Portuguese Phrase
Minha última aula acaba às 3 da tarde.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘My last class ends at three in the afternoon.’ It tells the listener the finishing time of the final lesson of the day or of a series of classes.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to explain your schedule, for example when arranging a meeting, telling a friend when you’ll be free, or informing a teacher about your availability.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Minhaúltimaaulaacabaàs3datarde
Possessive adjective (Minha)
‘Minha’ agrees in gender (feminine) and number (singular) with the noun it modifies – here ‘aula’.
Ordinal adjective (última)
‘última’ also matches the gender and number of the noun; it means ‘last’ in a sequence.
Verb conjugation (acaba)
‘acaba’ is the third‑person singular present of ‘acabar’, used because ‘aula’ is a third‑person singular subject.
Preposition + article contraction (às)
‘às’ = a + as, the contraction of the preposition ‘a’ (to/at) with the feminine plural article ‘as’, required before a plural time expression.
Time expression (3 da tarde)
In Portuguese, the hour is expressed with the numeral followed by ‘da tarde’ (in the afternoon). The article ‘da’ = de + a.
🗨In Conversation
Minha última aula acaba às 3 da tarde.
My last class ends at three in the afternoon.
Então podemos nos encontrar às 4?
So we can meet at four?
✕Common Mistakes
Minha última aula acaba as 3 da tarde.
The preposition ‘a’ must contract with the article ‘as’; writing ‘as 3’ loses the required preposition.
Minha última aula acabar às 3 da tarde.
Use the conjugated form ‘acaba’; the infinitive ‘acabar’ is incorrect here.
Minha última aula acaba às 3 tarde.
Do not omit ‘da’; ‘às 3 tarde’ is ungrammatical.
↔Alternatives
Minha última aula termina às 3 da tarde.
My last class finishes at three in the afternoon.
A minha última aula vai até as 3 da tarde.
My last class goes until three in the afternoon.
Acabo a última aula às 3 da tarde.
I finish the last class at three in the afternoon.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, it’s common to specify ‘da tarde’ (afternoon) or ‘da noite’ (night) after the hour, especially for times after noon. When speaking informally, people often drop the article and say ‘às três da tarde’ or simply ‘às três’ if the context is clear.