Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Se calhar chegamos cedo demais; o restaurante só abre às nove. - Maybe we’re arriving too early; the restaurant only opens at nine.

Se calhar means “maybe/perhaps.” It’s very common and colloquial in Portugal.
It typically takes the indicative: Se calhar chegamos cedo demais.
Talvez is a bit more neutral/formal and usually triggers the subjunctive in European Portuguese: Talvez cheguemos cedo demais.
Rough guide: in casual speech, se calhar is extremely frequent; in writing or more formal speech, talvez is common.

Why is it chegamos and not chegámos? What’s the difference?

In European Portuguese:

chegamos = present (we arrive/are arriving).
chegámos = simple past (we arrived). The accent shifts the stress and marks the past.
So:
Se calhar chegamos cedo demais = Maybe we’re arriving too early (right now / in general).
Se calhar chegámos cedo demais = Maybe we arrived too early (we already got here).

In Brazil, both present and past are written chegamos (no accent), so context does the work. In Portugal, write the accent for the past.

Does Se calhar take the subjunctive?

No. Se calhar is followed by the indicative: Se calhar chegamos...
By contrast, talvez usually takes the subjunctive in EP: Talvez cheguemos...

How do I best say “too early” in Portugal: cedo demais or demasiado cedo?

Both are correct and idiomatic:

cedo demais (postposed “demais”)
demasiado cedo (preposed “demasiado”)

They mean “too early.” Note: muito cedo means “very early,” not “too early.”

Is there a spelling trap with demais vs de mais?

Yes:

demais (one word) = “too much/too many/too (Adj/Adv).” Example: cedo demais.
de mais (two words) appears in set phrases like nada de mais (“nothing special”) or algo de mais (“anything extra”).
Also, os demais can mean “the others/rest.”

Why is it só abre and not something like apenas abre or somente abre? Can I move só?

só is the most natural everyday way to say “only/just” in Portugal: O restaurante só abre às nove.
apenas is more formal or written: O restaurante apenas abre às nove.
somente is understood but feels Brazilian or formal in Portugal.
Position: Só abre às nove and Abre só às nove are both fine. Be careful: Só o restaurante abre às nove means “Only the restaurant opens at nine (nothing else does).”

What exactly is às in às nove, and why the grave accent?

It’s a contraction: a (preposition “at/to”) + as (definite article, feminine plural), because “hours” (horas) is implied:

às nove = “at (the) nine (o’clock) [hours].”
The grave accent marks the contraction (called crase in traditional grammar).
Compare:
- à uma (a + a, feminine singular) = at one o’clock.
- às duas/três/quatro... (a + as, feminine plural) = at two/three/four...
- ao meio‑dia (a + o, masculine) = at noon.
- à meia‑noite = at midnight.

Can I drop the article and say a nove? Do I need to say horas?

In Portugal, you normally keep the article with hours: às nove (not “a nove”).
às nove horas is correct but sounds more formal or explicit; usually às nove is enough.

Why is abre in the present if opening happens in the future (at nine)?

Portuguese uses the present for scheduled or habitual events:

O restaurante só abre às nove. = It opens at nine (as a rule/schedule). If you mean a one‑off future situation, you can say:
O restaurante só vai abrir às nove.

Is the semicolon necessary here? Could I use a period or a comma?

The semicolon neatly links two closely related independent clauses.
A period is also fine: Se calhar chegamos cedo demais. O restaurante só abre às nove.
Avoid a simple comma splice. If you want a causal link, use porque:
Se calhar chegámos cedo demais, porque o restaurante só abre às nove.

Do I need to say nós before chegamos?

No. Portuguese is a pro‑drop language; the verb ending shows the subject. Use nós only for emphasis or contrast: Nós chegamos cedo demais, não eles.

Can I move Se calhar around in the sentence?

Yes. Common options:

At the start (most common): Se calhar chegamos cedo demais.
After the verb/at the end (more conversational): Chegamos cedo demais, se calhar.
Meaning stays the same; it’s a stylistic/intonation choice.

Any pronunciation tips for tricky bits (European Portuguese)?

Se ≈ “suh” with a very short, closed vowel.
calhar: lh is like the “lli” in “million” → “ca-LYAR” (final r lightly tapped).
chegamos: ch = “sh” sound; final -s sounds like “sh” in many contexts.
demais: final -s also “sh”-like.
só: open “ó” (like British “saw” but shorter).
às nove: the final s in às often links/voices before the N, roughly “azh NO-veh.”

Should I use a or em with chegar in Portugal?

In European Portuguese, use chegar a:

Chegámos a casa cedo.
Chegaram ao restaurante às oito.
Using chegar em is Brazilian; avoid it in Portugal.

Is restaurante masculine or feminine? Why o restaurante?

Restaurante is masculine in Portuguese, so it takes o: o restaurante. Nouns ending in -e can be either gender; this one happens to be masculine.

Can I replace Se calhar with other “maybe” expressions?

Yes. Common alternatives in Portugal:

Talvez
- subjunctive: Talvez cheguemos cedo demais.
Pode ser que
- subjunctive: Pode ser que cheguemos cedo demais.
É capaz de
- infinitive with “de”: É capaz de termos chegado cedo demais.

How do I say “We might have arrived too early” (clearly referring to the past)?

Se calhar chegámos cedo demais.
Talvez tenhamos chegado cedo demais. (subjunctive perfect)
É capaz de termos chegado cedo demais.
All sound natural in Portugal.