Portuguese Phrase
Os voos estão atrasados.
Meaning
The sentence means “The flights are delayed.” It conveys a temporary situation affecting scheduled air travel, usually announced by airline staff or airport monitors.
When to use
Use this phrase at the airport, when speaking with airline personnel, or informing fellow travelers that the scheduled departures have been postponed.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Osvoosestãoatrasados.
Definite article (plural)
"Os" is the masculine plural definite article, used before plural nouns like "voos".
Noun (plural)
"voos" means “flights” and is masculine plural; it must agree with the article and adjectives.
Estar (3rd‑person plural)
"estão" is the present‑tense form of the verb "estar" for "eles/elas"; it expresses a temporary state.
Past participle agreement
"atrasados" is the past participle of "atrasar" and must agree in gender and number with "voos" (masc. plural).
🗨In Conversation
Os voos estão atrasados.
The flights are delayed.
Entendo. Você sabe quanto tempo mais?
I understand. Do you know how much longer?
✕Common Mistakes
Os voos são atrasados.
Use "estar" for temporary states like a delay; "ser" describes permanent characteristics.
Os voo está atrasado.
The noun must agree in number with the article and adjective.
Os voos está atrasado.
The adjective must match the plural noun; use "atrasados".
↔Alternatives
Os aviões têm atraso.
The planes have a delay.
Os voos sofreram atraso.
The flights suffered a delay.
Há atraso nos voos.
There is a delay in the flights.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, airlines usually announce delays using "estão atrasados" because the situation is considered temporary. In more formal announcements you may hear "os voos sofreram atraso" or "há atraso nos voos." Avoid using "são atrasados," which sounds like a permanent characteristic and is grammatically incorrect.