Portuguese Phrase
Vou dar uma pausa rápida.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘I’m going to take a quick break.’ It conveys a short interruption of an activity, often to rest, stretch, or attend to something briefly. The tone is informal and commonly used among friends, coworkers, or in casual online chats.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to step away from a task for a few minutes—during a study session, a work meeting, a gaming stream, or while chatting. It’s appropriate in informal settings; in formal business emails you might opt for ‘Farei uma breve pausa.’
✦Grammar Breakdown
Voudarumapausarápida.
Ir + infinitive (futuro imediato)
‘Vou’ is the first‑person singular present of ‘ir’ used with an infinitive to express a near‑future action, similar to ‘I am going to…’ in English.
Dar (to give) as a light verb
In colloquial Portuguese ‘dar’ can mean ‘to take’ or ‘to have’, especially with nouns like ‘pausa’, ‘tempo’, ‘uma volta’, etc.
Article‑adjective agreement
‘pausa’ is feminine, so the article is ‘uma’ and the adjective must agree in gender and number: ‘rápida’.
Adjective placement
Adjectives that describe size, speed, or quality (e.g., ‘rápida’) usually follow the noun in Portuguese.
🗨In Conversation
Vou dar uma pausa rápida.
I’m going to take a quick break.
Tudo bem, a gente continua depois.
All right, we’ll continue later.
✕Common Mistakes
Vou dar um pausa rápido.
‘pausa’ is feminine, so the article must be ‘uma’ and the adjective ‘rápida’. Using masculine forms is incorrect.
Vou fazer uma pausa rápida.
While ‘fazer’ is not wrong, native speakers more often use ‘dar’ in this informal context; ‘fazer’ sounds slightly more formal.
Vou dar uma pausa rápido.
The adjective must agree with the noun’s gender; ‘rápido’ is masculine.
↔Alternatives
Vou fazer uma pausa curta.
I’ll make a short break.
Vou tirar um intervalo rápido.
I’ll take a quick interval.
Vou dar um descanso rápido.
I’ll have a quick rest.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, short breaks (‘pausas’) are a normal part of the workday, especially in creative or tech environments where people often say ‘vou dar uma pausa rápida’ before grabbing coffee or stretching. The phrase is informal; in a formal meeting you might say ‘Vou me ausentar por alguns minutos.’ Also, note that ‘pausa’ can refer to a break in music, TV, or conversation, so context matters.