Portuguese Phrase
A gente descansa à tarde.
Meaning
This phrase uses 'a gente' as a common, informal way to say 'we' in Brazilian Portuguese. It pairs the third-person singular conjugation of 'descansar' (to rest) with a specific time expression to describe a collective habit.
When to use
Use this when describing daily routines or habits to friends and family in an informal setting. It is the standard way to express collective action in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
✦Grammar Breakdown
A gentedescansaà tarde
A gente
An informal expression meaning 'we' that functions grammatically as a third-person singular subject.
À tarde
A contraction of the preposition 'a' and the feminine article 'a', used to indicate the time of day.
🗨In Conversation
O que vocês fazem depois do almoço?
What do you guys do after lunch?
Geralmente, a gente descansa à tarde.
Usually, we rest in the afternoon.
✕Common Mistakes
A gente descansamos à tarde.
Even though 'a gente' means 'we', it must always be followed by a third-person singular verb.
Nós descansa à tarde.
If you use the pronoun 'nós', you must use the first-person plural verb form 'descansamos'.
↔Alternatives
Nós descansamos à tarde.
We rest in the afternoon (formal).
A gente tira um cochilo à tarde.
We take a nap in the afternoon.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, using 'a gente' is far more common in daily speech than 'nós.' Using 'nós' in a casual conversation can sometimes sound overly formal or even pedantic, so 'a gente' is your best bet for sounding like a local.