Portuguese Phrase
Volto em uma hora.
Meaning
This phrase indicates a planned return after a specific duration of time. It utilizes the present tense of the verb 'voltar' to express a future action, a common feature in colloquial Portuguese.
When to use
Use this when you are stepping out of the office, leaving home for an errand, or taking a break. It is a polite way to inform others of your expected absence.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Voltoemumahora
Voltar (Present Tense)
The verb 'volto' is the first-person singular present of 'voltar'. In Portuguese, the present tense is frequently used to describe immediate future intentions.
Preposition 'em'
The preposition 'em' is used here to indicate the timeframe within which the action of returning will occur.
🗨In Conversation
Você vai sair para o almoço agora?
Are you going out for lunch now?
Sim, volto em uma hora.
Yes, I'll be back in an hour.
✕Common Mistakes
Volto em um hora.
The noun 'hora' is feminine, so it requires the feminine indefinite article 'uma' rather than 'um'.
Volto dentro uma hora.
To express 'in' a amount of time, use 'em' or 'daqui a'. 'Dentro de' is possible but less common in this specific context.
↔Alternatives
Estarei de volta em uma hora.
I will be back in an hour.
Volto daqui a pouco.
I'll be back in a little bit.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil and Portugal, time can be perceived more flexibly than in some English-speaking cultures. While 'uma hora' literally means 60 minutes, it is often used as a general estimate for a short absence.