estava prestes a

was about to

→ estar
phrase Uncommon #12,928
was about to Used for something that was very close to happening in the past.
PO: Eu estava prestes a sair quando você ligou.
EN: I was about to leave when you called.

Quando ele estava prestes a sair, começou um terremoto.

Just as he was about to leave, an earthquake began.

Tom estava prestes a beijar Mary quando o pai dela entrou no quarto.

Tom was about to kiss Mary when her father entered the room.

Você sabe, isto estava prestes a acontecer cedo ou tarde.

You know, this was bound to happen sooner or later.

— Vítima do Passado (1996)

Eu estava prestes a sair quando Mary apareceu do nada.

I was about to leave when Mary appeared out of nowhere.

Outra batalha dura estava prestes a começar.

Another tough battle was about to begin.

Se eles soubessem o que estava prestes a acontecer, teriam mudado seus planos.

If they had known what was about to happen, they would have changed their plans.

Parecia que você estava prestes a fazer isso.

It looked like you were about to do it.

Que estava prestes a conhecer seu pai?

Was she about to meet her father?

— Extermínio: O Templo dos Ossos (2026)

Eu estava prestes a dizer isso.

I was about to say that.

Ela estava prestes a chorar.

She was about to cry.

Sami estava prestes a morrer.

Sami was about to die.

Nixon estava prestes a se tornar presidente.

Nixon was about to become president.

Ziri estava prestes a desligar seu telefone.

Ziri was about to hang up her phone.

Ele estava prestes a falar.

He was about to speak.

Tom estava prestes a dormir quando ouviu uma batida na porta.

Tom was about to go to sleep when he heard a knock on the door.

Eu estava prestes a sair quando o Tom chegou.

I was about to leave when Tom arrived.

O prédio em chamas estava prestes a cair.

The burning building was about to collapse.

Eu estava prestes a ir para casa.

I was about to go home.

Mas tudo estava prestes a mudar.

But everything was about to change.

— Invasores - Nenhum Sistema Está à Salvo (2014)

Nós tivemos de voltar logo porque a aula estava prestes a começar.

We had to go back quickly because class was about to start.

Ela estava prestes a se matar.

She was about to kill herself.

Quando eu cheguei na estação, o trem estava prestes a partir.

When I arrived at the station, the train was about to leave.

Tom parecia que estava prestes a sair.

Tom looked like he was about to leave.

Eu estava prestes a sair, quando ele veio me ver.

I was about to leave when he came to see me.

Eu estava prestes a ir.

I was about to leave.

O ônibus estava prestes a chegar.

The bus was about to arrive.