Eu tenho cinco minutos para revisar o relatório agora.

Breakdown of Eu tenho cinco minutos para revisar o relatório agora.

eu
I
agora
now
ter
to have
para
to
o relatório
the report
revisar
to review
o minuto
the minute
cinco
five
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Questions & Answers about Eu tenho cinco minutos para revisar o relatório agora.

Why does Portuguese use ter (Eu tenho...) to talk about having time? Would estar com work too?

In Brazilian Portuguese, ter is the most common verb to express having time available: Eu tenho cinco minutos...
You can also say Estou com cinco minutos..., but it’s more informal and sounds like “I’ve got five minutes (free).” In many contexts, ter is the safer, more neutral choice.


Why is it Eu tenho and not Eu estou tendo?

Eu tenho (present tense) is the normal way to state a current fact: you currently have five minutes.
Eu estou tendo (present continuous) is possible but usually sounds unusual here; it tends to be used for temporary/ongoing experiences like estou tendo problemas (I’m having problems). For time availability, tenho is preferred.


Do I have to say Eu? Could I just say Tenho cinco minutos...?

You can absolutely drop Eu: Tenho cinco minutos para revisar o relatório agora.
Portuguese often omits the subject pronoun because the verb form (tenho) already shows who the subject is. Keeping Eu can add emphasis or clarity in contrast situations.


Why is it cinco minutos and not cinco minuto?

Because minuto is a countable noun, it must agree in number:

  • um minuto (singular)
  • dois/três/cinco minutos (plural)

What does para revisar mean grammatically? Why para + infinitive?

para + infinitive expresses purpose: for / in order to.
So para revisar o relatório = to review the report / in order to review the report.
It’s a very common structure: Tenho tempo para estudar (I have time to study).


Could I use rever instead of revisar?

Often, yes, but there’s a nuance:

  • revisar = to review/check (especially documents, text, reports; can imply proofreading/checking details)
  • rever = to see again / review (more general; also “to revisit” a topic)

For a report, revisar o relatório is especially natural if you mean checking it carefully.


Why is it o relatório with o? When do I use o/um?

o is the definite article (the): o relatório = the report (a specific one both speaker and listener can identify).
If it were not specific, you might say um relatório (a report).


Is agora flexible in position? Could it go earlier in the sentence?

Yes. Agora can move around depending on emphasis:

  • Eu tenho cinco minutos para revisar o relatório agora. (neutral)
  • Agora eu tenho cinco minutos para revisar o relatório. (emphasizes “now” vs. other times)
  • Eu tenho agora cinco minutos para revisar o relatório. (more emphatic/stylistic; less common in casual speech)

How would I say this more naturally in everyday Brazilian Portuguese?

A very natural alternative is:

  • Tenho cinco minutinhos pra revisar o relatório agora.
    Changes:
  • pra = spoken contraction of para
  • minutinhos = “a quick five minutes / just a few minutes” (diminutive for a casual tone)

What’s the pronunciation of key parts like tenho, cinco, and relatório?

Approximate Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation:

  • tenhoTEN-yoo (the nh is like Spanish ñ, a “ny” sound)
  • cincoSEEN-coo (often the m sound is nasalized before c; varies by region)
  • relatórioheh-lah-TÓ-ryoo (many speakers pronounce initial r like an English h)

If I want to say I don’t have time, how would I negate it?

Put não before the verb:

  • Eu não tenho cinco minutos para revisar o relatório agora.
    Or more naturally:
  • Eu não tenho tempo agora. (I don’t have time now.)
  • Não tenho tempo para revisar o relatório agora. (dropping Eu)