Portuguese Phrase
Tenho pouco sinal.
Meaning
Literally ‘I have little signal’, this phrase is used to say that the mobile or internet connection is weak or intermittent.
When to use
Use it when you’re on a phone call, trying to browse the web, or any situation where the quality of the cellular or Wi‑Fi signal matters. It’s a casual, everyday expression.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tenhopoucosinal
Ter (presente do indicativo)
‘Tenho’ is the first‑person singular present form of the verb ‘ter’, used to express possession or a state.
Pouco como adjetivo
‘Pouco’ functions as an adjective meaning ‘little/weak’; it agrees in gender and number with the noun that follows (masculine singular → pouco sinal).
Posição do adjetivo
In Portuguese, most adjectives, including ‘pouco’, are placed after the verb and before the noun they modify.
🗨In Conversation
Você tem sinal?
Do you have signal?
Tenho pouco sinal.
I have weak signal.
✕Common Mistakes
Tem pouco sinal.
‘Tem’ is the third‑person singular form; you need the first‑person ‘tenho’ to talk about yourself.
Tenho pouca sinal.
‘Sinal’ is masculine, so the adjective must be masculine ‘pouco’, not ‘pouca’.
Tenho pouco sinal de.
Adding ‘de’ changes the meaning; ‘sinal de’ would mean ‘signal of…’, not the intended ‘weak signal’.
↔Alternatives
O sinal está fraco.
The signal is weak.
Estou com sinal ruim.
I’m having a bad signal.
O sinal está ruim.
The signal is bad.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil people often comment on signal quality as a quick way to explain why a conversation drops or a video buffers. The phrase is informal; in a more formal setting you might say ‘O sinal está fraco’ or ‘A conexão está instável’. In some regions (e.g., the Amazon), ‘sinal’ can also refer to radio or TV reception, so context matters.