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Portuguese Phrase

Tento me deitar até às 23h.

/ˈtẽ.tu mi dɨˈtaɾ aˈtɐ ˈaʃ ˈvẽ.tɐ ˈsɛ.tɐ/
Meaning"I try to go to bed by 11 p.m."
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Meaning

Literally, ‘I try to go to bed by 11 p.m.’ It expresses an effort or intention to be in bed before a set deadline, often linked to a daily routine or health goal.

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When to use

Use this sentence when you talk about your bedtime habits, set personal goals, or explain why you need to finish something early. It works in both casual conversation with friends and more formal contexts like a health‑coach session.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Tentomedeitaratéàs23h

1

Tentar (present)

‘Tento’ is the first‑person singular present of ‘tentar’, meaning ‘I try’.

2

Reflexive infinitive

‘me deitar’ uses the reflexive pronoun ‘me’ with the infinitive ‘deitar’ (to go to bed).

3

até + article

When talking about a specific time, Portuguese uses ‘até’ + the definite article ‘as’ (contracted to ‘às’).

4

Time expression

‘23h’ is the 24‑hour clock notation for 11 p.m.; it can also be written ‘23:00’.

🗨In Conversation

A

Tento me deitar até às 23h para acordar cedo amanhã.

I try to go to bed by 11 p.m. so I can get up early tomorrow.

Boa ideia! Eu também devo mudar meu horário de sono.

Good idea! I should also change my sleep schedule.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Tento me deitar até as 23h.

    The article must be contracted to ‘às’ when followed by a time expression.

  • Tento deitar até às 23h.

    ‘Deitar’ is transitive; you need the reflexive pronoun ‘me’ to mean ‘go to bed’.

  • Tento me deitar até 23h.

    While understandable, the standard form uses the article ‘às’ for a precise deadline.

  • Tento me deitar até às 23h.

    Do not add a period inside the time expression; the period belongs after the whole sentence.

↔Alternatives

  • Procuro dormir até às 23h.

    I try to sleep by 11 p.m.

  • Tento ir para a cama antes das 23h.

    I try to go to bed before 11 p.m.

  • Estou a tentar deitar-me até às 23h.

    I’m trying to go to bed by 11 p.m.

pt

Cultural Tip

In Portugal and Brazil, 23h is a common ‘cut‑off’ for nightlife, especially on weekdays. Saying ‘até às 23h’ sounds natural in both formal and informal registers, but in very casual speech people often drop the article and say ‘até 23h’. Remember that the reflexive pronoun is mandatory – ‘tento deitar’ sounds ungrammatical to native speakers.