Espere aqui enquanto eu pego um sanduíche de queijo.

Wait here while I get a cheese sandwich.

Breakdown of Espere aqui enquanto eu pego um sanduíche de queijo.

• eu: I
• um: a
• de: of
• esperar: to wait
• aqui: here
• enquanto: while
• pegar: to get
• o sanduíche: the sandwich
• o queijo: the cheese

Questions & Answers about Espere aqui enquanto eu pego um sanduíche de queijo.

Why is Espere used instead of the infinitive form esperar?

In Portuguese, when giving a direct command (telling someone what to do), you use the imperative form. Espere is the você (or polite) imperative form of esperar. So instead of saying “to wait” (infinitive), we say Espere! (“Wait!”).

What role does enquanto play in the sentence?

Enquanto means “while,” indicating that one action happens at the same time as another. In this sentence, it tells the listener to remain waiting while the speaker gets a cheese sandwich.

Can I replace pego with another verb tense?

Not really in this context. Since you’re describing something happening in the present moment (“I’ll go grab a cheese sandwich now”), you use the present tense pego (“I get”). Changing it to the future (pegarei) or past (peguei) would change the meaning and timing of the action.

Why do we say um sanduíche de queijo instead of something like de queijo sanduíche?

Portuguese generally places the type or flavor after the word sanduíche, so sanduíche de queijo (“cheese sandwich”) follows the natural order. We say the base noun first (sanduíche), then specify the type (de queijo).

Does Espere aqui sound polite or informal?

Using Espere aqui is generally polite enough to address someone you don’t know well, since it’s the você imperative. If you were talking to a friend or someone very close, you might use Espera aqui, which is the tu form in some regions of Brazil (though tu usage varies widely).