Back to: How to Say “I Just” in Portuguese
Introduction
In English, we say “I just” to express something that happened a short time ago.
Example: I just ate.
In Portuguese, we don’t translate it literally. Instead, we use the structure:
acabar de + infinitive
2. Structure: “acabar de + infinitive”
Acabar (to finish) + de (preposition) + verb (infinitive).
It means “to have just done something.”
Examples:
Eu acabei de comer. → I just ate.
Ela acabou de chegar. → She just arrived.
Nós acabamos de estudar. → We just studied.
3. Conjugation of “acabar” (Present Tense)
| Subject | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Eu | acabo de | Eu acabo de sair. (I just left.) |
| Você / Ele / Ela | acaba de | Ele acaba de falar. (He just spoke.) |
| Nós | acabamos de | Nós acabamos de chegar. (We just arrived.) |
| Vocês / Eles / Elas | acabam de | Eles acabam de comer. (They just ate.) |
4. Everyday Examples
Eu acabei de acordar. → I just woke up.
Acabamos de comprar uma casa. → We just bought a house.
Eles acabaram de ver o filme. → They just watched the movie.
5. Difference: “I just did” vs. “I only did”
⚠️ Be careful!
Acabei de fazer. → I just did it.
Só fiz. → I only did it. (limiting, not recent past)
Example:
Eu acabei de ligar para você. → I just called you.
Eu só liguei para você. → I only called you.
6. Colloquial Usage in Brazil
In spoken Portuguese, people often emphasize with agora (now).
Acabei de chegar. (I just arrived.)
Acabei de chegar agora. (I literally just arrived right now.)
Both are correct — the second is stronger.
7. Mini Dialogues
👥 Dialogue 1
A: Você já jantou?
B: Sim, eu acabei de comer.
👥 Dialogue 2
A: Por que você está cansado?
B: Acabei de correr 5 km.
👥 Dialogue 3
A: Cadê a Ana?
B: Ela acabou de sair.
8. Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blanks:
a) Eu ______ de estudar. (acabei / só)
b) Eles ______ de chegar.
c) Nós ______ de comprar frutas.
2. Translate into Portuguese:
a) I just woke up.
b) She just called me.
c) We just finished the lesson.
3. Create your own sentences with:
comer
viajar
falar
9. Common Mistakes
❌ Eu só comi → means “I only ate.” (not “I just ate”)
✅ Eu acabei de comer → “I just ate.”
❌ Eu terminei de estudar → means “I finished studying.” (not the same as “I just studied”)
✅ Eu acabei de estudar → “I just studied.”
10. Tips to Remember
Always use acabar de + verb for “I just.”
Think: “I finished doing something right now.”
Add agora for emphasis in spoken Portuguese.
By the end of this lesson, you can express “I just” in Portuguese naturally, both in formal and casual conversation.
Take live classes on Preply with Tutor Gilberto Sapalo: https://preply.com/pt/?pref=MTQxMzIyNjk=&id=1757781526.264349&ep=w1