playtime

[/ˈpleɪtaɪm/]
nounpl: playtimes
hora de brincar
1. a period of time allocated for children to play, especially at school
The children looked forward to playtime in the afternoon.
As crianças esperavam pela hora de brincar à tarde.
2. a time set aside for recreation or leisure activities
After work, it's finally playtime for the adults.
Depois do trabalho, finalmente é hora de diversão para os adultos.
3. time devoted to enjoyment and entertainment rather than work
She believes in balancing work and playtime.
Ela acredita em equilibrar o trabalho e o tempo de lazer.
In Brazilian schools, 'recreio' is a cherished daily ritual where students have supervised free time to play, socialize, and eat snacks. In the USA, 'playtime' is essential to childhood development and educational philosophy emphasizes its importance for learning and social skills.
NYC Slang
play time or recess (standard usage, not specifically NYC slang)
Synonyms / Sinônimos
recessbreakleisure timerecreation timedowntime
Antonyms / Antônimos
work timestudy timeclass time

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
hora de brincar
most common and widely understood term
General Brazilian
recreio
specifically used in school contexts; very common in Brazilian schools
Rio de Janeiro
hora de brincar / recreio
both terms used interchangeably
São Paulo
recreio
predominant term in educational settings
Portugal
hora de brincar / intervalo
intervalo is also used for school breaks

Related Words

playgroundgamerecreationleisureactivity

Related Idioms & Phrases

all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
time to play
let the games begin
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