make plans

[/meɪk plænz/]
verb phrase
fazer planos
1. to arrange or decide in advance what you will do at a future time
We need to make plans for the weekend.
Precisamos fazer planos para o fim de semana.
2. to organize details for an upcoming event or activity
She is making plans for her birthday party.
Ela está fazendo planos para sua festa de aniversário.
3. to schedule or coordinate with others for a future meeting or activity
Let's make plans to meet next week.
Vamos fazer planos para nos encontrar na próxima semana.
In both American and Brazilian cultures, making plans is an essential social practice. In Brazil, casual planning ('combinar') is often done informally via phone or messaging, while formal events require more structured planning. Americans tend to schedule plans further in advance. Both cultures value keeping plans once made, though in Brazil, flexibility is sometimes more accepted socially.
NYC Slang
set it up
Synonyms / Sinônimos
schedulearrangeorganizecoordinateplotscheme
Antonyms / Antônimos
improvisewing itgo with the flow

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
fazer planos
most common and widely used expression
Rio de Janeiro
fazer planos
standard usage, sometimes shortened to 'combinar' in casual speech
São Paulo
fazer planos
formal and informal contexts use the same expression
Portugal
fazer planos
identical to Brazilian Portuguese; also 'planear' or 'marcar' in some contexts

Related Words

planningscheduleitineraryagendastrategypreparation

Related Idioms & Phrases

make big plans
make last-minute plans
make backup plans
make concrete plans
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