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O autocarro chega às cinco.

O autocarro chega às cinco.
The bus arrives at five.
FromLesson 25inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)
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Breakdown of O autocarro chega às cinco.

chegar
to arrive
o autocarro
the bus
cinco
five
às
at

Questions & Answers about O autocarro chega às cinco.

Why is there a definite article o before autocarro?
Portuguese usually requires the definite article before singular, countable nouns when referring to something specific or habitual. Here, o autocarro means “the bus” on its regular route. In English timetable style you might say The bus arrives at five or even just Bus arrives at five, but in European Portuguese you always include o.
Why is the word autocarro used instead of ônibus?
Autocarro is the standard term for “bus” in European Portuguese. In Brazilian Portuguese, people say ônibus. Both mean the same thing, but if you’re learning Portugal’s variety, use autocarro.
What tense and person is chega?
Chega is the third-person singular present indicative of chegar (to arrive). It corresponds to “he/she/it arrives” or formal “you arrive.” Here it means the bus arrives.
Why is the simple present chega used instead of a future tense like chegará?
In Portuguese, the simple present often expresses a scheduled future event, much like English The train leaves at eight. So O autocarro chega às cinco can refer to a known timetable, even if it’s in the future. You could say chegará (will arrive), but the present is more natural for fixed schedules.
Why do we say às cinco instead of just cinco?
To express hours, Portuguese uses the preposition a plus a definite article. Since cinco implies cinco horas, you say a + as (feminine plural for horas) = às. So às cinco literally means “at the five (hours).”
What does às contract and why is it feminine plural?
Às is the contraction of a (preposition) + as (feminine plural definite article). It’s feminine plural because it refers implicitly to horas, a feminine plural noun. Even if you omit horas, the grammar still reflects it.
Can I drop horas after cinco or use a numeral?

Yes. It’s normal to omit horas in everyday speech:
• Chega às cinco. (standard)
• Chega às 5. (using the numeral; you still keep às)
If you include horas for emphasis or formality, you’d say Chega às cinco horas.

Can I change the word order, for example Às cinco chega o autocarro?

Yes, Portuguese is flexible with time expressions. Placing às cinco at the beginning is perfectly correct:
• Às cinco chega o autocarro.
This order can emphasize the time more than the subject.

How do I pronounce O autocarro chega às cinco?

European Portuguese tips:
• O – /u/ (like unstressed “uh,” similar to English “of” without the f)
• autocarro – /aw.tuˈka.ʁu/, “au” as in “how,” a trilled or guttural rr
• chega – /ˈʃe.ɣɐ/, ch = /ʃ/ like “sh” in she
• às – /az/ with a voiced z
• cinco – /ˈsĩ.ku/, nasal “in” like French vin

Together: /u aw.tuˈka.ʁu ˈʃe.ɣɐ az ˈsĩ.ku/.

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