Portuguese Phrase
O que você espera alcançar?
Meaning
Literally, “What do you expect to achieve?” It is used to ask someone about the goal or result they are hoping for, whether in a personal, professional, or academic context.
When to use
Use this question when you want to learn about someone's aspirations, project outcomes, or the result they are aiming for. It works well in informal conversations, coaching sessions, or when discussing future plans.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Oquevocêesperaalcançar?
O que (interrogative)
"O que" introduces a question asking for information; it functions like "what" in English.
você (subject pronoun)
"você" is the informal second‑person singular pronoun, used as the subject of the verb.
espera (present of esperar)
"espera" is the third‑person singular present of "esperar" meaning “to expect, to hope”.
alcançar (infinitive as object)
When a verb of expectation (esperar, pretender, desejar) is followed by another verb, the second verb stays in the infinitive.
question mark
In Portuguese the question mark is placed only at the end of the sentence, unlike Spanish which uses opening and closing marks.
🗨In Conversation
O que você espera alcançar com esse curso?
What do you hope to achieve with this course?
Espero melhorar meu português e conseguir um emprego melhor.
I hope to improve my Portuguese and get a better job.
✕Common Mistakes
O que você espera **de** alcançar?
Do not insert the preposition "de" after "espera"; the infinitive follows directly.
**Espera** alcançar o que?
When the subject is explicit, the verb must be conjugated: "você espera" not "espera" alone.
O que você espera **alcançando**?
Avoid using the gerund "alcançando" here; the infinitive is required after "esperar".
↔Alternatives
Qual é o seu objetivo?
What is your goal?
O que você pretende alcançar?
What do you intend to achieve?
O que você deseja alcançar?
What do you wish to achieve?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, people often talk about "metas" (goals) and "objetivos" (objectives) in both formal and casual settings. Using "esperar" conveys a slightly softer, more hopeful tone, while "pretender" sounds more deliberate and "desejar" adds an emotional wish. Choose the verb that matches the level of certainty you want to express.