instante

[iɲˈʃtɐ̃tə]
nounmasculinepl: instantes
instant, moment
1. a very short period of time; a moment
Wait just an instant, please.
Espere um instante, por favor.
2. a precise point in time
At that instant, everything changed.
Naquele instante, tudo mudou.
3. an urgent or pressing moment
The instants of danger passed quickly.
Os instantes de perigo passaram rapidamente.
In Brazilian Portuguese, 'instante' is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to convey urgency or brevity. The phrase 'um instantim' (a cute diminutive) is particularly colloquial in Rio de Janeiro. The word is fundamental to Brazilian Portuguese temporal expressions and is often paired with prepositions like 'em' (in), 'por' (for), or 'ao' (at the) to create temporal markers.
NYC Slang
sec (as in 'wait a sec')
Synonyms / Sinônimos
momentosegundominutotrizpiscar de olhos
Antonyms / Antônimos
eternidadeséculoseras

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
instante
standard usage in all contexts
Rio de Janeiro
instante
common in colloquial speech, often shortened to 'um instantim'
São Paulo
instante
formal and informal usage equally common
Portugal
instante
identical usage, though 'momento' is more frequently used in everyday speech

Related Words

instantâneoinstantaneamenteinstantaneidadetempomomentosegundo

Related Idioms & Phrases

num instante (in an instant)
por um instante (for a moment)
neste instante (at this very moment)
ao instante (immediately)
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