Portuguese Phrase
Conseguiste cumprir um prazo apertado?
Meaning
The sentence asks whether the listener managed to meet a tight deadline. It implies that the time limit was short and possibly stressful, and it checks the outcome of a recent task or project.
When to use
Use it after a project, assignment, or work task that had a short time frame. It works in informal professional settings—between teammates, classmates, or friends discussing work, studies, or any deadline‑driven activity.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Conseguistecumprirumprazoapertado?
Conseguiste (preterite of conseguir)
Second‑person singular informal (tu) of the preterite of ‘conseguir’, used for a completed action in the past.
cumprir (infinitive)
Infinitive verb meaning ‘to meet, to fulfill, to carry out’. It follows the conjugated verb in a periphrastic construction.
um (indefinite article)
Indefinite article used before masculine singular nouns.
prazo (noun)
Means ‘deadline, time limit’. It is masculine, so it takes the article ‘um’.
apertado (adjective after noun)
Adjective placed after the noun in Portuguese, meaning ‘tight, narrow’. It agrees in gender and number with ‘prazo’.
Yes/No question without inversion
In spoken Brazilian Portuguese the verb can start the sentence to form a yes‑no question without subject‑verb inversion.
🗨In Conversation
Conseguiste cumprir um prazo apertado?
Did you manage to meet the tight deadline?
Sim, consegui terminar tudo antes do fim do dia.
Yes, I managed to finish everything before the end of the day.
✕Common Mistakes
Consegui cumprir um prazo apertado?
‘Consegui’ is first‑person singular (I). To ask ‘you’, you need the second‑person form ‘conseguiste’.
Conseguiste cumprir um apertado prazo?
In Portuguese the adjective usually follows the noun; ‘apertado prazo’ sounds unnatural.
↔Alternatives
Conseguiste entregar a tempo?
Did you manage to deliver on time?
Conseguiste terminar o trabalho dentro do prazo?
Did you manage to finish the work within the deadline?
Conseguiste cumprir o prazo curto?
Did you manage to meet the short deadline?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, tight deadlines are common in many sectors, and asking about them with ‘apertado’ shows you recognize the pressure without sounding accusatory. In Portugal, people often say ‘prazo curto’ or ‘prazo apertado’; both are understood, but ‘apertado’ sounds a bit more informal. Keep the tone friendly, especially if you’re not the project manager.