Portuguese Phrase
Para que horas e quantas pessoas?
Meaning
Literally, ‘For what hours and how many people?’, this question is used to gather the exact time and the number of participants for a reservation, event, or meeting. It combines two common interrogative structures – ‘que horas’ (what time) and ‘quantas pessoas’ (how many people).
When to use
Use this phrase when you are booking a table at a restaurant, arranging a meeting room, or confirming details for any event that requires a specific start time and a headcount. It works in both formal and informal contexts, though you may hear a slightly more casual version in everyday conversation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Paraquehorasequantaspessoas?
Para (preposition)
‘Para’ introduces the purpose or target of a question, similar to ‘for’ in English.
Que horas (time question)
Use ‘que horas’ (literally ‘what hours’) to ask about the time; it is the standard way to inquire about a specific hour.
E (conjunction)
‘E’ simply links two parts of the question, meaning ‘and’.
Quantas (interrogative adjective)
‘Quantas’ agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies – here ‘pessoas’, a feminine plural noun.
Pessoas (noun)
‘Pessoas’ means ‘people’; it is always feminine in Portuguese, even when referring to a mixed‑gender group.
🗨In Conversation
Para que horas e quantas pessoas?
For what time and how many people?
Para as oito horas, e somos quatro.
For eight o’clock, and there are four of us.
✕Common Mistakes
Para qual horas e quantas pessoas?
‘Qual’ does not agree with the plural ‘horas’; the correct phrase is ‘que horas’.
Para que horas e quantos pessoas?
‘Pessoas’ is feminine, so the interrogative must be ‘quantas’, not ‘quantos’.
Para que hora e quantas pessoas?
When asking about a specific hour, Portuguese uses the plural ‘horas’, even if you expect a single answer.
↔Alternatives
A que horas e quantas pessoas?
At what time and how many people?
Qual o horário e quantas pessoas?
What is the time and how many people?
Para que horário e quantas pessoas?
For which time and how many people?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil and Portugal, it is common to confirm both the time and the number of guests before a reservation. Restaurants often ask this to allocate the right size table and to plan staff. When speaking to a host, a polite tone and a brief ‘por favor’ can make the request sound more courteous. In more formal settings (e.g., business meetings), you might add ‘por favor’ and use the formal ‘você’ or ‘senhor(a)’ after the question.