{"id":60893,"date":"2023-05-25T18:26:39","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T22:26:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/basic-portuguese-phrases\/"},"modified":"2025-03-10T14:52:58","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T18:52:58","slug":"basic-portuguese-phrases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/portuguese\/basic-portuguese-phrases\/","title":{"rendered":"128 Portuguese Phrases for Travel and Everyday Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

How would you fare if we transported you to a Portuguese-speaking country right now? Do you have enough phrases under your belt<\/strong> to find your way around?<\/p>\n

This post is for all the beginners<\/strong> who want to nail their basic Portuguese phrases. Whether your focus is on European or Brazilian Portuguese<\/a>, fine-tuning your essentials will make life that much easier.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Basic Greetings<\/h2>\n

\"Smiling-people-greeting-each-other\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Greetings are often the first thing you cover when learning a new language\u2014and in Portuguese, it’s no different.<\/p>\n

Whether you need a reminder of your basic hellos and goodbyes, or you’re yet to learn them, here are some of the key greetings<\/a> you need to know:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Portuguese<\/th>English<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Bom dia <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Good morning<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Boa tarde <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Good afternoon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Boa noite <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Good night<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ol\u00e1 <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Hello (formal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oi <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Hello\/Hi (informal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Al\u00f4 <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Hello (on the phone \u2014 Brazilian Portuguese)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Est\u00e1 l\u00e1 <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Hello (on the phone \u2014 European Portuguese)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Adeus <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Goodbye (formal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tchau! <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Bye\/See you later (informal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
At\u00e9 amanh\u00e3 <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>See you tomorrow<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tudo bem? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How are you?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Como t\u00e1? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How are you? (informal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
E a\u00ed? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How are you? (informal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Como voc\u00ea est\u00e1? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How are you? (formal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Como est\u00e1? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How are you? (formal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Eu estou bem, e voc\u00ea\/e t\u00fa? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I'm good, and you?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bem, e voc\u00ea? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Good, and you?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Como vai? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How's it going?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Prazer <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Nice to meet you<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Foi um prazer <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>It was good to meet you<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
O senhor\/A senhora <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>You (formal)\/ Sir\/Madam<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Qual \u00e9 o seu nome? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>What is your name?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Me chamo... <\/a>\n \/ Meu nome \u00e9... <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>My name is...<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Basic Words and Phrases<\/h2>\n

\"brazil-flag\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Good manners always make a positive impression. If you’re ever traveling to Brazil or Portugal, these terms will help prevent any cultural misunderstandings that might arise from basic etiquette:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Portuguese<\/th>English<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Sim <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
N\u00e3o <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>No<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Por favor <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Please<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Com licen\u00e7a <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Excuse me<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Obrigado\/Obrigada <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Thank you<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
De nada <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>You're welcome<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Desculpa\/Desculpe <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I'm sorry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Perd\u00e3o <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Forgive me\/Pardon me<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Por qu\u00ea? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Why?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Estou com saudades <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I\u00a0miss you (Brazilian Portuguese)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tenho saudades <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I\u00a0miss you (European Portuguese)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vamos! <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Let's go!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Essential Questions and Phrases\u00a0<\/h2>\n

\"question-mark-on-a-board\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There’s no shame in asking for help when you need it. In fact, it’s all part of the learning experience.<\/p>\n

If you’re talking to a native Portuguese speaker, use these phrases to aid your comprehension:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Portuguese<\/th>English<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Fala ingl\u00eas? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Do you speak English?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Algu\u00e9m aqui fala ingl\u00eas? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Does anyone here speak English?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
N\u00e3o compreendo <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I don't understand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Eu compreendo <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I understand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
N\u00e3o entendi <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I didn't understand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Entendi <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I understood\/I understand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Eu n\u00e3o sei <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I don't know<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Como se diz... em portugu\u00eas? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How do you say... in Portuguese?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fale mais devagar, por favor <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Please speak more slowly<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Que horas s\u00e3o? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>What time is it?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Preciso de sua\/tua ajuda <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I\u00a0need your help (Use sua<\/em>\u00a0in Brazil and\u00a0tua<\/em>\u00a0in Portugal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Eu estou doente <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I'm sick<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Essential Portuguese Travel Phrases<\/h2>\n

\"people-waiting-to-board-a-train-in-brazil\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Traveling to Brazil or Portugal? Then these questions will definitely help you along the way. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it’ll help you get started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Portuguese<\/th>English<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Preciso trocar dinheiro <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I need to exchange money.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Como chego ao (\u00e0)... ? <\/a>\n <\/strong>*<\/td>How do I get to...?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Como chego \u00e0 esta\u00e7\u00e3o de trem? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How do I get to the train station?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Como chego ao ponto de \u00f4nibus? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How do I get to the bus stop? <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Para onde vai esse trem\/\u00f4nibus? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Where does this train\/bus go?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A que horas chega... ? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>What time does the... arrive?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sabe onde fica... ? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Do you know where the... is?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Voc\u00ea pode me mostrar no mapa? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Could you show me on the map [where this is]?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Onde \u00e9 o banheiro? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Where is the bathroom? (Brazilian Portuguese)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Onde fica a casa de banho? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Where is the bathroom? (European Portuguese)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Carro <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Car<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00d4nibus <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Bus (Brazilian Portuguese)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Autocarro <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Bus (European Portuguese)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Avi\u00e3o <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Plane<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Trem <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Train<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
T\u00e1xi <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Taxi<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bicicleta <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Bike<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Parada de \u00f4nibus <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Bus stop<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

*Grammar note: use\u00a0ao\u00a0<\/em>for masculine nouns,\u00a0\u00e0<\/em> for feminine.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Asking for Directions\u00a0<\/h2>\n

\"map-of-brazil-with-a-compass\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In order to get where you want to go, you’re probably going to have to ask for directions. Here are the basics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Portuguese<\/th>English<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Pode me dizer como chegar... ? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Could you tell me how to get to... ?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Onde est\u00e1... ? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Where is... ?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
O hotel <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>The hotel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
O quarto <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>The room<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
O museu <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>The museum<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
O parque <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>The park<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A catedral <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>The cathedral<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A cachoeira <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>The waterfall<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
O aeroporto <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>The airport<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Esquerda <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Left<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Direita <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Right<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Reto <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Straight ahead<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Por a\u00ed <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Around there<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Em frente <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>In front of<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Atr\u00e1s <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Behind<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rua <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Road<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Avenida <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Avenue<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Estrada <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Highway<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Faixa <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Lane<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Seguir <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>To follow<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Virar <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>To turn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vira a... <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Turn...<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Shopping\u00a0<\/h2>\n

\"assorted-ceramic-plates-in-portugal\"<\/a><\/p>\n

If you see something you’d like to bring home, you’ll need to know a thing or two about making purchases.<\/p>\n

It might feel unnatural, but haggling is the norm in many countries<\/a>. Here’s how to let the vendor know you won’t budge from your budget:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Portuguese<\/th>English<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Quanto custa? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How much does it cost?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quanto custa esta... ? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>How much does this... cost?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Que horas abre\/fecha? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>What time does this place open\/close?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Que horas voc\u00eas abrem\/fecham? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>What time do you open\/close?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vou pagar s\u00f3 5 d\u00f3lares. Nada mais. <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I will only pay five dollars. Nothing more.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Voc\u00ea tem... ? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Do you have... ? (Used when asking for things)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Camisa <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Shirt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Saia <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Skirt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cal\u00e7as <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Pants<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vestido <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Dress<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sapatos <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Shoes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Souvenir <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Souvenir<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lembran\u00e7a <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Souvenir<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Words and Phrases for Food<\/h2>\n

\"brigadeiro-dessert-brazil\"<\/a><\/p>\n

No cultural experience is complete without food<\/a>. How about trying the famous Brazilian brigadeiro<\/em><\/a> dessert pictured above?\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you’re ever in Brazil you’ll need to know more than the word cacha\u00e7a<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(a spirit produced mainly in Brazil).<\/p>\n

Here are some essential Portuguese phrases to remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Portuguese<\/th>English<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Eu quero... <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>I want...<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pode dar me..., por favor? <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Can you please give me... ?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bebidas <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Drinks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00c1gua <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Water<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Refrigerante <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Soda<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Suco <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Juice<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Leite <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Milk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vinho <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Wine<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cerveja <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Beer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Comida <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Food<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Salada <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Salad<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Arroz <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Rice<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Feij\u00e3o <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Beans<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Carne <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Meat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Frango <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Chicken<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sobremesa <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Dessert<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bolo <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Cake<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sorvete <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Ice cream<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ma\u00e7\u00e3 <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Apple<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mam\u00e3o <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Papaya<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Morango <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Strawberry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Manga <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Mango<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maracuj\u00e1 <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Passionfruit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Goiaba <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Guava<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A\u00e7a\u00ed <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Acai berry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Caju <\/a>\n <\/strong><\/td>Cashew fruit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Quick Tips to Make Learning Basic Portuguese a Breeze<\/h2>\n

Learning a language, as you already know, is a commitment.<\/p>\n

It takes time to build up your vocabulary<\/a>, study the\u00a0grammar rules<\/a> and get your pronunciation just right.<\/p>\n

But you know what? All that groundwork doesn’t have to be stressful.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As long as you know what you’re trying to achieve and how you’re going to achieve it, the transition between all learning phases\u2014from beginner to advanced\u2014should go quite smoothly.<\/p>\n

At this stage, in particular, there are two key points that we recommend you focus on:<\/p>\n

Learn in context<\/h3>\n

Your first mission is to\u00a0put your learned phrases<\/strong>\u00a0into context. <\/strong>Memorizing words and sentences isn’t going to do any good if you don’t know how to apply them in your daily life.<\/p>\n

With all the resources you can readily access these days, it’s easy and fun to get actively involved in practicing your linguistic skills\u2014no matter how basic\u2014beyond memorization.<\/p>\n

For instance, the exercises and native content you’re exposed to through the FluentU program’s<\/a> authentic videos will help you see how each new phrase and language rule you’re studying fits into natural Portuguese speech.<\/p>\n

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Click here to check out the website<\/a> or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n \"FluentU\n

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