Portuguese Phrase
Mal posso esperar para vê-los.
Meaning
Literally, 'I can hardly wait to see them.' It expresses eager anticipation and excitement about meeting or seeing a group of people soon.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal or semi‑formal conversation when you’re looking forward to an upcoming gathering, a concert, a family reunion, or any situation where you’ll soon see a group of people.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Malpossoesperarparavê-los
Mal (intensifier)
In this expression, 'mal' means 'hardly' and works as an intensifier to convey strong anticipation, similar to 'I can’t wait'.
Posso (poder)
First‑person singular present of 'poder' – 'I can/ am able to'.
Esperar (verb)
Means 'to wait' or 'to look forward to' when followed by an infinitive.
Para (preposition)
Introduces the infinitive clause, equivalent to 'to' or 'for' in English.
Vê-los (ver + pronoun)
A contraction of the infinitive 'ver' + the masculine plural object pronoun 'os'. The accent on 'vê' keeps the stress on the verb.
🗨In Conversation
Mal posso esperar para vê-los!
I can’t wait to see them!
Eu também! Vai ser incrível.
Me too! It’s going to be amazing.
✕Common Mistakes
Mal posso esperar para ver‑los.
The verb must carry the accent (vê) to keep the correct stress; 'ver‑los' is a spelling error.
Mal posso esperar para vê‑las.
Use 'vê‑los' for a masculine or mixed group; 'vê‑las' is only for an all‑female group.
Mal posso esperar para ver eles.
Do not translate 'mal' as 'badly' here; it functions as an intensifier meaning 'hardly' or 'can't wait'.
↔Alternatives
Estou ansioso para vê-los.
I’m looking forward to seeing them.
Não vejo a hora de encontrá‑los.
I can’t wait to meet them.
Mal posso esperar para encontrar vocês.
I can’t wait to meet you all.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, speakers often replace the formal 'vê‑los' with the more casual 'ver vocês' or simply 'ver eles' when the group is all‑male or mixed. The accent on 'vê' is essential; without it the word would be read as 've' (the third‑person singular of 'ver'), which changes the rhythm of the sentence. Also, 'mal' can mean 'badly' in other contexts, so make sure the surrounding words clearly signal the 'can’t wait' meaning.