Portuguese Phrase
Tenho que entregar meu trabalho final em breve.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘I have to submit my final paper soon.’ It conveys a personal obligation with a clear deadline that is approaching.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to tell a friend, a professor, or a colleague that a deadline is near and you must hand in your final assignment, thesis, or project.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tenhoqueentregarmeutrabalhofinalembreve.
Tenho (verbo ter)
‘Tenho’ is the first‑person singular present of ‘ter’, used here to express obligation.
que + infinitivo
The construction ‘ter que + infinitivo’ works like ‘have to + verb’ in English, indicating necessity.
entregar (infinitivo)
The infinitive ‘entregar’ means ‘to hand in / to submit’. It follows the ‘que’ construction.
meu (adjetivo possessivo)
‘Meu’ agrees in gender and number with the noun ‘trabalho’, showing ownership.
trabalho final (substantivo composto)
‘Trabalho final’ refers to a final paper, project or assignment; ‘final’ qualifies the type of work.
em breve (locução adverbial)
‘Em breve’ means ‘soon’, indicating a short amount of time left.
🗨In Conversation
Tenho que entregar meu trabalho final em breve.
I have to submit my final paper soon.
Entendo. Precisa de ajuda para revisar?
I understand. Do you need help reviewing it?
✕Common Mistakes
Tem que entregar meu trabalho final em breve.
‘Tem que’ is third‑person singular; you need the first‑person form ‘Tenho que’ when talking about yourself.
Tenho que entregarei meu trabalho final em breve.
‘Entregarei’ is future indicative (I will deliver). The construction ‘ter que + infinitivo’ is required for obligation.
Tenho que entregar meu trabalho final brevemente.
‘Brevemente’ means ‘briefly’, not ‘soon’. Use the adverbial phrase ‘em breve’.
Tenho que entregar meus trabalho final em breve.
‘Trabalho’ is singular masculine, so the possessive must be singular ‘meu’. ‘Meus’ would be used with a plural noun.
↔Alternatives
Preciso entregar meu trabalho final em breve.
I need to hand in my final paper soon.
Devo entregar meu trabalho final em breve.
I should submit my final paper soon.
Tenho que entregar meu projeto final em breve.
I have to turn in my final project soon.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, university deadlines are often strict, but it’s common to ask classmates for a quick review or to form study groups. Using ‘preciso’ sounds slightly more formal than ‘tenho que’, while ‘devo’ adds a polite, slightly more tentative tone. Remember to thank the person who offers help – a simple ‘obrigado(a)’ goes a long way.