que era

that it was, that was

→ que

phrase Common #7,444

that it was Often appears in reported speech or explanations, and can also mean "which was" depending on context.

PO: Achei que era tarde demais.

EN: I thought it was too late.

Que era somente para convidados.

It was for invited guests only.

— Três é Demais (1998)

De repente, vi que era você atrás da máscara, Spike.

Suddenly, I saw that it was you behind the mask, Spike.

— Extermínio: O Templo dos Ossos (2026)

Aprendemos que era mais quente em locais mais baixos.

We learned that it was warmer in lower-lying areas.

— O Homem da Terra (2007)

Achávamos que era um tipo de buraco negro.

We thought it was some kind of black hole.

— Tudo em Todo o Lugar ao Mesmo Tempo (2022)

Eu estava certa de que era dela.

I was sure it was hers.

— Meu Amigo Totoro (1988)

Meu avô coleciona pedras desde os dias em que era cadete.

My grandfather has been collecting stones since his days as a cadet.

— Parasita (2019)

Pode apostar que era eu.

You can bet it was me.

— Era Uma Vez em… Hollywood (2019)

Quem acham vocês que era?

Who do you think it was?

— Caché (2005)

Mas tinha a impressão de que era minha filha.

But I had the impression that she was my daughter.

— Laurence Anyways (2012)

E que era assassinato.

And that it was murder.

— Pacto de Sangue (1944)

O Grilo tinha me dito que era a cachorra.

Grilo had told me it was the female dog.

— O Auto da Compadecida (2000)

Quando descobriu que era espião.

When he discovered he was a spy.

— O Paciente Inglês (1996)

Mas te digo que era uma prisão!

But I'm telling you, it was a prison!

— Férias de Amor (1955)

Aí entendemos que era tudo uma farsa.

That's when we realized it was all a hoax.

— Um Contratempo (2017)

Porque me falaram que era fácil!

Because they told me it was easy!

— Perfect Blue (1998)

Eu não falei que era do Rogério, cumpadre?

Didn't I tell you it belonged to Rogério, buddy?

— Cidade de Deus (2002)

Eu lembrava que era alguma coisa assim.

I remembered it being something like that.

— Astérix e Obélix: Missão Cleópatra (2002)

Que era você que estava ao telefone.

That it was you on the phone.

— Caché (2005)

Talvez se tivesse me dito que era bicha, tivesse sido mais fácil.

Maybe if you’d told me you were gay, it would have been easier.

— Perfeitos Desconhecidos (2016)

E te asseguro que era muito mais livre que aqui.

And I assure you I was much freer than I am here.

— Relatos Selvagens (2014)

Sua letra era tão pequenina que era quase ilegível.

His handwriting was so tiny that it was almost illegible.

Tom mostrou que era tão bom quanto eu.

Tom proved he was just as good as me.

Mas tu sabias que era merda.

But you knew it was crap.

— Segunda-Feira ao Sol (2002)

E assumi que era o fim.

And I assumed it was the end.

— Barfi! (2012)

Você engravidou de outro cara e disse pro Johnny que era dele.

You got pregnant by another guy and told Johnny it was his.

— Anjos Caídos (1995)

Sabe, podia ter me contado que era famoso.

You know, you could have told me you were famous.

— Família de Aluguel (2025)

Devem ter achado que era o seu marido.

They must have thought it was her husband.

— Amor à Flor da Pele (2000)

Sami dançava que era uma beleza.

Sami danced beautifully.

Ele confessou que era culpado.

He confessed that he was guilty.

Velho que era, mal conseguia subir as escadas.

Old as he was, he could barely climb the stairs.

Ou talvez você tenha pensado que era sua mãe.

Or maybe you thought it was your mother.

— Zootopia 2 (2025)

Devia ter percebido que era um ladrão.

I should have realized he was a thief.

— A Lenda do Pianista do Mar (1998)

Eu sei, ela falou que era Bacurau mas não achamos no mapa.

I know, she said it was Bacurau but we couldn't find it on the map.

— Bacurau (2019)

Tom disse à Mary que era médico.

Tom told Mary that he was a doctor.

Eu tinha certeza que era você.

I was sure it was you.

— Uma Família de Dois (2016)

Estava fingindo que era cego?

Were you pretending to be blind?

— Assassinato às Cegas (2018)

Ele tinha a ilusão que era um gênio.

He was under the illusion that he was a genius.

Ele queria mostrar a todos que era mais forte.

He wanted to show everyone that he was stronger.

— Senna (2010)

Eu disse a Tom que era claustrofóbico.

I told Tom that I was claustrophobic.

Você foi vender e descobriu que era lixo.

You went to sell it and found out it was junk.

— Marty Supreme (2025)

Que era Ele mesmo.

That it was Himself.

— Senna (2010)

Ela era tão bonita que qualquer um podia ver que era uma princesa de verdade.

She was so beautiful that anyone could see she was a real princess.

Eu sabia, que era você.

I knew it was you.

— Do Coração (1998)

Ele aceitou que era um monstro.

He accepted that he was a monster.

Que ninguém veria essa propaganda, e que era impossível a derrota do Presidente.

That no one would see this ad, and that the President’s defeat was impossible.

— No (2012)

A casa dela parecia um palácio de tão grande que era.

Her house looked like a palace, it was so big.

Eu tinha esquecido que era meu aniversário.

I had forgotten it was my birthday.

— Sol Secreto (2007)

Nós pensávamos que era por isso que este tipo de coisa acontecia.

We thought that was why this kind of thing happened.

Esqueci que era hoje.

I forgot it was today.

— Tudo Sobre Minha Mãe (1999)

phrase Uncommon #16,095

that was Usually introduces a relative clause meaning “that was.” In expressions such as “considerando a hora que era,” it means “considering what time it was”; after an adjective, as in “velho que era,” it can mean “being old” or “as old as he was.”

PO: A casa que era na esquina foi demolida.

EN: The house that was on the corner has been demolished.

Com aquela garota que era louca por ele?

With that girl who was crazy about him?

— O que o Coração Deseja (2001)

Daltônico que era, o olho de Dalton não era como o da maioria das pessoas.

Being color-blind, Dalton’s eye wasn’t like most people’s.

Nós tivemos um Papa que era da Juventude Hitleriana e lutou pelos nazistas.

We had a Pope who was a member of the Hitler Youth and fought for the Nazis.

— Conclave (2024)

Que era aquilo de que me salvou?

What was it that saved me from?

— Harry Potter e a Pedra Filosofal (2001)

Fez parte do que era estranho.

It was part of what was strange.

— Anatomia de uma Queda (2023)

Já acabaste de ler os livros que era suposto lermos?

Have you finished reading the books we were supposed to read?

Podemos voltar ao que era?

Can we go back to how things were?

— Tudo em Todo o Lugar ao Mesmo Tempo (2022)

Porque tenho de acreditar que ele pode voltar ao que era.

Because I have to believe that he can go back to what he was.

— O Senhor dos Anéis: As Duas Torres (2002)

Eu tinha um namorado que era cowboy.

I had a boyfriend who was a cowboy.

— Férias de Amor (1955)

Não tinha ideia do fenômeno que era isso na Ásia.

I had no idea what kind of phenomenon this was in Asia.

— Marty Supreme (2025)

Mas trouxe outra coisa que era dela.

But she brought something else that belonged to her.

— Wicked: Parte II (2025)

Que era incapaz de se comunicar.

Who was unable to communicate.

— O Escafandro e a Borboleta (2007)

Qual que era a sua?

Which one was yours?

— Que Horas Ela Volta? (2015)

Afinal, de que era você vem?

So, what era do you come from?

— Decisão de Partir (2022)

Não fiz o trabalho que era suposto fazer.

I didn't do the work I was supposed to do.

Que era ouro roubado.

That it was stolen gold.

— The Dead and the Damned (2011)

Para que era o dinheiro?

What was the money for?

— O Retorno (2003)

Eu não sou o mesmo tonto que era há quinze anos.

I'm not the same fool I was fifteen years ago.

Atrás do trio ternura, iam sempre Dadinho e Bené, que era irmão do Cabeleira.

Behind the trio of sweethearts, there were always Dadinho and Bené, who was Cabeleira's brother.

— Cidade de Deus (2002)

Ainda sou a mesma pessoa que era antes.

I'm still the same person I was before.

Mas ela pode não ser a mesma pessoa que era.

But she may not be the same person she was.

— Adeus, Lênin! (2003)