Portuguese Phrase
Estamos um pouco atrasados.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘We are a little late.’ It conveys that the speakers are slightly behind schedule, often used as a polite apology for a minor delay.
When to use
Use this phrase when you arrive a few minutes late to a meeting, a class, a dinner reservation, or any informal gathering. It’s also appropriate in semi‑formal contexts when you want to acknowledge the delay without sounding overly apologetic.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Estamosumpoucoatrasados
Estar (present)
‘Estamos’ is the 1st‑person plural present of ‘estar’, used for temporary states such as being late.
Quantifier ‘um pouco’
‘Um pouco’ means ‘a little’ and modifies the adjective that follows, softening the statement.
Adjective agreement
‘Atrasados’ is the masculine plural form of the adjective ‘atrasado’, matching the plural subject ‘nós’ (we).
🗨In Conversation
Desculpe, estamos um pouco atrasados.
Sorry, we’re a little late.
Sem problema, eu também cheguei tarde.
No problem, I’m also a bit late.
✕Common Mistakes
Somos um pouco atrasados.
‘Ser’ describes permanent traits; use ‘estar’ for temporary states like being late.
Estamos um pouco atrasado.
The adjective must agree with the plural subject.
Estamos atrasados um pouco.
Avoid placing the quantifier after the adjective; it should modify the adjective directly.
↔Alternatives
Chegamos um pouco atrasados.
We arrived a little late.
Estamos ligeiramente atrasados.
We are slightly late.
Estamos um tantinho atrasados.
We’re a tiny bit late.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, a few minutes of lateness is socially acceptable in casual settings, but in business or formal events it’s courteous to acknowledge the delay and apologize. The word ‘atrasado’ can sound stronger than ‘um pouco atrasado’, so the quantifier helps keep the tone light.