Portuguese Phrase
Quanto tempo demora pra chegar, mais ou menos?
Meaning
Literally: ‘How much time does it take to get there, more or less?’ It’s a casual way to ask for an approximate travel or waiting time.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal conversations – when you’re waiting for a friend, a delivery, a bus, or any situation where you need a rough estimate of how long something will take.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quantotempodemoraprachegarmaisoumenos
Quanto + substantivo
‘Quanto’ works like ‘how much/how many’ and must agree with the noun that follows (tempo).
Demorar (verb)
Demorar is used to ask about duration; it is conjugated here in the third‑person singular present.
Pra (colloquial para)
‘Pra’ is the informal contraction of ‘para’; it is very common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
Infinitive after ‘para’
When ‘para’ (or ‘pra’) introduces a purpose or destination, it is followed by an infinitive verb (chegar).
Mais ou menos
A set phrase meaning ‘more or less’, used to ask for an approximate answer or to soften a statement.
🗨In Conversation
Quanto tempo demora pra chegar, mais ou menos?
How long does it take to get there, roughly?
Uns 20 minutos, se o trânsito estiver tranquilo.
About 20 minutes, if traffic’s light.
✕Common Mistakes
Quanto tempo demora chegar?
Missing the preposition ‘pra/para’; the verb ‘demorar’ normally needs a complement introduced by ‘para’.
Quanto tempo demora pra chegar mais ou menos?
Placing ‘mais ou menos’ at the very end without a pause can sound rushed; a short pause (comma) helps the phrase flow naturally.
Quanto tempo demora pra chegar, mais ou menos?
In very formal writing you should use ‘para’ instead of the colloquial ‘pra’.
↔Alternatives
Quanto tempo leva para chegar, aproximadamente?
How long does it take to arrive, approximately?
Quanto tempo vai demorar, mais ou menos?
How long will it take, more or less?
Tem como me dizer o tempo estimado de chegada?
Can you tell me the estimated arrival time?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘mais ou menos’ is a friendly hedge that shows you don’t need an exact figure. It’s perfectly natural in everyday speech, but avoid it in very formal contexts such as business meetings or official emails, where a precise estimate is preferred.