Portuguese Phrase
Que horas o seu despertador toca?
Meaning
Literally, 'What time does your alarm clock ring?' It is a casual way to ask someone when their alarm goes off, usually to discuss daily routines or to coordinate meeting times.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to know a friend’s wake‑up time, when planning a morning activity, or simply to make small talk about daily habits.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quehorasoseudespertadortoca
Que horas
Used to ask 'what time' – the standard way to form a time‑question in Portuguese.
Definite article (o)
The article agrees with the masculine noun 'despertador' and is required in this construction.
Possessive adjective (seu)
Shows ownership; it must match the gender and number of the noun it modifies.
Verb tocar (present)
In the sense of 'to ring' for an alarm clock; conjugated as 'toca' for third‑person singular.
🗨In Conversation
Que horas o seu despertador toca?
What time does your alarm clock go off?
Ele toca às seis e meia da manhã.
It goes off at six‑thirty in the morning.
✕Common Mistakes
Qual horas o seu despertador toca?
Use 'que horas' for asking the time; 'qual' is used for choosing among options, not for time.
Que horas o seu despertador faz?
The verb 'fazer' means 'to make' and is not used for an alarm ringing.
Que horas o despertador seu toca?
In Portuguese the possessive adjective must come before the noun and agree in gender.
↔Alternatives
A que horas o seu despertador dispara?
At what time does your alarm clock go off?
Quando o seu despertador toca?
When does your alarm clock ring?
Qual é a hora que o seu despertador toca?
What is the time that your alarm clock rings?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil and Portugal, the verb 'tocar' is the usual verb for an alarm clock or a bell. If you hear someone say 'o despertador disparou', they are using a more informal, colloquial verb that literally means 'to fire' or 'to go off'. Also, people often set their alarms in 5‑minute increments, so you may hear answers like 'às seis e quinze' (6:15).