Portuguese Phrase
Agora não consigo me comprometer.
Meaning
Literally, “Now I can’t manage to commit myself.” In everyday speech it means “I can’t commit right now,” whether the commitment is a promise, a project, or a relationship.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to politely decline a request or explain that you’re not in a position to take on a new responsibility at the moment.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Agoranãoconsigomecomprometer.
Agora (now)
An adverb of time placed at the beginning of the sentence to set the temporal context.
não (negation)
The standard negation particle that precedes the verb it negates.
conseguir (modal verb)
A verb meaning ‘to be able to’; when conjugated it works like ‘can’ in English.
me comprometer (reflexive verb)
A reflexive construction meaning ‘to commit oneself’; the pronoun ‘me’ must stay attached to the infinitive.
🗨In Conversation
Você pode participar do projeto?
Can you take part in the project?
Agora não consigo me comprometer.
I can’t commit right now.
✕Common Mistakes
Agora não consigo comprometer-me.
The reflexive pronoun must precede the infinitive, not follow it.
Agora não consigo me compromete.
The infinitive must be fully conjugated: ‘comprometer’ not ‘compromete’.
Agora não consigo me comprometer
Missing the period or exclamation can change the tone; punctuation matters in written Portuguese.
↔Alternatives
No momento, não consigo me comprometer.
At the moment, I can’t commit.
Neste instante, não consigo me comprometer.
At this instant, I can’t commit.
Ainda não consigo me comprometer.
I still can’t commit.
Cultural Tip
In Brazilian Portuguese, using “agora” sounds a bit more immediate, while “no momento” feels slightly more formal. Both are perfectly acceptable, but native speakers often prefer the shorter “agora” in casual conversation.