Leva vs. Demora: Ask How Long Something Takes in Portuguese — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Use levar + time period for duration
Levar can describe the amount of time a person or task takes. The common pattern is levar + a time period: levo meia hora (it takes me half an hour).
To ask how long something takes, say quanto tempo leva? Add the activity or destination if the context is not clear.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Quanto tempo leva para chegar ao centro? | How long does it take to get downtown? |
| Levo uns vinte minutos para me arrumar. | It takes me about twenty minutes to get ready. |
| A viagem levou quase três horas. | The trip took almost three hours. |
Use demorar to focus on how long it takes or how long someone waits
Demorar also describes duration and delay. You can ask quanto tempo demora? or say o ônibus demorou (the bus took a long time / was delayed), depending on context.
These verbs overlap in many everyday situations. Choose one clear pattern, then add the time estimate or reason for the delay.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| O pedido costuma demorar quanto tempo? | How long does the order usually take? |
| Demoramos um pouco para encontrar o endereço. | It took us a while to find the address. |
| O atendimento demorou por causa do movimento. | Service took a while because it was busy. |
Remember: Use levar + a duration or demorar to ask and answer practical timing questions. In many contexts, both verbs work naturally.
Check your understanding
Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.
Recall the Portuguese, then say it
Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.
How long does it take to get downtown?
Show a Portuguese answer
Quanto tempo leva para chegar ao centro?
It takes me about twenty minutes to get ready.
Show a Portuguese answer
Levo uns vinte minutos para me arrumar.
The trip took almost three hours.
Show a Portuguese answer
A viagem levou quase três horas.
How long does the order usually take?
Show a Portuguese answer
O pedido costuma demorar quanto tempo?
It took us a while to find the address.
Show a Portuguese answer
Demoramos um pouco para encontrar o endereço.
Service took a while because it was busy.
Show a Portuguese answer
O atendimento demorou por causa do movimento.
Make the phrase useful to you
Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.
Use levar + a duration or demorar to ask and answer practical timing questions. In many contexts, both verbs work naturally.
Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.
Sources and your next lesson
This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Leva vs. Demora: Ask How Long Something Takes in Portuguese lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.
To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.
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