Na Reunião Diária
Running a stand-up · a free Portuguese (Portugal) immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Vamos começar o stand-up de hoje.
Let's start today's stand-up.
Literal Let us begin the stand-up of today.
A direct, natural way to open the daily meeting. 'Vamos + infinitivo' is the standard first-person plural suggestion form.
- 'Vamos + infinitivo' expresses a collective suggestion or action.
- 'De hoje' (of today) specifies which stand-up is meant.
Ontem terminei a implementação da nova funcionalidade.
Yesterday I finished the implementation of the new feature.
Literal Yesterday I-finished the implementation of-the new feature.
'Terminei' is the first-person singular preterite of 'terminar', used to report completed work. 'Da' is the contracted form of 'de + a'.
- 'Terminei' is the preterite of 'terminar' (to finish) — regular -ar verb.
- 'Da nova funcionalidade' = de + a + noun phrase; feminine contraction.
Estou a trabalhar na correção de um erro crítico.
I'm working on fixing a critical bug.
Literal I am to work on-the fix of a bug critical.
European Portuguese present continuous uses 'estar a + infinitivo', unlike Brazilian Portuguese which uses the gerund (-ndo). 'Na' is 'em + a'.
- 'Estar a + infinitivo' is the European Portuguese present continuous.
- 'Na correção' = em + a + correção (on the fix).
Tenho um bloqueador que me impede de avançar.
I have a blocker that's preventing me from moving forward.
Literal I-have a blocker that me prevents from advance.
'Tenho' (I have) introduces the problem. The relative clause 'que me impede de + infinitivo' means 'that prevents me from doing something'.
- 'Tenho' is the irregular first-person singular present of 'ter' (to have).
- 'Impedir de + infinitivo' = to prevent from + verb-ing.
Podes explicar melhor o problema que encontraste?
Can you explain the problem you found better?
Literal Can-you explain better the problem that you-found?
A polite clarifying question. 'Podes + infinitivo' is the informal 'can you + verb'. 'Encontraste' is the second-person singular preterite, characteristic of European Portuguese.
- 'Podes + infinitivo' = can you + verb (informal, European Portuguese).
- 'Encontraste' is the tu-form preterite of 'encontrar'; Brazilian uses 'encontrou'.
Vou começar a rever o código depois do stand-up.
I'm going to start reviewing the code after the stand-up.
Literal I-go to start to review the code after the stand-up.
'Ir + infinitivo' expresses near-future plans, equivalent to 'going to' in English. 'Depois do' (after the) signals when the action will happen.
- 'Vou + infinitivo' (ir + infinitivo) is the standard near-future construction.
- 'Depois de + definite article' = after the; 'do' = de + o.
A reunião de refinamento foi adiada para amanhã.
The refinement meeting was postponed to tomorrow.
Literal The meeting of refinement was postponed for tomorrow.
'Foi adiada' is the passive voice in the preterite: 'foi' (was) + past participle. 'Adiada' agrees in gender with 'reunião' (feminine).
- 'Foi + particípio passado' forms the passive in the preterite.
- 'Adiada' is the feminine past participle of 'adiar' (to postpone).
Precisamos de ajuda do time de infraestrutura para resolver isto.
We need help from the infrastructure team to resolve this.
Literal We-need of help from-the team of infrastructure to resolve this.
In European Portuguese, 'precisar de' requires the preposition 'de' before the noun. 'Para + infinitivo' expresses purpose.
- 'Precisar de + noun' = to need something; 'de' is obligatory in European Portuguese.
- 'Para + infinitivo' expresses purpose or intention.
Alguém tem impedimentos para partilhar?
Does anyone have impediments to share?
Literal Anyone has impediments to share?
A classic stand-up prompt to invite blockers from the team. 'Alguém' (anyone) always takes a third-person singular verb.
- 'Alguém' always triggers singular verb agreement.
- 'Para + infinitivo' here expresses intention — 'to share'.
Ótimo, então ficamos por aqui por hoje.
Great, then we'll wrap up here for today.
Literal Great, then we-stay for here for today.
'Ficamos por aqui' is a natural idiomatic phrase to close a meeting, meaning 'we'll leave it here'. 'Então' signals a concluding transition.
- 'Ficamos por aqui' is an idiomatic closing expression for meetings.
- 'Por hoje' = for today; commonly used to signal the end of a session.
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
bloqueador
blocker
Tenho um bloqueador que me impede de avançar.
I have a blocker that's preventing me from moving forward.
Common in Portuguese tech teams; 'impedimento' is the formal Scrum equivalent.
funcionalidade
feature
Terminei a implementação da nova funcionalidade ontem.
I finished the implementation of the new feature yesterday.
Standard term in Portuguese tech workplaces where English speakers would say 'feature'.
terminar
to finish
Vou terminar o relatório antes do stand-up.
I'm going to finish the report before the stand-up.
Regular -ar verb. Preterite: terminei (I), terminaste (you), terminou (he/she).
avançar
to move forward
Não consigo avançar sem acesso ao servidor.
I can't move forward without access to the server.
Used in work contexts to mean making progress; also means 'to advance' literally.
refinamento
refinement
A reunião de refinamento é às três da tarde.
The refinement meeting is at three in the afternoon.
Direct adoption from Agile; used as 'refinamento do backlog' for backlog refinement.
impedimento
impediment
Alguém tem impedimentos para partilhar?
Does anyone have impediments to share?
The formal Scrum term; plural is 'impedimentos'. Interchangeable with 'bloqueador' in practice.
partilhar
to share
Vou partilhar o ecrã para mostrar o erro.
I'm going to share the screen to show the error.
European Portuguese for 'to share'; Brazilian Portuguese uses 'compartilhar'.
correção
fix
Estou a trabalhar na correção de um erro crítico.
I'm working on fixing a critical bug.
Plural is 'correções'. In tech contexts: 'correção de erros' = bug fixes.
reunião
meeting
A reunião diária começa às nove e meia.
The daily meeting starts at half past nine.
Plural is 'reuniões'. 'Reunião diária' is the direct translation of 'daily stand-up'.
adiado
postponed
O sprint review foi adiado para a próxima semana.
The sprint review was postponed to next week.
Past participle of 'adiar' (to postpone); agrees in gender: adiado/adiada.
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
A equipa reúne-se todos os dias às nove e meia para o stand-up. A Marta começa por dizer que ontem terminou a integração com a API externa. O Pedro está a trabalhar numa correção urgente e tem um bloqueador: não consegue aceder aos registos de produção. A Sónia pergunta se alguém pode ajudá-lo a resolver o problema de acesso. O Tiago oferece-se para ajudar depois do stand-up. A reunião termina em menos de quinze minutos.
Sentence by sentence
A equipa reúne-se todos os dias às nove e meia
The team meets every day at half past nine
'Reúne-se' is the reflexive form of 'reunir' (to meet/gather). 'Todos os dias' = every day. 'Às nove e meia' = at half past nine ('e meia' = and a half).
começa por dizer que ontem terminou
starts by saying that yesterday she finished
'Começar por + infinitivo' means 'to start by doing something'. 'Terminou' is the third-person singular preterite, reporting her completed work.
está a trabalhar numa correção urgente
is working on an urgent fix
'Está a trabalhar' is the European Portuguese present continuous. 'Numa' is a contraction of 'em + uma' (on a).
não consegue aceder aos registos de produção
can't access the production logs
'Não consegue' = can't / is unable to. 'Aceder a' = to access. 'Aos' = a + os (to the, masculine plural). 'Registos de produção' = production logs.
O Tiago oferece-se para ajudar depois do stand-up
Tiago offers to help after the stand-up
'Oferecer-se para + infinitivo' = to offer to do something (reflexive). 'Depois do' = after the ('do' = de + o).
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
European Portuguese Present Continuous: estar a + infinitivo
In European Portuguese, ongoing actions use 'estar' (conjugated) + 'a' + infinitive. This is different from Brazilian Portuguese, which uses the gerund (-ndo form). Use this structure to describe what you are doing right now — essential for reporting work in progress during a stand-up.
estar (conjugated) + a + infinitivo
Estou a trabalhar no relatório.
I'm working on the report.
A Sara está a rever o código.
Sara is reviewing the code.
Estamos a resolver o bloqueador.
We're resolving the blocker.
O que estás a fazer agora?
What are you doing right now?
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Portuguese (Portugal): 'I am working on fixing a critical bug.'
Hint Use 'estar a + infinitivo' for the present continuous in European Portuguese.
Complete the sentence: 'Tenho um ___ que me impede de avançar.'
Hint This is a stand-up term for something stopping your progress.
Translate to English: 'Alguém tem impedimentos para partilhar?'
Hint 'Alguém' means 'anyone/someone' and 'partilhar' means 'to share'.
Which sentence correctly uses the European Portuguese present continuous?
Rewrite using the present continuous (estar a + infinitivo): 'Eu começo a reunião de refinamento.'
Hint Change the present simple verb to 'estou a' + the infinitive of the same verb.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
Nice work, you understood something real today. Come back tomorrow for a fresh one.
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