Portuguese Phrase
Vamos fazer uma lista preliminar de convidados.
Meaning
The sentence means “Let’s make a preliminary guest list.” It is used when you are at the early stage of planning an event and want to start gathering the names of people you might invite.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are discussing event planning with friends, family, or colleagues—e.g., before a wedding, birthday party, corporate gathering, or any celebration that requires a guest list.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vamosfazerumalistapreliminardeconvidados
Vamos + infinitive
The construction "Vamos + infinitive" (first‑person plural of "ir" + verb) is the standard way to make a polite suggestion or invitation, equivalent to "let's" in English.
Indefinite article agreement
"uma" must agree with the feminine noun "lista"; using "um" would be incorrect.
Adjective placement
In Portuguese, adjectives like "preliminar" usually follow the noun they modify: "lista preliminar".
Preposition "de"
"de" links the noun "lista" to its complement "convidados", indicating the type of list.
🗨In Conversation
Vamos fazer uma lista preliminar de convidados?
Shall we make a preliminary guest list?
Claro! Assim já temos uma ideia de quantas pessoas precisamos acomodar.
Sure! That way we already have an idea of how many people we need to accommodate.
✕Common Mistakes
Vamos fazer um lista preliminar de convidados.
The article must agree with the feminine noun "lista"; use "uma" not "um".
Vamos fazer uma lista preliminar dos convidados.
Using "dos" (de + os) changes the meaning to "the guest list of the guests"; the correct form is "de convidados".
Vamos fazer uma lista preliminar de convidado.
"Convidado" is singular; the phrase refers to multiple guests, so it should be "convidados".
↔Alternatives
Vamos montar uma lista inicial de convidados.
Let's put together an initial guest list.
Que tal criar uma lista preliminar de convidados?
How about creating a preliminary guest list?
Precisamos elaborar uma lista preliminar de convidados.
We need to draft a preliminary guest list.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, it is common to start event planning with a "lista preliminar" to manage budgets, venue capacity, and catering. The term "preliminar" signals that the list is not final and can be adjusted as more information becomes available. Using "Vamos" makes the suggestion sound collaborative and friendly, which is valued in Brazilian social interactions.