Portuguese Phrase
Liga sempre o alarme.
Meaning
The sentence is a command telling someone to keep the alarm turned on at all times. It emphasizes the habit of always having the alarm active.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to remind a roommate, family member, or colleague to never forget to activate the alarm, especially before leaving the house or going to sleep.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ligasempreoalarme
Imperative (tu) of ligar
‘Liga’ is the affirmative imperative form for ‘tu’ (you informal) of the verb ‘ligar’ (to turn on). For ‘você’ you would use ‘ligue’.
Adverb placement
Adverbs like ‘sempre’ (always) are usually placed between the verb and the direct object in Portuguese.
Definite article with direct object
‘o alarme’ uses the masculine singular article ‘o’ because ‘alarme’ is a masculine noun.
🗨In Conversation
Liga sempre o alarme antes de sair de casa.
Always turn on the alarm before leaving the house.
Pode deixar, já estou acostumado.
Don’t worry, I’m already used to it.
✕Common Mistakes
Ligar sempre o alarme.
‘Ligar’ is the infinitive; you need the imperative form to give a command.
Liga o alarme sempre.
While understandable, placing ‘sempre’ after the object sounds less natural; it’s better before the object.
↔Alternatives
Sempre ligue o alarme.
Always turn on the alarm.
Mantenha o alarme sempre ligado.
Keep the alarm always on.
Ative o alarme sempre.
Activate the alarm always.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, many households rely on alarm clocks or security systems. It’s common to hear reminders like this in families where safety or punctuality is a priority. Using the informal ‘tu’ form (Liga) is typical in the South of Brazil and Portugal, while in most of Brazil people would say ‘Ligue’ for a more neutral tone.