There’s a number of ways to say “hopefully” in Portuguese. Let’s take a look at the various expressions and learn how!
1. Oxalá
If you know Spanish or Arabic, this word will look familiar to you, and with good reason. It comes from the same meaning (in sa alla in Arabic, ojalá in Spanish), which means hopefully. In Brazil, it’s commonly associated with a god of Candomblé but the use of the word as “hopefully” has its roots in medieval Europe. It’s not used very widely in Brazil, but is used in Portugal, and is a good one to know.
Oxalá que tudo corra bem. Hopefully everything will go well.
Você vai no jogo? Oxalá! Are you going to the game? Hopefully!
2. Tomara
This also means hopefully, and is more commonly used throughout Brazil.
Tomara que não chova amanhã. Hopefully it won’t rain tomorrow.
Tomara que o projeto fique pronto em breve. Hopefully the project will be finished soon.
Vocês vão mudar? Tomara que sim! Are you guys going to move? Hopefully!
3. Se Deus quiser
This also means hopefully, and literally it means “if God wishes.”
Ela vem nos visitar a semana que vem? Se Deus quiser. Is she coming to visit us next week? Hopefully.
Irei comprar uma casa um dia, se Deus quiser. Hopefully, I’m going to buy a house someday.
Tiraremos boas notas se Deus quiser. Hopefully we’ll get good grades.
Comments:
Tim:
If you use tomara you also have to conjugate the following verb in the subjuctive, which if you are a foreigner who obeys the conjugation rules or -ar, -er, and -ir plus irregulars, it gets different for the subjunctive.
“Tomara que o projeto fique pronto em breve.” Fique?
Fique???? Aham, Fique. I think this one is the most difficult thing for foreigners and I know almost none that conjugate the subjunctive. For this reason I hesitate to start a sentence with Tomara.
I’m trying…