Breakdown of Neste momento, não posso falar.
não
not / no
falar
to speak
neste
in this (m/sg), nesta (f/sg), nestes (m/pl), nestas (f/pl)
poder
can / may (verb)
o momento
the moment
Questions & Answers about Neste momento, não posso falar.
Where does the word neste come from?
Neste is a mandatory contraction of the preposition em (in/on/at) and the demonstrative pronoun este (this). In Portuguese, these two words always merge, so "at this" or "in this" becomes neste.
Could I just say agora instead of neste momento?
Yes, you could say Agora, não posso falar (Now, I cannot talk). Neste momento is just a slightly more emphatic way to say "at this exact moment," but both are very natural and used interchangeably in this context.
Why is it posso falar and not posso a falar?
When you use the verb poder (can/to be able to) followed by another action, the second verb stays in its base dictionary form (the infinitive). You don't need any linking prepositions like a or de between them, just like in English where we say "I can talk", not "I can to talk".
I learned that falar means "to speak". Does it also mean "to talk"?
Yes! In Portuguese, falar covers both "to speak" (such as speaking a language or speaking to a crowd) and "to talk" (having a conversational exchange with someone). You don't need a different verb for "to talk".
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