Portuguese Phrase
Fica a uns dez minutos a pé.
Meaning
The sentence tells the listener that a place is roughly ten minutes away if you walk there. It combines an approximate time (*uns dez minutos*) with the mode of travel (*a pé*).
When to use
Use this phrase when giving directions, describing how far a shop, restaurant, or landmark is, or when a friend asks how long it takes to get somewhere on foot.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ficaaunsdezminutosapé
Ficar (fica)
The verb *ficar* means ‘to be located’ or ‘to stay’; here it tells where something is situated.
Uns (approximation)
When used before a number, *uns* works like ‘about’ or ‘around’, giving an approximate value.
A pé (idiom)
The expression *a pé* literally means ‘by foot’ and is the standard way to say ‘on foot’ in Portuguese.
Preposition a (location)
*A* introduces the distance or location, similar to ‘at’ or ‘in’ in English.
🗨In Conversation
Quanto tempo leva a pé até a estação?
How long does it take on foot to get to the station?
Fica a uns dez minutos a pé.
It's about ten minutes away on foot.
✕Common Mistakes
Fica a um dez minutos a pé.
Learners sometimes write *um* (singular) instead of *uns*; *uns* is needed for the plural approximation.
Fica a uns dez minutos a pé.
Do not translate literally as *a pé* = *on foot* in English; keep the idiom intact.
Ele fica a uns dez minutos a pé.
Using *fica* for a moving subject is wrong; *fica* is for static location.
↔Alternatives
Fica a cerca de dez minutos a pé.
It's about ten minutes away on foot.
É a dez minutos a pé.
It's ten minutes away on foot.
Leva aproximadamente dez minutos a pé.
It takes roughly ten minutes on foot.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil people often give walking times rather than exact distances, especially in cities where traffic can vary. The phrase *a pé* is informal but perfectly acceptable in everyday conversation. Using *uns* before a number signals an estimate, which is common when you don’t want to sound overly precise.