Portuguese Phrase
Por favor, chega na hora pra aquecer.
Meaning
A polite request asking someone to arrive exactly on time so that they can start warming up, typically before a sports practice, rehearsal, or any activity that requires a warm‑up period.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal group settings – sports teams, dance classes, band rehearsals, or any casual gathering where punctuality matters. It’s too informal for a formal business meeting, where you’d use the formal imperative ‘chegue’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Porfavorcheganahorapraaquecer
Por favor
A polite phrase used to soften requests; placed at the beginning of a sentence.
Imperative (tu) – chega
The verb ‘chegar’ in the informal second‑person singular imperative; used with friends or peers.
Preposition + article – na
‘na’ is the contraction of ‘em + a’, meaning ‘in/on the’. Here it forms the time expression ‘na hora’ (on time).
Contraction – pra
‘pra’ is the colloquial contraction of ‘para’, common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
Infinitive purpose – aquecer
The infinitive after ‘pra’ expresses purpose: ‘to warm up’.
🗨In Conversation
Oi, tudo bem? Já estamos quase prontos para começar.
Hey, how are you? We’re almost ready to start.
Por favor, chega na hora pra aquecer.
Please arrive on time to warm up.
✕Common Mistakes
Por favor, chegue na hora pra aquecer.
‘Chegue’ is the formal imperative (você). Using it with friends sounds overly formal; the informal ‘chega’ is appropriate here.
Por favor, chega na hora para aquecer.
While grammatically correct, the longer ‘para’ sounds more formal; in casual speech Brazilians prefer ‘pra’. Both are acceptable, but the original phrase aims for a colloquial tone.
Por favor, chega de hora pra aquecer.
Some learners add ‘de’ (chega de hora) which changes the meaning to ‘stop the hour’. The correct preposition is ‘na’ (in/on).
↔Alternatives
Por favor, chegue na hora para aquecer.
Please arrive on time to warm up.
Chega pontualmente para aquecer, por favor.
Arrive punctually to warm up, please.
Chegue na hora certa para aquecer.
Arrive at the right time to warm up.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, punctuality for informal activities like sports or rehearsals is expected, but the command ‘chega’ can sound abrupt. Adding ‘por favor’ makes it friendly. Remember that ‘chega’ is the ‘tu’ form; if you’re speaking to someone you’d address with ‘você’, use the formal imperative ‘chegue’.