If you’re looking for a simple introduction to some essential Portuguese words and phrases, you’ve come to the right place.
I lived in Portugal for a bit earlier this year and fell in love with the country, its landscapes, sun-kissed beaches, welcoming people, and lyrical language.
The Portuguese language is as warm and inviting as the country itself. It’s a language that sings with a rhythm of its own.
With over 250 million native speakers in countries as diverse as Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, and (of course) Portugal, it’s also one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
Knowing some basic phrases and words in Portuguese shows respect for the local culture and can help you navigate through daily interactions.
Basic Words in Portuguese
From the idyllic beaches of Brazil to the cobbled streets of Lisbon, getting familiar with some basic Portuguese vocabulary will greatly enhance your travel experience.
Portuguese is a beautiful language, with unique intonations and lyrical phrases. Begin your Portuguese language adventure with these essential words.
- Olá – Hello
- Adeus – Goodbye
- Obrigado (if you’re male) / Obrigada (if you’re female) – Thank you
- De nada – You’re welcome
- Por favor – Please
- Sim – Yes
- Não – No
- Bom dia – Good morning
- Boa noite – Good evening
- Boa tarde – Good afternoon
- Comida – Food
- Água – Water
- Banheiro (Brazil) / Casa de banho (Portugal) – Bathroom
- Eu – I
- Você – You
- Nós – We
- Eles/Elas – They (male group/female group or mixed)
- Amor – Love
- Amigo/Amiga – Friend (male/female)
- Família – Family
- Comida – Food
Common Portuguese Phrases
These common Portuguese phrases are your gateway to daily life. Ideal for casual interactions, they open doors to the hearts of Portuguese-speaking cultures.
- Olá, como você está? – Hello, how are you?
- Olá, tudo bem? – Hello, all good? (common, less formal)
- Estou bem, obrigado/a – I’m good, thanks
- Prazer em conhecê-lo/a – Nice to meet you
- Meu nome é… – My name is…
- Desculpe – I’m sorry
- Com licença – Excuse me
- Pode me ajudar? – Can you help me?
- Que lindo/a! – How beautiful!
- Até logo – See you
- Até mais – See you later
- Boa sorte! – Good luck!
- Eu falo um pouco de português – I speak a little Portuguese
Basic Portuguese Phrases for Travellers
The following phrases are essential for anyone exploring a Portuguese-speaking region. They’ll enhance your journey, wherever you are.
- Tenho uma reserva – I have a reservation
- Onde ficam os banheiros, por favor? – Where are the bathrooms, please?
- _Como chego em __? – How do I get to ___?
- Quanto custa isso? – How much is this?
- Você fala inglês? – Do you speak English?
- Onde fica o hotel mais próximo? – Where is the nearest hotel?
- Estou perdido/a. Pode me ajudar? – I’m lost. Can you help me?
- Esta área é segura? – Is this area safe?
- Esta área é segura à noite? – Is this area safe at night?
- Obrigado/a pela sua hospitalidade – Thank you for your hospitality
Useful Portuguese Phrases for Information
When you’re curious or need guidance, here are some helpful Portuguese phrases for acquiring information.
- Tenho uma pergunta – I have a question
- Como se chama isso em português? – What is this called in Portuguese?
- Você pode falar mais devagar, por favor? – Can you speak slower, please?
- Não falo bem português – I do not speak Portuguese very well
- Não entendo – I do not understand
- Você pode repetir, por favor? – Can you repeat that please?
- Preciso de informações – I need information
- Onde fica o posto de informações? – Where is the information office?
- O que isso significa? – What does this mean?
- Que horas são? – What time is it?
- Qual é o seu endereço de email? – What’s your email address?
- Como se diz ____ em português? – How do you say ____ in Portuguese?
- O que é isto/aquilo? – What is this/that?
- Posso usar o seu telefone? – Can I use your phone?
Useful Phrases for Directions in Portuguese
Find your way around with these direction phrases. Whether you’re navigating through buzzing cities, timeless colonial towns, quiet villages, or serene countryside, they’ll help you stay on the right track.
- Onde fica…? – Where is the…?
- Como chego em…? – How do I get to…?
- Você pode me mostrar no mapa? – Can you show me on the map?
- Siga em frente – Go straight ahead
- Vire à direita/esquerda – Turn right/left
- É perto/longe – It’s near/far
- É logo ali na esquina – It’s around the corner
- Esta é a esquina – This is the corner
- Para qual direção fica…? – Which way is it to…?
- Posso ir a pé ou preciso de um táxi? – Can I walk there or do I need a taxi?
Basic Portuguese Phrases for Transportation
From local buses to long-distance travel, these Portuguese transportation phrases will help ensure your journeys are easy and stress-free.
- Onde posso pegar um táxi? – Where can I get a taxi?
- Quanto custa para ir até…? – How much does it cost to go to…?
- Eu quero ir para… – I want to go to…
- Onde fica a parada de ônibus? – Where is the bus stop?
- Onde fica a estação de ônibus? – Where is the bus station?
- A que horas sai o próximo trem? – What time does the next train leave?
- Quanto tempo leva para chegar a…? – How long does it take to get to…?
- Como chego ao aeroporto? – How do I get to the airport?
- Este ônibus vai para…? – Does this bus go to…?
- Preciso de uma passagem de ida e volta – I need a round trip ticket
- Onde compro bilhetes? – Where do I buy tickets?
Basic Portuguese Phrases About Accommodation
Settle into your accommodation effortlessly. These phrases will help you communicate your needs, helping ensure you have a comfortable and enjoyable stay.
- Vocês têm quartos disponíveis? – Do you have any rooms available?
- Quanto custa por noite? – How much does it cost per night?
- O café da manhã está incluído no preço? – Is breakfast included in the price?
- Preciso de um quarto duplo – I need a double room
- Há um quarto com duas camas? – Is there a room with two beds?
- Quero um quarto com uma bela vista – I want a room with a nice view
- Há Wi-Fi gratuito? – Is there free Wi-Fi?
- Há ar-condicionado? – Is there air conditioning?
- Onde fica o elevador? – Where is the elevator?
- Onde fica a academia? – Where is the gym?
- Gostaria de reservar um quarto – I would like to book a room
- Há serviço de quarto? – Is there room service?
- O quarto está sujo – The room is dirty
- Me sinto seguro neste hotel – I feel safe in this hotel
- Vocês têm adaptador de tomada? – Do you have a plug adaptor?
- Há um cofre no quarto? – Is there a safe in the room?
- Você pode me acordar às (sete) da manhã? – Can you wake me up at (seven) a.m.?
- Preciso de um berço para o bebê – I need a crib for the baby
- Qual é o horário do check-out? – What’s the check-out time?
Helpful Portuguese Phrases for Shopping
Mastering a few phrases in Portuguese will significantly enhance your shopping experience. From asking the price of an item to inquiring about discounts, these shopping phrases can be quite handy.
You’ll be able to interact with vendors more naturally, which may even bag you some discounts!
- Estou procurando… – I am looking for…
- Quanto custa? – How much does it cost?
- Há algum desconto? – Is there any discount?
- Quanto é o desconto? – How much is the discount?
- Isso é muito caro – That’s too expensive
- Você pode baixar o preço? – Can you lower the price?
- Posso pagar com cartão de crédito? – Can I pay with a credit card?
- Somente em dinheiro – Cash only
- Vocês têm isso em um tamanho maior? – Do you have this in a larger size?
- Vocês têm isso em outra cor? – Do you have this in another colour?
- Quero devolver isso – I want to return this
- Onde são os provadores? – Where are the fitting rooms?
- Com licença, onde fica o supermercado? – Excuse me, where’s the supermarket?
- Onde fica a loja de roupas? – Where’s the clothing store?
- Preciso de uma bolsa – I need a bag
- Onde posso encontrar produtos locais? – Where can I find local products?
Helpful Phrases for Dining Out in Portuguese-Speaking Countries
Sample the diverse flavours throughout the Portuguese-speaking world with these dining phrases. Navigate menus, order your favourite dishes, and immerse yourself in a rich culinary scene.
- Posso ter uma mesa para dois? – Can I get a table for two?
- Você pode me mostrar o cardápio, por favor? – Can you please show me the menu?
- Qual é o prato do dia? – What is the dish of the day?
- Eu gostaria de… – I would like…
- Você poderia sugerir algo para mim? – Could you suggest something for me?
- O que você recomenda para comer? – What do you recommend to eat?
- Sou alérgico a… – I’m allergic to…
- Este prato contém…? – Does this dish contain…?
- Vocês têm opções vegetarianas/veganas? – Do you have vegetarian/vegan options?
- Não como carne/peixe/laticínios – I don’t eat meat/fish/dairy
- Isso é adequado para vegetarianos? – Is this suitable for vegetarians?
- O que é isso? – What is this?
- Gosto disso – I like it
- Posso ter a conta, por favor? – Can I have the bill, please?
- Estava delicioso! Obrigado/a – It was delicious! Thank you
Portuguese Question Words
Mastering the art of questioning is an essential skill in any language. These Portuguese question words will allow for deeper conversations, allowing you to gain a greater understanding of the language and culture.
- O que? – What?
- Onde? – Where?
- Quando? – When?
- Quem? – Who?
- Por quê? – Why?
- Como? – How?
- Qual? – Which?
- Quanto? – How much?
- Quantos? – How many?
- De quem? – Whose?
- É…? – Is it…?
- Posso…? – Can I…
- Vai…? – Will…
- O que é isso? – What is this?
- Quem é aquele/aquela? – Who is that?
- Como está? – How is it?
- Por que é assim? – Why is it?
- Por que isso? – Why this?
- O que tem em…? – What is in …?
- Onde fica…? – Where is …?
- Há…? – Is there a …?
Numbers in Portuguese
Understanding the Portuguese numbering system is useful in a wide range of scenarios, especially when it comes to transactions, discussing times, and navigating transportation.
Below is a list of simple numbers along with some larger ones:
- Zero – 0
- Um – 1
- Dois – 2
- Três – 3
- Quatro – 4
- Cinco – 5
- Seis – 6
- Sete – 7
- Oito – 8
- Nove – 9
- Dez – 10
- Onze – 11
- Doze – 12
- Treze – 13
- Catorze / Quatorze – 14
- Quinze – 15
- Dezesseis – 16
- Dezessete – 17
- Dezoito – 18
- Dezenove – 19
- Vinte – 20
- Trinta – 30
- Quarenta – 40
- Cinquenta – 50
- Sessenta – 60
- Setenta – 70
- Oitenta – 80
- Noventa – 90
- Cem – 100
- Mil – 1,000
- Dez mil – 10,000
- Cem mil – 100,000
- Um milhão – 1,000,000
To create numbers in between these, combine the tens and units. For example:
- “Twenty-one” is Vinte e um (20 + 1)
- “Thirty-two” is Trinta e dois (30 + 2)
For numbers in the hundreds, thousands, and beyond, combine the larger number with the smaller. For instance:
- “One hundred and twenty-three” is Cento e vinte e três
- “Two thousand and nineteen” is Dois mil e dezenove
Differences Between Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese
Although both the Brazilian and European versions of Portuguese are fairly similar overall, there are a few notable differences.
Brazilian Portuguese sounds more open and melodious, thanks to its clear vowel sounds. European Portuguese, in contrast, is more concise, often swallowing vowels in conversation.
The vocabulary varies too. Take “train” and “bus” for example. In Brazil, it’s trem and ônibus, but in Portugal, they say comboio and autocarro.
Grammar-wise, Brazilians tend to use você for “you”, while in Portugal, tu is more common in casual chats.
There’s also a formality aspect. Brazilian Portuguese feels more informal, especially in everyday speech. European Portuguese often keeps a more formal tone, both in writing and speaking.
Lastly, there are cultural influences. Brazilian Portuguese has indigenous and African influences, reflecting Brazil’s diverse culture. European Portuguese, meanwhile, is shaped by its European history and regional influences.
See Also
Check out some of my other posts on learning languages for travel:
- Basic French Phrases For Travel
- Basic Italian Phrases For Travel
- Basic Spanish Phrases For Travel
- Basic Romanian Phrases For Travel
Final Thoughts
With a bit of practice and dedication, you’ll find yourself mastering some simple Portuguese in no time. Now you know the basics, it’s time to start exploring and putting that knowledge into practice.
You might be surprised just how many people will appreciate your effort. And if nothing else, you’ve added something new to your skill set.
So why not give it a go? Have fun with it, make mistakes, learn from them – it’s all part of the process!
I hope this guide comes in handy during your travels throughout the Portuguese-speaking world.
Lastly, if you want to take your Portuguese learning to the next level, I can recommend PracticePortuguese.com.
