Portuguese Phrase
Você pode me ligar pra me acordar?
Meaning
A polite, informal request asking someone to give you a phone call at a specific time so that the call will serve as an alarm and wake you up. The speaker relies on another person’s call instead of a traditional alarm clock.
When to use
Use this phrase with friends, family members, roommates, or coworkers when you need a personal wake‑up call, especially for early appointments, flights, or when you know the other person will be awake at that hour.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vocêpodemeligarprameacordar?
Poder + infinitivo
The verb *poder* (can) is followed by another verb in the infinitive to express ability or permission.
Pronome átono antes do infinitivo
Clitic pronouns (me, te, se, etc.) are placed directly before the infinitive when the infinitive is not preceded by a preposition.
Contraction *pra*
*Pra* is the informal spoken contraction of *para* and is common in everyday Brazilian Portuguese.
Reflexive verb *acordar*
*Acordar* can be used reflexively (me acordar) to mean ‘to wake oneself up’.
Question mark
In Portuguese, the interrogative sentence is marked only with the final question mark; the opening *?* is not used.
🗨In Conversation
Você pode me ligar pra me acordar?
Can you call me to wake me up?
Claro! Que horas você quer que eu ligue?
Sure! What time do you want me to call?
✕Common Mistakes
Você pode ligar‑me pra me acordar?
In modern Brazilian Portuguese the clitic pronoun comes before the infinitive, not after it.
Você pode me ligar para me acordar?
While *para* is correct, the informal *pra* is more natural in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
Você pode me ligar pra acordar?
If you omit the second *me*, the sentence loses the reflexive meaning and sounds like you’re asking someone to wake you up *for* something else.
↔Alternatives
Você pode me chamar para me acordar?
Can you call me to wake me up?
Você pode me telefonar para me acordar?
Can you phone me to wake me up?
Pode me ligar de manhã para eu acordar?
Can you call me in the morning so I can wake up?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, it’s common to ask a trusted friend or family member for a ‘wake‑up call’ (ligação de despertador). The informal *pra* reflects everyday speech, but in more formal contexts you would use *para*. Also, remember that the clitic pronoun *me* stays before the infinitive (me ligar, me acordar) – placing it after the verb (*ligar‑me*) sounds overly formal or archaic.