds a bit more external (you have to, the situation demands it).
Precisar often sounds more personal (I need to, it's important to me).
Você tem que comer também.
You have to eat too. Eu preciso terminar esse projeto.
I need to finish this project. A gente tem que sair daqui às seis.
We have to leave by six. Ele precisa descansar um pouco.
He needs to rest a little.
You have to eat too. Eu preciso terminar esse projeto.
I need to finish this project. A gente tem que sair daqui às seis.
We have to leave by six. Ele precisa descansar um pouco.
He needs to rest a little.
Focus 2
Ir + infinitivo — near future
English: going to (do something)
Use vou / vai / vamos + infinitive to talk about what's going to happen soon. This is the most natural way to express future plans in everyday Brazilian Portuguese.
Acho que vou ficar aqui trabalhando.
I think I'm going to stay here working. Ela vai almoçar com a equipe.
She's going to have lunch with the team. Nós vamos terminar o projeto hoje.
We're going to finish the project today. Você vai sair mais cedo amanhã?
Are you going to leave earlier tomorrow?
I think I'm going to stay here working. Ela vai almoçar com a equipe.
She's going to have lunch with the team. Nós vamos terminar o projeto hoje.
We're going to finish the project today. Você vai sair mais cedo amanhã?
Are you going to leave earlier tomorrow?
Focus 3
Expressões-chave do diálogo
Essential everyday expressions
These fixed expressions appear constantly in Brazilian workplaces and daily conversation. Learn them as ready-made chunks.
Assim não dá — It won't work this way / That's not sustainable
Mil e uma coisas — A million things (lit. "a thousand and one")
O tempo todo — All the time / non-stop
Mais um pouco — A little longer / a bit more
É só hoje — It's just for today
Não é? — Right? / Isn't it? (tag question, very common)
Mil e uma coisas — A million things (lit. "a thousand and one")
O tempo todo — All the time / non-stop
Mais um pouco — A little longer / a bit more
É só hoje — It's just for today
Não é? — Right? / Isn't it? (tag question, very common)
🍽 Culture note
In Brazil, almoço is a serious meal — often the biggest of the day. A lunch break of one to two hours is normal. Skipping lunch or eating at your desk is still unusual and seen as unhealthy. Eating together strengthens workplace bonds (o almoço une a equipe).
🔊 Phonology note
The gerund ending -ndo — stress falls on the syllable before: tra-ba-LHAN-do. In Brazilian Portuguese, the gerund is used for ongoing actions (estou trabalhando = I'm working), whereas European Portuguese uses infinitive after preposition (estou a trabalhar).
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Exercises
Exercise 1 — Comprehension check
Choose the correct answer based on the dialogue.
Exercise 2 — Ter que or precisar?
Fill in the gap with the correct form: tem que, tenho que, precisa, or preciso. More than one answer may be possible — choose the one that feels most natural.
1. Eu entregar o relatório hoje.
2. Você comer — já é uma da tarde!
3. Ele descansar mais.
4. Eu terminar esse projeto antes das cinco.
5. A gente sair daqui logo.
Exercise 3 — Near future with ir + infinitivo
Rewrite each sentence in the near future using the correct form of ir. Write the full sentence.
Exercise 4 — What does it mean?
Match each expression to its English meaning.
Exercise 5 — Your turn
Think about your own work routine. Write 4–6 sentences in Portuguese about what you have to do this week, what you are going to do, and one thing that assim não dá — something that just isn't working. Use ter que or precisar, ir + infinitivo, and at least one expression from Focus 3.
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