Na sexta-feira, precisamos terminar o projeto antes do prazo.

Na is a contraction of em + a.

• em = in / on / at
• a = the (feminine singular article)

So:

• na sexta-feira = literally on the Friday
• In natural English, we usually just say on Friday

In Brazilian Portuguese, days of the week often appear with the article:

• na segunda-feira
• na terça-feira
• na sexta-feira

You may also hear shorter versions in speech, depending on the sentence, but na sexta-feira is a very standard and natural way to say on Friday.

The weekday names in Portuguese are normally written with a hyphen:

• segunda-feira
• terça-feira
• quarta-feira
• quinta-feira
• sexta-feira

This is just the standard spelling.

Historically, feira is part of the traditional naming system for weekdays in Portuguese. So sexta-feira is not two separate words in modern spelling; it is one hyphenated expression.

This comes from the history of Portuguese weekday names.

In Portuguese:

• segunda-feira = Monday
• terça-feira = Tuesday
• quarta-feira = Wednesday
• quinta-feira = Thursday
• sexta-feira = Friday

The numbered part means:

• segunda = second
• terça = third
• quarta = fourth
• quinta = fifth
• sexta = sixth

This system goes back to older Christian usage in Portuguese. You do not need to think about the literal meaning when speaking; just learn sexta-feira as the normal word for Friday.

Here precisar means to need, and it is followed by an infinitive verb:

• precisamos terminar = we need to finish

This pattern is very common:

• preciso estudar = I need to study
• precisamos sair = we need to leave
• eles precisam descansar = they need to rest

When precisar is followed by a noun, it often uses de:

• preciso de ajuda = I need help
• precisamos de mais tempo = we need more time

So:

• precisamos terminar o projeto = we need to finish the project
• precisamos do projeto = we need the project

Those mean different things.

Because precisamos is already the main conjugated verb.

In Portuguese, after verbs like precisar, querer, poder, and dever, the next verb often stays in the infinitive:

• precisamos terminar
• quero sair
• podem entrar
• devo estudar

So the structure is:

• precisamos = we need
• terminar = to finish

Together: we need to finish

Precisamos is the 1st person plural form of precisar:

• eu preciso = I need
• nós precisamos = we need
• eles/elas precisam = they need

So in this sentence, precisamos means we need.

A useful thing to know: in some contexts, precisamos can also mean we need without the subject nós being said explicitly, because Portuguese often drops subject pronouns when the verb ending already makes the subject clear.

So:

• Nós precisamos terminar o projeto
• Precisamos terminar o projeto

Both are correct, and the second is very common.

Portuguese does not always use a separate word equivalent to English to before an infinitive.

In English:

• we need to finish

In Portuguese:

• precisamos terminar

The infinitive form itself, terminar, already does the job. This is very normal after many verbs in Portuguese.

This part breaks down like this:

• antes de = before
• o prazo = the deadline / the time limit

When de comes before o, they contract:

• de + o = do

So:

• antes de o prazo becomes antes do prazo

This contraction is required in normal Portuguese.

A few similar examples:

• de + a = da
• de + os = dos
• de + as = das

So:

• antes da reunião = before the meeting
• antes dos exames = before the exams

Usually, yes: prazo often corresponds to deadline, due date, or time limit, depending on context.

It is a very common word in Brazilian Portuguese for the amount of time allowed to do something, or the final date/time by which it must be done.

Examples:

• O prazo termina amanhã. = The deadline ends tomorrow.
• Estamos dentro do prazo. = We are within the deadline / on time.
• Perdemos o prazo. = We missed the deadline.

So in this sentence, antes do prazo means before the deadline or before the due date.

The comma separates the introductory time expression from the main clause.

• Na sexta-feira, precisamos terminar o projeto antes do prazo.

This is similar to English writing:

• On Friday, we need to finish the project before the deadline.

In Portuguese, this comma is very natural when a time phrase comes first. You may sometimes see sentences without it in informal writing, but using the comma here is a good standard choice.

Yes, but the meaning emphasis changes slightly.

• Na sexta-feira, precisamos terminar o projeto antes do prazo.
  • Emphasizes Friday as the time frame first.
• Precisamos terminar o projeto na sexta-feira.
  • Emphasizes the action first: we need to finish the project on Friday

Both are grammatically correct. The original sentence sounds a bit more like setting the scene: As for Friday...

Because o projeto is the direct object of terminar.

• terminar = to finish
• o projeto = the project

So:

• terminar o projeto = to finish the project

This is the normal word order in Portuguese: verb + object

Examples:

• ler o livro = to read the book
• comprar comida = to buy food
• entregar o relatório = to submit the report

Normally, no.

In Portuguese, days of the week are usually written in lowercase:

• segunda-feira
• terça-feira
• sexta-feira

That is different from English, where Friday is capitalized.

So sexta-feira with a lowercase s is correct.

A simple approximate pronunciation is:

Na SEKS-ta FEY-ra, preh-see-ZAH-mus tehr-mee-NAR oo pro-ZHEH-too AN-tes doo PRAH-zoo.

A few helpful notes:

• sexta-feira: the x in sexta sounds like ks
• precisamos: stress on -sa-
• terminar: stress on the last syllable, -nar
• projeto: in Brazil, the j sounds like the s in measure
• prazo: the z sounds like a voiced z

Pronunciation varies a bit across Brazil, but this will guide you in the right direction.

Sometimes the article with a weekday can be used in more general or habitual contexts, but in this sentence the most natural reading is a specific Friday.

Compare:

• Na sexta-feira, precisamos terminar o projeto...
  • most likely on Friday (a particular Friday in context)

Versus a habitual sentence like:

• Na sexta-feira, eu trabalho de casa.
  • depending on context, this can mean On Fridays, I work from home

If you want to make the habitual meaning very clear, Portuguese often uses the plural:

• Às sextas-feiras = on Fridays / every Friday

So in your sentence, learners should understand na sexta-feira as on Friday unless context clearly suggests repetition.