Marcar vs. Combinar: Make Plans in Brazilian Portuguese
Both verbs can help you make plans. Marcar often sets a specific time; combinar highlights agreeing on what to do.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Marcar um horário means to schedule a time. It works for appointments, meetings, and plans when the date or hour is the main detail you need to settle.
Use marcar when setting a specific time or appointment
People also use marcar de + infinitive for arranging to do something. Usage overlaps with combinar, so treat these as helpful tendencies rather than fixed rules.
Vamos marcar um horário para conversar.
Let’s schedule a time to talk.
Marquei de encontrar a Luiza depois do trabalho.
I arranged to meet Luiza after work.
Você pode marcar para terça-feira?
Can you schedule it for Tuesday?
Use combinar to agree on the plan together
Combinar can mean to arrange or agree on a plan. It is useful when you are choosing the activity, time, place, or details together, and it appears in the familiar phrase vamos combinar.
After agreeing, repeat the key detail so both people know what the plan is. A friendly ‘vamos combinar’ is not always a firm appointment until the time and place are clear.
A gente combina o lugar por mensagem.
We’ll agree on the place by message.
Combinamos de tomar um café na sexta.
We arranged to have coffee on Friday.
Vamos combinar melhor o horário amanhã.
Let’s settle the time more clearly tomorrow.
Put it into practice
Marcar often fixes a date or appointment; combinar emphasizes reaching an agreement. Both can describe arranging plans, depending on the sentence.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “Let’s settle the time more clearly tomorrow”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
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