que ia

was going to

→ que

phrase Extremely common #380

was going to Usually appears as que ia + infinitive. It refers to a future action seen from a past point of view. In English, que is often translated as 'that' or left out entirely.

PO: Eu achei que ia perder o ônibus.

EN: I thought I was going to miss the bus.

Eu senti que ia morrer.

I felt like I was going to die.

E quem é que prometeu pra mim que ia estudar?

And who promised me they were going to study?

— Tropa de Elite (2007)

Pô, cara, eu falei pro teu pai que ia ter uma festa!

Dude, I told your dad there was going to be a party!

— Cidade dos Homens (2007)

Se eu soubesse que ia lhe dar esse prejuízo, Major, eu tinha morrido mesmo.

If I had known it would cause you this much trouble, Major, I would have died myself.

— O Auto da Compadecida (2000)

Você prometeu que ia parar.

You promised you would stop.

— Prenda-Me se For Capaz (2002)

Minha mãe falou pra uma amiga que ia se divorciar.

My mother told a friend that she was going to get a divorce.

— Justiça Artificial (2026)

Disse a eles que ia sair primeiro e daria um sinal.

I told them I would leave first and give them a signal.

— Prenda-Me se For Capaz (2002)

O Marreco falou pro meu pai que ia parar de vacilar.

Marreco told my father that he was going to stop messing around.

— Cidade de Deus (2002)

Prometi a Ricky que ia levá-lo para a Índia quando ele tivesse cinco anos.

I promised Ricky that I would take him to India when he turned five.

— Queen (2014)

Você bem que ia gostar disso, né?

You'd really like that, wouldn't you?

— Os Falsários (2007)

Tom disse a Mary que ia se matar.

Tom told Mary he was going to kill himself.

Ela esqueceu que ia me cobrir.

She forgot she was going to cover for me.

— Comer Beber Viver (1994)

Para dizer a ele que ia me casar.

To tell him that I was going to get married.

— Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Castelo Infinito (2025)

Pareceu que ia trazer algo positivo aí.

It seemed like it was going to bring something positive.

— Doentes de Amor (2017)

Aposto que era lá que ia dormir.

I bet that's where you were going to sleep.

— Roma, Cidade Aberta (1945)

Pensei que você tivesse me dito que ia me comprar uma bebida.

I thought you told me you were going to buy me a drink.

Não falei que ia te pegar?

Didn't I say I'd come get you?

— Cidade dos Homens (2007)

Tom disse a Mary que ia tentar fazer isso.

Tom told Mary that he was going to try to do that.

Eu tinha prometido que ia parar de fumar.

I had promised myself I would quit smoking.

Mal ele sabia que ia precisar, sim.

Little did he know that he really would need it.

— Cidade de Deus (2002)