Portuguese Phrase
Estamos em janeiro.
Meaning
This phrase literally means 'We are in January.' In Portuguese, it is more common to use the first-person plural form of the verb 'estar' to indicate the current month or year than the impersonal 'it is' construction used in English.
When to use
Use this phrase when someone asks what month it is or when you are establishing the current timeframe in a conversation. It is appropriate for both casual and formal situations.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Estamosemjaneiro
Estar (Estamos)
The verb 'estar' is used for temporary states or locations in time, such as the current month.
Preposition 'em'
The preposition 'em' means 'in'. Unlike English, months in Portuguese do not usually require a definite article (like 'the') in this specific expression.
🗨In Conversation
Em que mês estamos?
What month are we in?
Estamos em janeiro.
We are in January.
✕Common Mistakes
Estamos no janeiro.
In Portuguese, months are usually used without the definite article when following 'em' in this context.
É em janeiro.
While 'É janeiro' is possible, 'É em' is typically used for events happening in that month, not to state the current date.
↔Alternatives
É janeiro.
It is January.
Já estamos em janeiro.
It is already January.
Cultural Tip
In Portuguese-speaking countries like Brazil, January is the height of summer and a major vacation month. In Portugal, it is the middle of winter. Note that months are generally not capitalized in Portuguese unless they start a sentence.