Portuguese Phrase
Recebeu meu e‑mail anterior?
Meaning
A polite way to ask whether the listener has already read the email you sent earlier. It implies that you are following up on a previous message and need confirmation before proceeding.
When to use
Use this sentence in professional or formal contexts—e.g., when emailing a colleague, client, or professor—and when you need to verify receipt before sending additional information or asking for a response.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Recebeumeue-mailanterior?
Recebeu (verb)
Third‑person singular preterite of the verb *receber* (to receive). Used for formal or polite questions.
meu (possessive)
Possessive adjective meaning “my”, agrees in gender and number with the noun that follows.
e‑mail (noun)
Masculine noun borrowed from English; the article is omitted in questions like this.
anterior (adjective)
Means “previous” or “earlier”. Placed after the noun it modifies.
Question intonation
In spoken Portuguese the rising intonation at the end signals a yes/no question; the written question mark is mandatory.
🗨In Conversation
Recebeu meu e‑mail anterior?
Did you receive my previous email?
Sim, acabei de ler. Vou responder ainda hoje.
Yes, I just read it. I’ll reply later today.
✕Common Mistakes
Recebe meu e‑mail anterior?
Do not use *recebe* (present) unless you want a present‑tense question; the past tense *recebeu* is needed for a follow‑up.
Recebeu meu E‑mail anterior?
In Brazil the spelling *e‑mail* is accepted, but many prefer *e‑mail* or *email* without the hyphen; avoid *e‑mail* with a capital ‘E’.
Recebeu meu anterior e‑mail?
Placing *anterior* before the noun (*anterior e‑mail*) sounds unnatural; it must follow the noun.
↔Alternatives
Você recebeu meu e‑mail anterior?
Did you receive my previous email?
Chegou meu e‑mail anterior?
Did my previous email get through?
Já viu o e‑mail que lhe enviei antes?
Have you already seen the email I sent you earlier?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, it’s common to follow up on emails after a few days, but keep the tone courteous. Adding a brief reminder of the email’s subject can help the recipient locate it quickly. Avoid sounding demanding; a simple “Recebeu meu e‑mail?” is already polite enough.