Portuguese · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Late" in Portuguese: tarde
tarde
Note: "to be late": estar atrasado/a
Late in Portuguese is tarde after verbs: chegar tarde, dormir tarde. To be late for something is often estar atrasado/a. Tarde also means afternoon.
Apologizing
Desculpa chegar tarde no jantar.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce tarde
Say it
TAHR-jee
/ˈtaʁ.dʒi/
TAHR-jee — soft d before e in many Brazilian accents.
"Late" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| tarde | late / afternoon Adverb and time-of-day noun. | Adverb and time-of-day noun. |
| chegar tarde | to arrive late Appointments. | Appointments. |
| estar atrasado/a | to be late / running late Status before arriving. | Status before arriving. |
| mais tarde | later Postponing. | Postponing. |
How to use tarde in real life
- 1Apologizing
Desculpa chegar tarde no jantar.
Sorry for arriving late to dinner.
Chegar tarde is the adverb pattern.
- 2Night routine
Ontem dormi tarde por causa do filme.
Yesterday I slept late because of the movie.
Dormir tarde = go to bed late.
- 3Rescheduling
Podemos falar mais tarde, depois das seis?
Can we talk later, after six?
Mais tarde means later.
Mistakes English speakers make with tarde
Incorrect: Eu sou tarde.
Correct: Eu cheguei tarde. / Estou atrasado.
Tarde is not a personal adjective like that. Use a verb or atrasado/a.
Incorrect: Cheguei late.
Correct: Cheguei tarde.
Use tarde, not English late.
Good to know
Tarde does double duty as afternoon (boa tarde) and late. Context makes it clear. For running late to a meeting, atrasado/a is often clearer than tarde alone.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Texting after missing the start of a movie
ChatPal
O filme já começou. Você vem tarde?
The movie already started. Are you coming late?
You
Sim, vou chegar tarde uns dez minutos.
Yes, I'll arrive about ten minutes late.
ChatPal
Beleza. Entrar tarde aqui ainda vale a pena.
Okay. Coming in late here is still worth it.
You
Obrigada. Odeio chegar tarde, sério.
Thanks. I hate arriving late, seriously.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Late" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Late" in Portuguese
Does tarde mean afternoon or late?
Both. Boa tarde is afternoon; chegar tarde is arrive late.
How do I say I'm running late?
Estou atrasado/a.
How do I say later?
Mais tarde.
How do I say too late?
Tarde demais.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
