Portuguese Phrase
Passo tempo com a minha família.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘I spend time with my family.’ It conveys that the speaker dedicates part of their day or leisure to being together with family members, whether for conversation, meals, outings, or simply being in each other’s company.
When to use
Use this phrase when answering questions about your routine, weekend plans, or what you enjoy doing in your free time. It’s also handy when you want to emphasize the importance of family in your life.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Passotempocomaminhafamília
Passar (verb)
‘Passar’ in the first‑person singular present (passo) means ‘to spend (time)’ when followed by a noun like ‘tempo’.
Tempo (noun)
‘Tempo’ is a masculine, uncountable noun meaning ‘time’; it stays singular even when referring to many moments.
Com (preposition)
‘Com’ means ‘with’ and introduces the person or group you are spending time with.
Definite article + possessive
The article ‘a’ agrees with the feminine noun ‘família’; the possessive ‘minha’ also agrees in gender and number.
Fixed expression ‘passar tempo’
In Portuguese, ‘passar tempo (com…)’ is the standard way to say ‘to spend time (with…)’, not ‘gastar tempo’ which means ‘to waste time’.
🗨In Conversation
O que você costuma fazer nos fins de semana?
What do you usually do on weekends?
Passo tempo com a minha família.
I spend time with my family.
✕Common Mistakes
Passo tempo com a minha familia.
Missing accent on the final ‘á’; the correct spelling is ‘família’.
Passo tempos com a minha família.
‘Tempo’ stays singular in this expression; ‘tempos’ would sound unnatural.
Passo tempo de a minha família.
Do not use ‘de’ after ‘passar tempo’; the correct preposition is ‘com’.
Passo tempo com minha família.
While omitting the article ‘a’ is common in informal speech, beginners should keep it to match the gender of ‘família’.
↔Alternatives
Eu passo tempo com a minha família.
I spend time with my family.
Eu passo momentos com a minha família.
I spend moments with my family.
Eu dedico tempo à minha família.
I dedicate time to my family.
Eu passo tempo junto da minha família.
I spend time together with my family.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, family bonds are central to daily life. Weekends often involve a big lunch (‘almoço de domingo’) or a barbecue (‘churrasco’) where several generations gather. Saying you ‘passa tempo com a família’ signals that you value these social rituals. If you want to sound more formal, use ‘dedico tempo à minha família’, which implies a purposeful commitment rather than casual leisure.