Chega por volta das 11:50.
It arrives around 11:50.
Language note: “por volta de” = “around/about”. With a time, you’ll often hear “por volta das 11:50” (literally “around the 11:50”).
Culture note: Train arrival times can vary a bit—“por volta de” is a friendly, realistic way to talk about schedules.
Context: The clerk gives the full sentence with the approximate arrival time.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
Chega
[SHAY-gah]
arrives; (he/she/it) arrives
Third-person singular of “chegar” (to arrive). Used for a train’s arrival time.
O Alfa Pendular chega a Lisboa ao fim da tarde.
The Alfa Pendular arrives in Lisbon at the end of the afternoon.
por
[poor]
by; through; for
Common preposition; in time expressions like “por volta de” it’s part of the fixed phrase meaning “around”.
Chegamos por volta do meio-dia.
We arrive around noon.
volta
[VOHL-tah]
turn; lap; around (in expressions)
In “por volta de”, “volta” helps form the idiom meaning “around/approximately (a time)”.
Vou sair por volta das 18:00 para apanhar o comboio.
I’m going to leave around 18:00 to catch the train.
das
[dahsh]
of the / at the (feminine plural)
“das” = “de + as”; before hours it often means “at” (e.g., “das 11:50”).
O intercidades parte das 07:00 e chega antes do almoço.
The intercity train departs at 07:00 and arrives before lunch.
11:50
[uh-LEH-vuhn FIHF-tee]
11:50 (eleven fifty)
Clock time; in Portuguese you might also hear “onze e cinquenta”.
Se o comboio sair às 10:00, chega por volta das 11:50.
If the train leaves at 10:00, it arrives around 11:50.
Phrase Parts
Chega
It arrives
From 'chegar'. Used for arrival times on timetables.
Chega às nove.
It arrives at nine.
por volta
around / approximately
Common expression to give an approximate time.
Vou chegar por volta das sete.
I’ll arrive around seven.
das 11:50.
of 11:50 / at about 11:50.
'das' = 'de + as' used after 'por volta' (around + of the time).
Por volta das duas.
Around two.
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