Portuguese Phrase
Você lê antes de dormir?
Meaning
A polite yes‑or‑no question asking whether the listener has the habit of reading before going to bed. It can also be used to start a conversation about bedtime routines.
When to use
Use this sentence in casual or semi‑formal conversations with friends, family, or language partners when you want to know about someone's nightly habits or to suggest a relaxing activity before sleep.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vocêlêantesdedormir
Você
Second‑person singular pronoun; polite and neutral. In spoken Brazilian Portuguese it often replaces the informal 'tu'.
lê
Present indicative of the verb 'ler' (to read). The accent on 'ê' marks the stressed vowel and distinguishes it from the past form 'li'.
antes de
A prepositional phrase meaning 'before'. It is always followed by an infinitive verb.
dormir
Infinitive of the verb 'to sleep'. When used after 'antes de', it stays in the infinitive form.
🗨In Conversation
Você lê antes de dormir?
Do you read before sleeping?
Sim, sempre leio um capítulo de um romance.
Yes, I always read a chapter of a novel.
✕Common Mistakes
Você li antes de dormir?
‘Li’ is the past tense (I read). The question asks about a current habit, so the present ‘lê’ is required.
Você lê antes do dormir?
After ‘antes’, the preposition is always ‘de’ + infinitive, not ‘do’. ‘Antes do’ would be used before a noun, not a verb.
Você lê antes de dormires?
The infinitive ‘dormir’ never takes a personal ending in this construction.
↔Alternatives
Você costuma ler antes de dormir?
Do you usually read before sleeping?
Lê antes de ir para a cama?
Do you read before going to bed?
Você tem o hábito de ler antes de dormir?
Do you have the habit of reading before sleeping?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil many people unwind with a book, a TV show, or scrolling on a phone before bed. Reading is often seen as a calm, educational way to end the day, especially among older generations. If you ask this question to a younger person, they might answer with a reference to podcasts or audiobooks, which are also popular bedtime options.