One question that will come up repeatedly is how to say “I’m looking forward to” in Portuguese. It’s such a commonly used expression in English that it’s natural to want to know how to say it in Portuguese. The trouble is that there is no straightforward translation for this one. In this post, I will break down some of the ways we can express this in my language.
👉 “Mal posso esperar!”
The closest translation for this one is “I can hardly wait”. And it’s always used with the meaning of really looking forward to something. Let’s look at some examples:
Mal posso esperar pelas férias! (I’m looking forward to the holidays!)
Mal posso esperar para te ver! (I can’t wait to see you!)
Mal posso esperar pelo concerto! (I’m looking forward to the concert!)
👉 Other ways to say “I’m looking forward to it”
Although “mal posso esperar” is mostly used, especially in informal and enthusiastic language, there are other useful expressions we use.
✅ Estou ansioso(a) por…
This one is more neutral and slightly more formal.
- Estou ansiosa por começar o novo trabalho.
(I’m looking forward to starting the new job.)
It also has a second meaning of anxiety rather than exciting anticipation. Take the above example, it could be translated as: “I’m anxious to start the new job.”
✅ Tenho muita vontade de…
Literally “I have a lot of desire to…” — it’s commonly used and informal.
- Tenho muita vontade de ir a Lisboa outra vez.
(I’m really looking forward to going to Lisbon again.)
✅ Estou desejoso(a) de…
This is more formal or literary — it’s used more in letters or emails as well.
- Estou desejoso de conhecer os teus pais.
(I’m looking forward to meeting your parents.)