Portuguese Phrase
Não, preciso de um momento.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘No, I need a moment.’ It is a polite way to ask for a short pause, either to think, to catch your breath, or to decline an immediate request.
When to use
Use this phrase when someone asks you to do something right away and you need a brief break, or when you want to politely refuse to continue a conversation until you have a moment to collect your thoughts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Não,precisodeummomento.
Negation (Não)
‘Não’ is the standard word for ‘no’ or ‘not’, placed before the statement to negate it.
Verb ‘precisar’ (preciso)
‘Preciso’ is the first‑person singular present of ‘precisar’ (to need). It follows the regular -ar conjugation pattern.
Preposition ‘de’
‘De’ links the verb ‘precisar’ with the noun that follows, meaning ‘of’ or ‘for’ in this construction.
Indefinite article ‘um’
‘Um’ is the masculine singular indefinite article, equivalent to ‘a’ or ‘an’ in English.
Noun ‘momento’
‘Momento’ means ‘moment’; it is a masculine noun that can refer to a short period of time.
🗨In Conversation
Você pode me ajudar agora?
Can you help me right now?
Não, preciso de um momento.
No, I need a moment.
✕Common Mistakes
Não eu preciso de um momento.
The pronoun ‘eu’ is usually omitted; placing it after ‘não’ sounds unnatural.
Não, preciso de tempo.
‘Tempo’ can mean a longer period; ‘momento’ is preferred for a brief pause.
Não preciso de um momento.
Without the comma, the sentence can be interpreted as a statement rather than a polite refusal.
↔Alternatives
Não, preciso de um instante.
No, I need a split second.
Não, preciso de um tempinho.
No, I need a little time.
Não, preciso de um momento, por favor.
No, I need a moment, please.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, adding a comma after ‘Não’ signals a polite, softened refusal. ‘Momento’ is the most common word for a short pause, but ‘instante’ or ‘tempinho’ can be used for a slightly more informal tone. Adding ‘por favor’ at the end makes the request even more courteous.