Portuguese Phrase
Vamos começar a testar na próxima semana.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘Let’s start testing next week.’ It expresses a collective intention to begin a testing phase at a future point, specifically the week that follows the current one.
When to use
Use this phrase in a work or project setting when a team decides on a timeline for beginning tests, or in informal conversation when friends plan to try something together next week.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vamoscomeçaratestarnapróximasemana.
Vamos (ir + infinitive)
‘Vamos’ is the first‑person plural of ‘ir’ used with an infinitive to mean ‘let’s…’ or ‘we are going to…’.
começar + a + infinitive
When ‘começar’ (to start) is followed by another verb, it requires the preposition ‘a’ before the infinitive.
a (preposition)
The preposition ‘a’ links ‘começar’ to the infinitive ‘testar’, indicating the action that will be started.
na = em + a
‘na’ is the contraction of ‘em’ (in/on) + the feminine article ‘a’, used before the feminine noun ‘semana’.
próxima (adjective)
‘próxima’ agrees in gender and number with ‘semana’, meaning ‘next’.
semana (noun)
‘semana’ is a feminine singular noun meaning ‘week’.
🗨In Conversation
Precisamos definir quando iniciar os testes.
We need to decide when to start the tests.
Vamos começar a testar na próxima semana.
Let's start testing next week.
✕Common Mistakes
Vamos começar testar na próxima semana.
Missing the preposition ‘a’ after ‘começar’; the correct structure is ‘começar a testar’.
Vamos começar a testando na próxima semana.
After ‘começar’, you must use the infinitive, not the gerund.
Vamos começar a testar na próximo semana.
‘Semana’ is feminine, so the adjective must be ‘próxima’, not ‘próximo’.
↔Alternatives
Vamos iniciar os testes na próxima semana.
We'll start the tests next week.
Começaremos a testar na próxima semana.
We will begin testing next week.
Vamos dar início aos testes na próxima semana.
We'll kick off the tests next week.
Cultural Tip
In Brazilian Portuguese, using ‘Vamos + infinitive’ is a friendly, inclusive way to propose an action. It works well in both formal meetings and casual chats. Remember that ‘próxima semana’ always refers to the week after the current one, not the current week itself.