Keen to travel to Portugal, Brazil or a Portuguese speaking country? Want to impress the locals and make your trip easier? Learn some of the local language before departing!
Although in Portugal a lot of people speak basic English in the main tourist hotspots like Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, not everyone does. Also if you plan to visit another country like Brazil, Mozambique and Cape Verde for example, not many local people are fluent in English.
There are so many benefits of learning some simple Portuguese words and phrases. Firstly, it is polite and respectful to the local people and culture. Secondly it will make everything easy like getting around, asking questions and when visiting shops, cafes, restaurants and tourist locations.
Where is Portuguese Spoken?
Portuguese is the official language of several independent countries and regions: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea Bissau, Macau, Mozambique, Portugal, & São Tomé and Príncipe.
Is Portuguese Easy or Hard to Learn?
Portuguese is a fairly easy language to learn, especially when compared with German, Arabic and Asian languages. With some practice Portuguese vocabulary can be learnt quickly and it really isn’t as hard as you might think. Don’t be daunted if you are learning Portuguese as a complete beginner, most of the words and phrases we have included are very easy to learn, memorise and pronounce. If you can already speak basic Spanish then you will have a big advantage when studying and learning Portuguese.
Portuguese from Portugal vs Brazilian Portuguese
Is there a difference between Portuguese from Portuguese and Portuguese spoken in Brazil? People from Portugal and Brazil speak the same language, but it has evolved in slightly different ways over the years due to cultural and historical differences. Although most words and the same or similar, the biggest difference is the accents and Brazilian Portuguese is generally regarded as easier to speak and understand.
Best Portuguese Words & Phrases to Know
Check out our list of essential basic Portuguese phrases for travellers and tourists below. These phrases highly recommended to learn before visiting Portugal, Brazil or a Portuguese speaking destination.
Greetings
These are some of the essentials you need to learn and memorise:
Hello – Ola
Hi – Oi
Good morning – Bom dia
Good afternoon – Boa tarde
Good night – Boa noite
Pleasure to meet you/Very nice to meet you – Muito prazer
General
These are some of the most useful words to know which you will likely use a lot:
Please – Por Favor
Sorry – Desculpe
Excuse me – Com licença
Thank You (male speaker) – Obrigado
Thank You (female speaker) – Obrigada
You’re welcome – De nada
Sir – Senhor
Madam – Senhora
Yes – Sim
No – Não
When? – Quando?
Why? – Por quê?
Your – sua (in Brazil) tua (in Portugal)
Vamos! — Let’s go!
Conversational
Keen to strike up a conversation? These phrases will help:
Do you speak English? – Você fala inglês?
Does anyone here speak English? – Alguém aqui fala inglês?
I don’t understand – Não compreendo
I understand – Eu compreendo
I don’t understand – Não entendi
I understand – Entendi
I don’t know – Eu não sei
What is your name? – Qual é o seu nome?
My name is… – Meu nome é…
Please speak more slowly – Fala mais devagar, por favor
How do you say… (in Portuguese)? – Como se diz… (em Português)?
Shopping
When you are out and about buying things these phrases will help:
Supermarket – Supermercado
Grocer’s – Mercearia
Shopping Centre – Centro Commercial
Baker’s – Armazém
How much does this cost? – Quanto custa? —
What time does this place open/close? – Que horas abre/fecha?
Do you have… – Você tem…
How much does it cost? – Quanto custa?
Do you have more of this? – Você tem mais deste?
Which size is that? – Qual é o tamanho?
I’d like to try it on – Gostaria de experimentar
Where are the changing rooms? – Onde fica o provador?
I’ll take it – Vou levar
I like it – Eu gosto
Directions
How do I get to…? – Como chego ao…?
Could you show me on the map? – Você pode me mostrar no mapa?
Where does this train/bus go? – Para onde vai esse trem/ônibus?
Restaurants
Where is the bathroom? – Onde é o banheiro? (Brazilian Portuguese)
Where is the bathroom? – Onde fica a casa de banho? (Portugal Portuguese)
I would like a table for two – Eu queria uma mesa para duas pessoas
I would like the menu, please – Eu queria o menu, por favor
What do you recommend? – O que você recomenda?
What is the daily special? – Qual é o prato do dia?
To eat I would like… – Para comer queria…
To drink I would like… – Para beber queria…
I’d like the chicken, please – Eu gostaria do frango, por favor
Do you have a vegetarian option? – Você tem uma opção vegetariana?
I’d like to order dessert, please – Eu gostaria de pedir a sobremesa, por favor
I would like a coffee – Queria um café
I would like to pay – Queria pagar
The bill, please – A conta, por favor
Food & Drink
Sugar – Açúcar
Butter – Manteiga
Milk – Leite
Eggs – Ovos
Flour – Farinha
Bread – Pão
Pasta – Massa
Rice – Arroz
Salt – Sal
Pepper – Pimenta
Vinegar – Vinagre
Mustard – Mostarda
Tea – Chá
Coffee – Café
Transport and Directions
What time is it? – Que horas são?
Next to – ao lado de
Close, near – perto
Far – longe
Where can I get a taxi? – Onde posso arranjar um taxi?
Where does this bus go? – Este autocarro vai para onde?
Where can I find a taxi? – Onde posso encontrar um táxi?
Where do you catch the metro? – Onde se apanha o metro?
Love & Romance
These are some more advanced Portuguese phrases if you happen to meet someone special:
I miss you – Estou com saudades de você
Where would you like to go? – Onde gostarias de ir?
How about going to the cinema? – Que tal irmos ao cinema?
Sorry, I’m not free – Desculpe, não estou livre
Perhaps we could go next week – Talvez pudéssemos ir na próxima semana
That would be great! – Isso era óptimo!
I like you – Eu gusto de voce
I love you – Eu te amo
Medical & Emergencies
The pharmacy – A farmácia
I’m sick – Eu estou doente
I need your help – Preciso de sua/tua ajuda
I feel unwell – Não me sinto bem
I feel ill – Sinto-me doente
I have a headache – Tenho uma dor de cabeça
I have stomach ache. – Tenho dores de estômago.
Can you give me something for the pain? – Pode dar-me qualquer coisa para a dor?
I have a temperature – Tenho febre
I feel dizzy – Sinto-me tonto/a
I have been sick – Vomitei
I would like some plasters, please – Queria adesivos, por favor
Do you have anything for a cold? – Tem alguma coisa para a constipação?
I need some tissues – Preciso de lenços de papel
Can you recommend an insect repellant? – Pode recomendar um repelente para insectos?
Numbers
1 – Um/uma
2 – Dois/duas
3 – Três
4 – Quatro
5 – Cinco
6 – Seis
7 – Sete
8 – Oito
9 – Nove
10 – Dez
20 – Vinte
30 – Trinta
40 – Quarenta
50 – Cinquenta
60 – Sessenta
70 – Setenta
80 – Oitenta
90 – Noventa
100 – Cem
101 – Cento e um/uma
200 – Duzentos/duzentas
300 – Trezentos/trezentas
400 – Quatrocentos/quatrocentas
500 – Quinhentos/quinhentas
600 – Seiscentos/seiscentas
700 – Setecentos/setecentas
800 – Oitocentos/oitocentas
900 – Novecentos/novecentas
Days of the Week
Monday – Segunda-feira
Tuesday – Terça-feira
Wednesday – Quarta-feira
Thursday – Quinta-feira
Friday – Sexta-feira
Saturday – Sábado
Sunday – Domingo
Today – O dia
Week – A semana
Weekend – O fim de semana
Today – Hoje
Tomorrow – Amanhã
Hopefully our guide to the best basic Portuguese words and phrases has been useful. There are so many amazing countries you can practise your Portuguese, you could even print our basic Portuguese phrases as a pdf and take them with you on your trip. Or download a language app which can really boost your progress.
