Basics

Common signs
OPEN
ABERTO
CLOSED
FECHADO
ENTRANCE
ENTRADA
EXIT

SADA
PUSH
EMPURRE
PULL
PUXE
(CAUTION:
sounds as "POOshee")
TOILET
BANHEIRO /
BANHO /

PRIVADA
(CAUTION: note
final 'A')
MEN
HOMEM /
MACHO
WOMEN
MULHER /
FMEA
FORBIDDEN
PROIBIDO /

PRIVADO /
EMPREGADOS
APENAS
(employees only)
Good Day
Bom dia. (bo DEEuh) Portugal / (bon
DEE-ah / JEE-ah
(Rio)) Brazil
Hello. (informal)
Ol. (O-lah) Port. /

Oi (oi) Brazil
Thank you. (said
by a man)
Obrigado. (ob-reeGAH-doo)
Thank you. (said
by a woman)
Obrigada. (ob-reeGAH-dah)
How are you?
Como est? (KOH-

moo shTAH?)
Portugal, Formal /
KOH-moh ish-TAH?
Brazil / ) also:
Como vai voc?
(KOH-moh vahy
voh-SAY?) in Brazil
How are you?
Tudo bem? (TOOdoo BAY(n)?)
Portugal / (TOO-do

BENG?) Brazil or
Tudo bom? (bon)
Very common in
Brazil.
Fine, thank you.
Bem, obrigado/a
(BAY(n), ob-reeGAH-doo/duh)
Portugal / (BENG,
ob-ree-GAHdoo/dah) Also, you

can informally say

"Tudo bem/bon."
Everything is OK.
(Lit. "All is well")
Tudo bem. (TOOdoo BAY(n))
Portugal / (TOO-do
BENG) Brazil
What is your
name? (Lit. "How
are you called?")

Como se chama?
(KOH-moo s SHUMuh?) Portugal,
formal / (KOH-moh
se SHA-ma?);
Como te chamas?
(KOH-moo t SHAmash?) Portugal,
Informal
What is your
name? (Literal)

Qual o seu
nome? (kwahl eh
oo sehoo nom?)
Portugal, formal /
(kwahl eh oh SAYoo NOH-mee?)
Preferred in Brazil.
My name is
______ .
(O) meu nome
______ . (oo mehoo

NOM eh...)
Portugal / ({oh}
mehoo NOM-ee ey
_____ .) The "O" is
usually omitted in
Brazil.
Nice to meet you.
Muito prazer (em
conhec-lo).
(MOOY-too praZEHR ay(n) koo-

ny(e)-SEH-loo)
Portugal, formal /
(MOOY-to prahZEHR eng koh-nyeSEH-lo) The final
part is dropped in
Brazil.
Please (Lit. "As a
favor")
Por favor. (poor faVOR) Portugal /

(pohr fah-VOHR)
You're welcome
(Lit. "For nothing")
De nada. (d NAHda) Portugal / (je
NAH-dah)
Yes.
Sim. (SIN(G))
No.
No. (NAWN(G))
Remember the

Portuguese "no"
doesn't mean a
negation as in
English and
Spanish -- but
rather "in the" as
a contraction of
em + o (Spanish
en el). Such
contractions are
common in

Portuguese. No
falo ingls no
Brasil. I don't
speak English in
Brazil.
No (not any) +
noun
Nenhum(a) (naNYOON(g) / neNYUU-ma) Portugal
/ (neh-NYOONG(-

ah))
Excuse me.
(getting attention)
Com licena (kong
lee-SEN-sa)
Excuse me.
(begging pardon)
Desculpe-me.
(desh-KULP-me
(Port.)/ deesh-KULpee-mee (Brazil))

I'm sorry.
Desculpe. (deshKULP (Port.)/
deesh-KUL-pay
(Brazil))
I'm sorry. (Lit.
"pardon")
Perdo. (perDAWN(g))
Portugal / (pehrDAWNG) Brazil

Goodbye (formal or
permanent)
Adeus. (uhDEOOSH)
Goodbye
(informal)
Tchau. (CHOW)
See you later
At logo. (a-TEH
LOH-goo)
Portugal / (ah-TEH

LOH-goh) Brazil
Be careful in other
context, as logo
literally means
"soon"
I can't speak
Portuguese [well].
No falo [bem]
portugus.
(NOWNG FAH-loo
[bay(n)] poor-too-

GEHZH)
Do you speak
English?
Fala ingls? (fah-la
in-GLESH?)
Is there someone
here who speaks
English?
H aqui algum
que fale ingls?
(AH a-KEE ahl-

GAY(n) ke FAHL inGLEHZH?) Portugal

/ (AH ah-KEE alGENG keh FAH-leh
ing-GLEZH?) Brazil
Help!
Socorro! (soo-KOHhoo!)
Good afternoon
(also early
evening)

Boa tarde. (BO-a

TARD) Portugal /
(boh-AH TAR-dee)
Brazil / TAR-jay
(Rio))
Good evening (also
nightime)
Boa noite. (bo-a
NOIT Portugal /
(bo-AH NOI-chee)
Brazil

I don't
understand.
No
compreendo/enten
do. (NOWNG kompree-EN-doo/enTEN-doo)
Where is the toilet?
(Port.)
Onde a casa-debanho? (OND eh a

KAH-za de BAnyoo?) Portugal /

Where is the toilet?
(Brazil)
Onde o
banheiro? (OND-de
(Brazil) / OND-jee
(Rio) eh o bahnYAIR-row?)
Taxi

Taxi!
Txi! (Tak-see)
Take me to _____,
please.
Leve-me para
_____, por favor.
(...)
How much does it
cost to get to
_____?
Quanto custa ir

para _____? (KWANto CUSH-tah eer

pah-rah______)
Take me there,
please.
Leve-me l, por
favor. (...)
Follow that car!
Siga aquele carro!
(SEEgah AHkelE
kaROO / cah-HOO

(Brazil))
Try to not hit any
pedestrian.
Tente no atropelar
nenhum Peo
(PT)/pedestre (BR).
(...)
Stop staring at me
this way!
Pare de olhar para
mim desta

maneira! (...)
Would you mind
driving slower?
Importa-te (-se if
formal) de
conduzir mais
devagar?
Stop, I want to get
out here.
Pare-te (Para-se),
quero sair aqui.

OK, let's go, then.

OK, ento vamos.
(Okay entaum
vamosh)
Money
Do you accept
American/Australia
n/Canadian
dollars?
Aceita dlares

americanos/austral
ianos/canadianos?
(...)
Do you accept
British pounds?
Aceita libras
esterlinas? (...)
Do you accept
credit cards?
Aceita cartes de
crdito? (...)

Can you change

money for me?
Pode trocar-me
dinheiro? (...)
Where can I get
money changed?
Onde posso trocar
dinheiro? (Ond/ONdee (Brazil)/ ONjee (rio) POH-soh
troCAR dee-NYEY-

roo)
Can you change a
Traveler's Cheque
for me?
Pode trocar-me um
cheque de viagem
(or ... um Traveler's
Cheque)? (...)
Where can I get a
Traveler's Cheque
changed?

Onde posso trocar

um cheque de
viagem (or ... um
Traveler's
Cheque)? (...)
What is the
exchange rate?
Qual a taxa de
cmbio? (qual eh
ah tasha d'camBEE-oh?)

Where is an
automatic teller
machine (ATM)?
Onde h um
Multibanco? (Ond/
ON-dee (Brazil)/
ON-jee (rio)ah
omm MultiBANcu)
Eating
A table for one

person/two people,
please.
Uma mesa para
uma/duas
pessoa(s), por
favor. (...)
Can I look at the
menu, please?
Posso ver o
cardpio, por
favor? (...)

Can I look in the

kitchen?
Posso ver a
cozinha, por favor?
(...)
Is there a house
specialty?
Ha uma
especialidade da
casa? (...)
Is there a local

specialty?
H uma
especialidade
local? (...)
I'm a vegetarian.
Sou vegetariano.
(...)
I don't eat pork.
No como porco.
(...)
I only eat kosher

food.
S como kosher.
(...)
Can you make it
"lite", please? (less
oil/butter/lard)
Pode faz-lo mais
"leve" (menos
leo, manteiga,
banha), por favor?
(...)

half portion
meia-dose (MEY-a
dohz)
full portion
uma dose (OOmah dohz)
fixed-price meal
refeio de preo
fixo (...)
la carte
a la carte (...)

breakfast
In Brazil: o caf-damanh (cah-FEH
dah man-YAHN)
(Lit. coffee of the
morning)
In Portugal: o
pequeno-almoo
(peh-KEH-noo ahlMOH-soo) (Lit.
small lunch)

lunch
almoo (...)
tea (meal)
lanche (...)
supper
jantar (...)
fruit-and-vegetable
store
sacolo (sah-kohLOWN)
bread store

padaria (pah-dahREE-ah)
I want _____.
Quero _____. (...)
I want a dish
containing _____.
Quero um prato de
_____. (...)
chicken
In Brazil: frango(...)
In Portugal: galinha

(...)
beef
bife (...)
fish
peixe (peysh)
snake
cobra (...)
Note that all
snakes are called
"cobra" (and
what we call

"cobras" don't
live in Brazil or
Port. Africa)
ham
In Brazil: presunto
(pre-ZOON-too)
In Portugal:
fiambre (f'YAMBR)
sausage
salsicha (...)
cheese

queijo (KAY-zhoo)
eggs
ovos (...)
salad
salada (...)
barbecue/roasted
meat
churrasco (...)
(fresh) vegetables
vegetais (frescos)
(...)

(fresh) fruit
fruta (fresca) (...)
pineapple
In Brazil: abacaxi
(ah-bah-kah-SHEE)
In Portugal: anans
(ah-nah-NAHSH)
acerola
acerola (ah-seROH-lah)
cashew

caju (kah-ZHOO)
In Brazil, this is the
fruit; the nut is
called castanha de
caju (kash-TAH-nya
ji kah-ZHOO).
guanabana,
soursop
graviola (grah-veeOH-lah)
starfruit

carambola (kahram-BOH-lah)
persimmon
In Brazil: caqui
(kah-KEE)
In Portugal:
dispiro (dee-OSHpee-roo)
strawberry
morango (mohRAHNG-goo)

bread
po (powng), pl.
pes (pighngsh)
toast
torrada (...)
noodles
massa (...)
rice
arroz (ah-ROZH)
whole grain
gro integral

(grown een-chehGROWL)
This is said of
brown rice too
(arroz integral, not
arroz castanho).
beans
feijes (...)
N.B. Do not
confuse feijo, pl.
feijes, beans, with

the feijoa, a small

guava-like fruit.
May I have a glass
of _____?
Quero um copo de
_____? (...)
May I have a cup
of _____?
Quero uma
chvena(Port.)/xca
ra(Br.) de _____?

(...)
May I have a bottle
of _____?
Quero uma garrafa
_____? (...)
coffee
caf(...)
tea (drink)
ch (...)
juice
In Brazil: suco

(SOO-koh)
In Portugal: sumo
(SOO-moo)
(bubbly) water
gua com gs (...)
water
gua (AH-gwah)
beer
cerveja (ser-VAYzhah)
yerba mate

ervamate/terer/chimar
ro (ehr-vah mahTEH / _MAH-chee
(Brazil) / teh-hehHEH / shee-mahHOWN)
red/white wine
vinho tinto/branco
(...)
with/without

com/sem
(kong/seng)
ice
gelo (ZHEH-loo)
sugar
acar (ah-SOOkar)
sweetener
adoante (ah-dohSAHN-chee)
May I have some

_____?
Pode me dar _____?
(...)
salt
sal (sahl)
black pepper
pimenta negra (...)
butter
manteiga (mahnTAY-gah)
Excuse me, waiter?

(getting attention
of server)
Desculpe,
empregado? (...)
(Note: use
"garom" in Brazil
in this case.
Empregado sounds
a bit disrespectful,
for it means
literally

"employee".)
I'm finished
J acabei. (zhah
ah-kah-BAY)
I'm full
Estou farto/a (istow FAR-too/tah)
It was delicious.
Estava delicioso.
(is-TAH-vah dehlee-SYOH-zoo)

Please clear the

plates.
Por favor limpe os
pratos.(Pt.)/ Por
favor retire os
pratos.(Br.) (...)
The check, please.
A conta, por favor.
(...)

Bars
Do you serve
alcohol?
Servem lcool? (...)
Is there table
service?
H servio de
mesas? (...)
A beer/two beers,
please.
Uma cerveja/duas

cervejas, por favor.

(...)
A glass of
red/white wine,
please.
Um copo de vinho
tinto/branco, por
favor. (Oom KOHpoh d'Vinyoo
TINtoo, por faVOR)
A pint, please.

Uma caneca, por

favor. (...)
A bottle, please.
Uma garrafa, por
favor. (...)
_____ (hard liquor)
and _____ (mixer),
please.
_____ and _____,
please. (...)
whiskey

whisky (wiss-kee)
vodka
vodka (...)
rum
rum (room)
Brazilian national
drink (sugar cane
brandy)
birita/cachaa/can
ha (bee-HEE-tah /
kah-SHAH-sah /

KAH-nyah)
water
gua (AH-gwah)
club soda
club soda (...)
tonic water
gua tnica (...)
orange juice
(Port.)
sumo de laranja
(SOO-moo duh lah-

RAHN-zhah)
orange juice
(Brazil)
suco de laranja
(SOU-koh day lahRAHN-jah)
Coke (soda)
Coca-Cola (...), or
Coca
Do you have any
bar snacks?

Tem aperitivos?
(...)
One more, please.
Mais um/uma, por
favor. (...)
Another round,
please.
Mais uma rodada,
por favor. (...)
When is closing
time?

A que horas
fecham? (...)
Shopping
Do you have this in
my size?
Tem isto no meu
tamanho? (...)
How much is this?
Quanto custa? (...)
That's too

expensive.
muito caro. (...)
Would you take
_____?
Aceita _____? (...)
expensive
caro (...)
cheap
barato (...)
I can't afford it.
No tenho dinheiro

suficiente. (...)
I don't want it.
No quero. (...)
I'm not interested.
No estou
interessado/a. (..)
OK, I'll take it.
OK, eu levo. (...)
Can I have a bag?
D-me um saco?
(...)

Do you ship
(overseas)?
Envia para outros
pases? (...)
I need...
Preciso de... (...)
...toothpaste.
...pasta de dentes.
(...)
...a toothbrush.
...escova de

dentes. (...)
...tampons.
...tampes. (...)
...soap.
...sabonete. (...)
...shampoo.
...champ. (...)
...pain reliever.
(e.g., aspirin or
ibuprofen)
...aspirina. (...)

...cold medicine.
...remdio para
resfriado. (...)
...stomach
medicine.
...remdio para as
dores de
estmago. (...)
...a razor.
...uma lmina. (...)
...an umbrella.

...um chapu de
chuva(Pt.)/guardachuva(Br.). (...)
...sunblock lotion.
...protector solar.
(...)
...a postcard.
...um carto postal
(...)
...(postage)
stamps.

...selos (de
correio). (...)
...batteries.
...pilhas. (...)
...a pen.
...uma caneta. (...)
...English-language
books.
...livros em ingls.
(...)
...English-language

magazines.
...revista em
ingls. (...)
...an Englishlanguage
newspaper.
...jornais em
ingls. (...)
...an EnglishPortuguese
dictionary.

...um dicionrio de
ingls-portugus.
(...)
Directions
How do I get to
_____ ?
Como vou _____ ?
(KOH-moh vow) or
Como chego
_____ ? (KOH-moh

SHAY-goh) Do NOT
use the Portuguese
word for "get"; use
"go" or "arrive."
...the train
station?
... estao de
comboios(Port.)/tre
m(Br.)? (AH ishtah-SOW/ehs-tahSOWN deh kohm-

BOY-ohs/trehm?)
...the bus station?
... estao de
autocarros(Port.)/
nibus(Br.)? (ah ishta-SOWN duh owtoo-CAR-oosh / dje
OH-nee-boos)
...the airport?
...ao aeroporto?
(ow ah-eh-roo-

POHR-too)
...downtown?
... baixa(Port.)/ao
centro(Br.)? (ah
BAIshah / ow SENtroo)
...the youth
hostel?
... pousada de
juventude? (Ah
poo-ZAH-dah deh

zhu-VEN-tud / zhuven-TUD-jay
(Brazil))
...the _____ hotel?
...ao hotel _____?
(ow oh-TEL)
...a nightclub/bar?
...a uma
boate/bar/festa/far
ra? (...)
...an Internet

caf?
...a um lan house?
(Br.) (...)
...the
American/Canadia
n/Australian/British
consulate?
...ao consulado
americano/canade
nse/australiano/bri
tnico? (...)

Where are there a

lot of...
Onde h
muitos/muitas...
(OHND ah MOOYtosh/tash...)
...hotels?
...hotis? (ohTEYSH)
...restaurants?
...restaurantes?

(resh-tau-RAN-t'sh)
...bars?
...bares? (barsh)
...sites to see?
...stios(Port.)/lugar
es(Br.) para
visitar? (SEE-teeosh/loo-GAH-hes
pah-rah vee-zeeTAR)
...women?

...mulheres? (mooLYEH-resh)
Can you show me
on the map?
(Port.) Pode
mostrar-me no
mapa? (pod
mushTRARM noo
MAH-pah?)/ (Br.)
Pode me mostrar
no mapa? (PAW-

djee mee moSTRAR noo MAHpah?)

street
rua (HOO-ah)
Turn left.
Vire esquerda.
(VEER ah eshKEHR-dah)
Turn right.
Vire direita.

(VEER ah dee-RAYtah / jee-RAY-tah

(Rio))
left
esquerdo (eshKEHR-doo)
right
direito (dee-RAYtoo / jee-RAY-too
(Rio))
straight ahead

sempre em frente
(Sempr' eim frent/
FREN-chee (Brazil))
towards the _____
na direco de
_____ (nah dee-rehSOWN duh / nah
jee-reh-SOWN deh
(Rio))
past the _____
depois de _____

(depoish deh)
before the _____
antes de _____
(ant'sh deh)
Watch for the
_____.
Procure o/a _____.
(proh-KOO-reh
oo/ah_____* )
intersection
cruzamento (kroo-

zah-MEN-too)
north
norte (NOHRte(Port.) / (NOHRchee) or nortch
(Brazil))
south
sul (sool)
east
leste (LESHt or
ESHt (Port.) / LESH-

chee (Brazil))
west
oeste (oh-ESHt
(Port.) / oh-EHSchee (Brazil))
uphill
subida (soo-BEEdah)
downhill
descida (desh-SEEdah / deh-SEE-dah

(Brazil))
Time
now
agora (ah-GOHrah)
later
depois (dehPOYSH)
before
antes de (ANtesh

deh)
morning
manh (mahNYAHNG)
afternoon
tarde (tahrd
(Port.)/ TAHR-day
(Brazil)/TAHR-jay
(Rio))
evening
Use afternoon

("tarde") for early

evening, and night
("noite") for late
evening. Unlike
English, "boa
noite" is used as
an initial greeting
and not just to say
goodbye.
night
noite (NOIT (Port.)/

NOI-chay (Brazil))
Clock time
Note: In a
sentence add
just before one
o'clock, noon and
midnight, and so
just before two
through eleven
o'clock. (English

equivalent of "it
is..."). Unlike
Spanish, the
definite article
(Span. la; Port. a)
is not used.
one o'clock AM
uma hora da
manh (uma OH-ra
dah man-yah)
two o'clock AM

duas horas da
manh (dua-ZOHras dah man-yah)
noon
meio-dia (mayo
deeah/ jeeah (Rio))
one o'clock PM
uma hora da tarde
(uma OH-ra dah
tahrd (Port.)/ TAHRday (Brazil))

two o'clock PM
duas horas da
tarde (dua-ZOH-ras
dah tahrd (Port.)/
TAHR-day (Brazil))
half past three PM
trs e meia da
tarde (tray-zee
MAY-ah dah tard
(Port.)/ TARD-day
(Br.))

midnight
meia-noite (MAY-ah
noyt (Port.)/ NOYtay (Br.)/ NOYtchee (Rio))
Numbers
Note: Spanish
speakers need to
practice
pronunciation of

Portuguese
numbers to be
understood, even
though they are
quite similar in
written form. Give
particular attention
to dropped middle
syllables in
numbers 7,9,10,
and those ending

in e for Luso and te

for Brazil. Also,
don't confuse
cento for "cents"
or "centavos," as it
refers to
"hundreds."
1
um(m)/uma(f)
(oong / OO-mah)
2

dois(m)/duas(f)
(doysh / DOO-ash)
3
trs (trehsh)
4
quatro (KWAH-troh)
5
cinco (SING-koo)
6
seis/meia (Brazil)
(seysh/may-ah) In

Brazil, use meia in

a numerical series
(e.g. phone
numbers, postal
codes, etc.) to
prevent confusion
with "trs". "Meia"
is short for "meiadzia" (half-adozen).
7

sete (set (Port.) /

SEH-tchee (Brazil))
8
oito (OY-too)
9
nove (nov (Port.)/
NOH-vee (Brazil))
10
dez (dezh)
11
onze (ongz (Port.) /

ONG-zeh (Brazil) )
12
doze (doz (Port.)/
DOH-zeh (Brazil) )
13
treze (trez (Port.) /
TRE-zeh (Brazil))
14
catorze (kah-TORZ
(Port.)/ kah-TOHzeh (Brazil))

15
quinze (keengz
(Port.)/ KEENG-zee
(Brazil))
16
dezasseis (Port.)
(deh-zah-SEYSH)
dezesseis (Brazil)
(deh-zee-SEYSH)
17

dezassete (Port.)
(deh-zah-SET )
dezessete (Brazil)
(deh-zee-SEHtchee )
18
dezoito (deh-ZOYtoo)
19
dezanove (Port.)

(deh-zah-NOV )
dezenove (Brazil)
(dee-zee-NOH-vee)
20
vinte (veengt
(Port.)/ VEEN-chee
(Brazil))
21
vinte e um/uma
(veengt (Port.)/

VEEN-chee (Brazil)
ee oong/OO-mah)
22
vinte e dois/duas
(veengt (Port.)/
VEEN-chee (Brazil)
ee doysh/DOOash)
23
vinte e trs
(veengt (Port.)/

VEEN-chee (Brazil)
ee trezh)
30
trinta (TREEN-tah)
40
quarenta (kwahREN-tah)
50
cinquenta (Port.)
(sing-KWEN-tah)

cinqenta (Brazil)
(sing-KWEN-tah)
60
sessenta (seh-SENtah)
70
setenta (seh-TENtah)
80
oitenta (oy-TENtah)

90
noventa (no-VENtah)
100
cem (seng)
101
cento e um/a
(SENG-too ee
oong/OO-mah)
102
cento e dois/duas

(SEHN-too ee
doysh/DOO-ahs)
103
cento e trs
(SEHN-too ee
trehsh)
110
cento e dez (SEHNtoo ee dehsh)
125
cento e vinte e

cinco (SEHN-too ee
VEEN-teh ee SEENkoo)
200
duzentos/as (dooZEHN-toosh/ash)
300
trezentos/as (treZEHN-toosh/ash)
400
quatrocentos/as

(kwah-troo-SEHNtoosh)
500
quinhentos/as
(keen-YENG-toosh)
600
seiscentos/as
(saysh-SEHNtoosh)
700
setecentos/as (set-

SEHN-toosh (Port.)/
seh-tchee-SENtoosh (Br.))
800
oitocentos/as (oytoo-SEHN-toosh)
900
novecentos/as
(nov-SEHN-toosh
(Port.)/ no-veeSEHN-toosh (Br.))

1000
mil (meel)
2000
dois mil (doysh
meel)
1,000,000
milho (meelYOWNG)
1.000.000.000
milhar de milho
(lit. a thousand

millions; not bilio,

bilho)