{"id":61187,"date":"2023-12-24T20:43:10","date_gmt":"2023-12-25T01:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/hello-in-portuguese\/"},"modified":"2025-01-15T22:48:06","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T03:48:06","slug":"hello-in-portuguese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/portuguese\/hello-in-portuguese\/","title":{"rendered":"“Hello” in Portuguese: 25 Greetings for Any Situation"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are so many different ways to greet someone by saying “Hello,” “Hi” and “How are you?” in Portuguese.<\/p>\n

Ol\u00e1<\/em><\/strong> (hello) is used in Brazil and Portugal, while oi<\/em><\/strong> (hi) is mostly used in Brazil and you might hear viva!<\/em><\/strong> (hello) in Portugal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These are just the basics, but there are many other Portuguese greetings for connecting with native speakers and starting a conversation. Take a look at 25 common Brazilian and European Portuguese greetings<\/strong> to use in any situation, from formal or informal encounters to letters and emails.<\/p>\n

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\n<\/p>\n

Basic Ways to Say “Hello” or “Hi” in Portuguese<\/h2>\n

\"two-women-greeting-each-other\"<\/p>\n

Ol\u00e1<\/em> \u2014 Hello<\/h3>\n

Used by European and Brazilian Portuguese<\/strong> speakers alike, ol\u00e1\u00a0<\/em>is a slightly more<\/strong>\u00a0formal<\/strong> way of saying hello, and the safest option when you’re greeting someone you don’t know very well.<\/p>\n

Not only is it suitable for many situations, but its pronunciation doesn’t change at all across Portuguese-speaking countries.<\/p>\n

Oi<\/em> \u2014 Hi<\/h3>\n

Oi <\/em>is a casual, informal <\/strong>way to say “hi” that’s mostly used in Brazil<\/strong>. You might hear it from time to time in Portugal as it’s becoming more widespread, although Portugal tends to favor the use of ol\u00e1.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Oi<\/em> is often used both orally and in writing, especially when texting, on Whatsapp, on social media and any other informal means of communication.<\/p>\n

Viva!<\/em> \u2014 Hello\u00a0<\/h3>\n

A common, slightly more formal<\/strong> way to greet people in Portugal<\/strong>: Viva, amigos!<\/em> would be like saying “hello, my friends!”<\/p>\n

The word viva<\/em>\u00a0is literally translated as “live” or “long live” (as in “long live the king”\u2014 viva o rei<\/em>), but the Portuguese use it as a way to wish good health<\/strong> to the person being greeted.<\/p>\n

How to Say “Hello, How Are You?” in Portuguese<\/h2>\n

\"woman-saying-hi-on-video-call\"<\/p>\n

Like in English, Portuguese speakers have their own formal and informal variations of asking “How are you?”<\/p>\n

Tudo bem?<\/em> \/ Tudo bom?<\/em> \u2014\u00a0 Everything well? \/ Everything good?<\/h3>\n

This is the most common<\/strong> informal manner<\/strong> of asking “How are you?” in Brazil. It’s also used in Portugal to greet family members and friends.<\/p>\n

There’s a slight difference in pronunciation between Brazilian and European Portuguese:<\/p>\n

Brazilian:<\/strong> Tudo bem?,<\/em> Tudo bom?<\/em>
\nEuropean:<\/strong> Tudo bem?,<\/em> Tudo bom?<\/em><\/p>\n

Here are some possible ways to respond:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Eu estou bem, e voc\u00ea?<\/em><\/strong> or Tudo, e voc\u00ea?<\/em><\/strong> (I\u2019m good, and you?)
\n\u2022 Bem, e voc\u00ea?<\/em><\/strong> (Good, and you?)
\n\u2022 Estou bem, obrigado<\/em><\/strong> (I’m good, thank you). *If you’re female, use obrigada<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Como est\u00e1?<\/em> \/ Como est\u00e1s?<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 How are you?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

In Como est\u00e1?,<\/em> the verb\u00a0estar<\/em> (to be) is conjugated according to the voc\u00ea<\/em> form of \u201cyou,” while Como est\u00e1s?<\/em>\u00a0uses the tu <\/em>form.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You’ll hear Como est\u00e1? <\/strong><\/em>in\u00a0informal<\/strong> situations in Brazil<\/strong> and very formal situations in Portugal<\/strong>, and Como est\u00e1s?<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0informal situations in Portugal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Listen to the difference in pronunciation here:<\/p>\n

Brazilian:<\/strong> Como est\u00e1?,<\/em> Como est\u00e1s?<\/em>
\nEuropean:<\/strong> Como est\u00e1?<\/em>,<\/em> Como est\u00e1s?<\/em><\/p>\n

These greetings are regularly used as a way of saying hello, and as such don\u2019t always warrant a reply, like “How’s it going?” in English.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Como vai?<\/em> \u2014 How’s it going?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Como vai? <\/em>(how’s it going?) is mostly used in Brazilian Portuguese in<\/strong> informal<\/strong> situations<\/strong>. Sometimes you may hear this phrase include voc\u00ea<\/em><\/strong>, for example: Como voc\u00ea vai?<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>or Como vai voc\u00ea?<\/em><\/strong>, but this is optional as\u00a0vai<\/em> is already conjugated in the voc\u00ea <\/em>form.<\/p>\n

Like the phrases above, depending on the context a response isn’t always necessary. If you want to reply, you can simply say Estou bem, e voc\u00ea?<\/em><\/strong> (I’m good, and you?)\u00a0<\/p>\n

E a\u00ed?<\/em> \/ Beleza?<\/em> \u2014 What’s up?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

These are two ways Brazilian Portuguese<\/strong> speakers say \u201cwhat\u2019s up?\u201d Don\u2019t try to translate it literally as these are quite slangy terms<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Beleza<\/em> literally means “beauty” and can be used in many different contexts, such as asking \u201cHow are you?\u201d\u2014 like saying \u201cAll good?\u201d in English. Both greetings can easily be answered with beleza<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(All good).<\/p>\n

Como \u00e9 que \u00e9?<\/em> <\/strong>\u2014 What’s up?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In Portugal<\/strong>, you may hear some young people use this question to informally ask what you’ve been up to. It literally translates to “How is it?”\u00a0<\/p>\n

T\u00e1 tudo?<\/em> \/ T\u00e1s bom?<\/em> \u2014 Are you well?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

These are two slang phrases for saying \u201care you well?\u201d in European Portuguese<\/strong>. They’re best left for friends only as they\u2019re quite informal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Portuguese speakers often use this as a way of saying \u201chi,\u201d without expecting any answer in return. Still, you could answer with Tudo bem<\/em><\/strong> (I\u2019m good) or Tudo<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(same but condensed) if you feel the context calls for it.<\/p>\n

Tem passado bem?<\/em> \u2014 Is everything good?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is a formal<\/strong> greeting<\/strong> used in European and Brazilian Portuguese<\/strong> that literally means “Have you been passing well?” This greeting could be used with an old colleague that you haven’t seen in a while or perhaps with someone you know but aren’t too familiar with.<\/p>\n

Another way of saying this is by asking Como tem passado?<\/em><\/strong> This option is slightly more formal<\/strong>\u00a0and is often used in Brazilian soap operas.<\/p>\n

To respond to these phrases, you can simply answer by saying Sim! E voc\u00ea?<\/em><\/strong> (Yes! And you?). Alternatively, you could respond with Bem<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(Good) or Muito bem!<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(Very good!).<\/p>\n

Bem-vindo <\/em>\u2014\u00a0 Welcome<\/h3>\n

In the Portuguese language, most verbs, nouns and adjectives<\/a> have to adapt to both the number (singular or plural) and gender (male or female)<\/strong> of whatever they’re referring to.<\/p>\n

To make matters worse, even if you have a group of five women and only one man, you’ll still have to refer to that group as male.<\/p>\n

For that reason, the word bem-vindo<\/em> will be found in several forms. Luckily, this greeting is pronounced the same across Portuguese-speaking countries:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Bem-vindo<\/strong><\/em> \u2014\u00a0for a man
\n\u2022 Bem-vinda<\/strong><\/em> \u2014\u00a0for a woman
\n\u2022 Bem-vindas<\/strong><\/em> \u2014\u00a0for two or more women
\n\u2022 Bem-vindos<\/strong><\/em> \u2014 for two or more men or a mixed-gender group<\/p>\n

Hello in Portuguese for Different Times of Day<\/h2>\n

\"man-texting-over-breakfast\"<\/p>\n

Depending on the time of day, you might say hello to a Portuguese speaker in the following ways (used in both Brazilian and European Portuguese<\/strong>):<\/p>\n

Bom dia<\/em> \u2014 Good morning<\/h3>\n

Bom dia<\/em> literally translates as \u201cgood day\u201d and can be used to say “good morning.” Use this between 6:00 a.m. and noon<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Notice that bom dia\u00a0<\/em>is\u00a0pronounced \u201cbom GEE-a\u201d in Brazil\u2014in Portugal and African countries, it’s said as \u201cbom DEE-a\u201d instead: bom dia<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n

You can repeat the greeting as a response, or add a \u201cHow are you?\u201d to it:<\/p>\n

Bom dia, tudo bem?<\/em><\/strong> (Good morning, how are you?)
\nBoa dia, como vai?<\/em><\/strong> (Good evening, how are you?)<\/p>\n

Boa tarde<\/em> \u2014 Good afternoon<\/h3>\n

Use boa tarde<\/em> as a greeting from noon until about 7:00 p.m.<\/strong> to say “good afternoon.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

In Brazil, this expression will sound like “boa TAHR-g,” while in Portugal it sounds like “boa TAHR-d”: boa tarde<\/strong>.<\/em> Once again, Angolan Portuguese pronunciation would come closer to the European version of this greeting, as would Cape Verdean and Guinean pronunciations.<\/p>\n

Boa noite<\/em> \u2014 Good evening\/Good night<\/h3>\n

Boa noite<\/em> means both “good evening” and “good night” (there\u2019s no distinction between the two in Portuguese). Use this phrase to greet someone from 7:00 p.m. onwards<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

These phrases are typically used in more formal situations<\/strong> where ol\u00e1<\/em> might be deemed too casual, or as a generally more polite greeting.<\/p>\n

In Brazil this phrase is pronounced “boa NOEE-tsh,” and in Portugal, Angola, Cape Verde and other Portuguese-speaking African countries it sounds like “boa NOEE-t”: boa noite<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

How to Answer the Phone in Portuguese<\/h2>\n

\"man-talking-on-the-phone\"<\/p>\n

There are several different ways to answer the phone in Portuguese. This is one of those instances where you\u2019ll see a marked difference<\/strong> between the Brazilian and European Portuguese dialects<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Al\u00f4?<\/em> \u2014 Hello?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

In Brazil<\/strong>, the most common way to answer the phone is with Al\u00f4?<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/em>(Hello?).<\/p>\n

The other person will usually answer back with the same interjection, and maybe ask who’s speaking: Quem \u00e9?<\/em><\/strong> (Who is it?) or Quem t\u00e1 falando?<\/em><\/strong> (Who’s speaking?).<\/p>\n

Est\u00e1 l\u00e1?<\/em> \/ Estou<\/em> \u2014 Are you there? \/ I am [here]\u00a0<\/h3>\n

In European Portuguese<\/strong>, a person will either answer with Est\u00e1 l\u00e1?<\/em><\/strong> (Are you there?) or most often simply with Estou<\/em><\/strong> (I am [here]).<\/p>\n

The other speaker will typically respond with Estou<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0or Estou sim<\/em><\/strong> (Yes, I am [here]); sometimes they may reply with Fala<\/em><\/strong> (the imperative form of falar<\/em><\/strong>,<\/em> the verb \u201cto speak\u201d) or simply ol\u00e1<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(hello) or sim?<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(yes?).<\/p>\n

Greetings for Letters and Emails in Portuguese<\/h2>\n

\"woman-writing-letter-on-card\"<\/p>\n

If you’re writing an email or a letter to someone, the greetings you choose to start and end your message with will depend on the level of formality required and your relationship with the person you’re writing to.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here are a few examples of common greetings used in European and Brazilian Portuguese<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

Querido <\/em>\/ Querida <\/em>\u2014\u00a0Dear…<\/h3>\n

Querido\/querida<\/em> can be used both in spoken and written informal Portuguese<\/strong>. It’s a term of endearment used all over the Portuguese-speaking world and would be translated as “Dear” for male and female, respectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can begin any informal letter or email to a friend, family member or pen-pal with Querido\/a..<\/em>. For example: Querida Maria, Querido Jos\u00e9…<\/em><\/p>\n

Estimado… <\/em> \/ Caro… \/ Prezado… <\/em>\u2014\u00a0Dear…<\/h3>\n

If you’re writing a more formal message<\/strong> in European or Brazilian Portuguese, go for polite salutations such as estimado<\/em>,\u00a0caro<\/em>\u00a0or prezado<\/em>. These are the equivalents to “Dear Mr.\/Mrs.” or “Dear Sir\/Madam,” and are followed by the person’s full name or last name.<\/p>\n

Remember that there are several variations of the same salutation depending on the gender and number<\/strong> of the audience:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Estimado<\/strong><\/em> \u2014 singular male
\n\u2022 Estimada<\/strong><\/em> \u2014 singular female
\n\u2022 Estimados<\/strong><\/em> \u2014 plural male or mixed group
\n\u2022 Estimadas<\/strong> \u2014<\/em>\u00a0plural female<\/p>\n

The same logic applies to the others:<\/p>\n

\u2022 caro<\/strong>, cara<\/strong>, caros<\/strong>, caras<\/strong>
\n<\/em>\u2022 prezado<\/strong>, prezada<\/strong>, prezados<\/strong>, prezadas<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Atenciosamente \/ Cordialmente <\/em>\u2014\u00a0Sincerely, Best regards \/ Cordially<\/h3>\n

These are the friendliest expressions one could use to finish a formal letter or email<\/strong>. These don’t need to be adapted to number or gender, and they’re understood throughout the Portuguese-speaking world.<\/p>\n

If you were to use these expressions orally, you would need to say \u201catenSEEOH-zamentsh\u201d in Brazil or \u201catenSEEOH-zament\u201d in Portugal: atenciosamente<\/strong>. <\/em>Likewise, Brazilians would say “cohr-dee-ALmentsh” (Brazil) but Portuguese would say “cohr-dee-ALment”:\u00a0cordialmente<\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Bonus: How to Say \u201cGoodbye\u201d in Portuguese<\/h2>\n

\"couple-greeting-someone-on-video-call\"<\/p>\n

When it\u2019s time to go your separate ways, this is how Portuguese speakers say goodbye<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

Tchau<\/em> \u2014 Bye<\/h3>\n

Pronounced just like ciao<\/em> in Italian, this is the most common way Brazilians say goodbye<\/strong> to each other. Tchau<\/em> is also sometimes heard in Portugal, but it’s more commonly used in Brazil. To respond, just say tchau<\/em> back.<\/p>\n

Note that, unlike\u00a0ciao<\/em> in Italian which is used to say both “hello” and “goodbye,” in Portuguese, tchau<\/em> is only used to say goodbye<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Adeus<\/em> \u2014 Goodbye\u00a0<\/h3>\n

This is another form of saying goodbye, commonly used<\/strong> in Portugal<\/strong> but seen as very formal in Brazil<\/strong>. Speakers of Brazilian Portuguese may even see it as over-dramatic at times.<\/p>\n

While it’s a popular farewell in Portugal, in Brazil it’s reserved for very formal situations, such as when you’re unlikely to see the other person for quite a long time.<\/p>\n

Tenha um bom dia<\/em> \u2014 Have a good day<\/h3>\n

This is a time-specific goodbye<\/strong>, allowing you to wish someone a good day. You’re most likely to hear this used up until midday or 1:00 p.m in Brazil or Portugal<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In response, you can either say\u00a0Tenha um bom dia tamb\u00e9m<\/strong> <\/em>(Have a good day too<\/strong>) or, depending on whom you\u2019re addressing, a simple para voc\u00ea tamb\u00e9m<\/em><\/strong> (literally: to you too) will suffice.<\/p>\n

Tenha uma boa tarde<\/em> \u2014 Have a good afternoon<\/h3>\n

After midday<\/strong>, this phrase is used in both Brazilian and European Portuguese<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Like the phrase listed above, to respond to this goodbye you can sayTenha uma boa tarde tamb\u00e9m<\/strong><\/em>. You could also add obrigado<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>or obrigada<\/em><\/strong> (thank you) before responding.<\/p>\n

Tenha uma boa noite<\/em> \u2014 Have a good evening<\/h3>\n

Most native speakers will tend to use this phrase from 7:00 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like the two phrases listed above, most people will often reply by repeating the exact phrase and adding tamb\u00e9m<\/em><\/strong> (too), or say para voc\u00ea tamb\u00e9m<\/em><\/strong> (to you too). Another common reply to these three phrases is igualmente<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>which is used to say “you too.”<\/p>\n

At\u00e9 mais<\/em> \/ At\u00e9 logo<\/em> \/ At\u00e9 breve<\/em> \u2014 See you soon<\/h3>\n

These are different ways of saying \u201csee you soon\u201d used by both European and Brazilian Portuguese<\/strong> speakers.<\/p>\n

For a slightly more formal alternative<\/strong>, use the phrase At\u00e9 mais tarde<\/em><\/strong> or At\u00e9 logo mais<\/em><\/strong> (both mean \u201cSee you later\u201d). You can respond by echoing any of these greetings, or simply by saying At\u00e9<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(Until then).<\/p>\n

At\u00e9 amanh\u00e3 <\/em>\u2014 See you tomorrow<\/h3>\n

Like its equivalent in English, this phrase isn’t considered particularly formal or informal, so it can be used in most situations<\/strong> in both European and Brazilian Portuguese<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It’s important to know how to pronounce these two very typical Portuguese sounds as they are also used in many other Portuguese words:<\/p>\n