Portuguese Phrase
Meu alarme toca às 6 da manhã.
Meaning
The sentence means “My alarm goes off at 6 in the morning.” It describes a regular, scheduled action – the moment the alarm starts ringing each day.
When to use
Use this phrase when you talk about your daily routine, set a schedule, or explain why you wake up at a certain time. It’s common in conversations about work, school, or travel plans.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Meualarmetocaàs6damanhã
Possessive adjective
"Meu" agrees with the masculine noun "alarme" and means "my".
Verb "tocar" (to ring)
"toca" is the third‑person singular present of "tocar", used for an alarm that rings.
Contraction "às"
"às" = a + as, the preposition "a" plus the feminine plural article "as", used before exact times.
Numeral with time
When telling the hour, the numeral follows the preposition "às" without a preposition before it.
Contraction "da"
"da" = de + a, linking the noun "manhã" to the preceding phrase.
Feminine noun "manhã"
"manhã" means "morning" and is always feminine; it never takes a plural form in this expression.
🗨In Conversation
Que horas você acorda?
What time do you wake up?
Meu alarme toca às 6 da manhã.
My alarm goes off at 6 in the morning.
✕Common Mistakes
Meu alarme toca às 6 da manhãs.
"Manhã" never takes a plural in this time expression; use the singular form.
Meu alarme toca a 6 da manhã.
The preposition must contract with the article: "às 6", not "a 6".
Meu alarme soa às 6 da manhã.
While "toca" is correct, beginners sometimes use "soa" incorrectly with "alarme"; both are acceptable, but keep the verb consistent with the noun.
↔Alternatives
Meu despertador toca às 6 da manhã.
My clock rings at 6 in the morning.
O som do meu alarme começa às seis da manhã.
The sound of my alarm starts at six in the morning.
Eu acordo às 6 da manhã.
I wake up at 6 in the morning.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil many people set their alarms early to avoid rush‑hour traffic, especially in big cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The expression "às 6 da manhã" is the standard way to specify a precise hour in the morning; never say "às 6 da manhãs" because "manhã" stays singular. For afternoon and evening, use "da tarde" and "da noite" respectively.