Useful Portuguese Phrases

Useful Portuguese Phrases - Lisbon street kiosks sell a wide range of international and Portuguese magazines and press.

Portuguese made as Simple as Possible!

To simplify things, I take out accents and tildes. I also give some indication of HOW TO PRONOUNCE the phrases which is not usually as it's written.

For Beginners' Portuguese with Pronunciation Help click on Portuguese Vocabulary

10 Useful Portuguese Phrases for Meeting and Greeting

Hello....................Ola! (ohlah)

Pleased to meet you!.....Um prazer! (oom prezair)

Good morning!............Bom dia! (bomb deeya)

Good afternoon!..........Boa tarde! (bowah tarde)

Good evening/night!......Boa noite (bowah noyte)

How are you?.............Como esta? (koomoo istah)formal

What's your name?........Como e que se chama? (Koomoo eh kuh se shamah?)My name is .....Chamo-me Susan (shamah meh .....)

I'm American.....Sou (sou)americano/a

I'm British.....Sou britanico/a

I'm Chinese.....Sou Chinese/a

I'm Canadian.....Sou Canadiano/a

Goodbye!.....Adeus! (adayoosh)

GENDER ISSUES! Adjective endings show if the person or object is male or female. There's "O" endings for MASCULINE and "A" endings for FEMININE. So it's "obrigado" (male speaker) and "obrigada" - (female speaker.)I indicate possible choice with - o/a.

TIP! Portuguese greetings are FORMAL quite often even with friends and recognize the time period of the day. One minute past midday and you're talking Afternoon. Just using these phrases for greetings helps you establish more friendly and respectful relationships.

TIP! Kissing on meeting among friends and strangers is customary with a peck either side of the face men to women and woman to woman. Men shake hands. The Portuguese kissing routine is hilariously to American and Canadian kids meeting countless cousins at Portuguese family reunions!

5 Useful Portuguese Phrases of Courtesy

Please....Faz favor (fash fahvor)

Thank-you very much....Muito/a Obrigado/a (mewto obreegad-oo/ah)

Of course/please go ahead....A vontade! (a vontaduh)

Sorry!....Desculpe! (diskulpe)

Excuse me!....Com licenca! (kom leesensah)

TIP! "COM LICENCA!" a really useful Portuguese phrase for asking permission to take something like a seat at a table or trying to get past someone in a crowded cafe or off a Lisbon Tram.

TIP! "DESCULPE!" is a great word for getting attention or service just about anywhere including Restaurants and Stores.

TIP! If all other useful Portuguese phrases fail you - point to what you need and simply add "faz favor" on the end! This means your request is still polite. Use "faz favor" with an object such as "Agua se faz favor!" for "I'd like some water please!" or "A conta se faz favor!" "I'd like the bill please!"

Useful Portuguese Phrases - Generally Out and About !

I don't understand........Nao entendo (now entendoo)

Speak slower please!......Mais devagar, por favor!(maysh devagar)

Do you understand?........Comprende?(compreendeh)

Excuse me, where's ...?...Desculpe, onde fica...?(ohndah feeka)

Is it near/far?...........E perto/longe? ay peartoo/lonsh)

Is there a ...............Ha um/uma (M/F object)(ah)oom/oomah

Are there some............Ha ums/umas (ah oomsh/oomash

I want/I don't want.......Quero/nao quero (kehroo/nau kehroo)

How much is it?...........Cuanto custa? (kwantoo kushtah)

This/that...........................Este/Esta (m/f)(ishteh)/ Ishtah)

These...............................Estes/Estas

Those...............................Aqueles/Aquelas (akelush/ash)

TIP "Ha?" followed by an object is the simplest way to ask for something you can't see, such as, "Ha um banco perto" - Is there a bank near? or "Ha sopa?" Is soup available?

Useful Portuguese Phrases for Portuguese Breakfast

I'd like a/some ....Gostaria um/uma (goshtaria oom/oomah)

Croissant.....Croissant

Croissant/custard filling.....Croissant com nata

Croissant/almond top/filling....Croissant com almendoa

Croissant with chocolate....Croissant com chocolate

Puff pastry with chocolate....Panik

Toast with butter....Torrada com manteiga

Thick slice white bread....Pao de forma

Bread roll....Paozinha

Traditional corn bread....Broa

Wholemeal bread....Pao integral

Mixed grain bread....Pao mistura

Strawberry jam....Compote de morango

French baguette toasted....Torrada em baguette

Toasted cheese and tomato....Torrada de quijo com tomate

Ham and Cheese Sandwich....Sandwich de fiambre e queijo

Cured Ham sandwich....Sandwich de presunto

Soft bread with chorizo....Pao fofinha de chourico

Cheese/Ham toasted sandwich....Tosta mixta

Traditional custard cake....Pastel de nata

Rice flour cake....Bolo de arroz

Chocolate cake....Bolo de chocolate

Orange cake.....Bolo de laranja

Carrot cake....Bolo de cenoura

Nutty sponge cake....Bolo de noz

Almond Tart....Tarta de almendoa

To Drink? Para Beber?

Cold or room temperature......Frio/Natural?Carbonated or uncarbonated....Com gas/Sin gas?With ice/without ice..........Com gelo/Sem gelo

Mineral Water carbonated/not....Agua mineral (com gas/sem gas)Mineral Water with Tea..........Brand name "Pleno"

Freshly squeezed orange juice...Sumo de laranja naturalLow/sugar-free fruit juice......Brand name - "Compal"Fruit juice/milk mixture........Brand name - "Santal"

Tea (with milk).................Cha(com leite)Tea without milk................Cha preto Green Tea.......................Cha verdeIced Tea (Canned/sweetened).....Ice Tea

Hot chocolate...................Chocolate quenteChocolate flavored milk drink...Leite chocolatado

Milkshake.........Batido

For MORE on delicious PORTUGUESE BREAKFAST go to
Portuguese Breakfast

If you learn a few Useful Portuguese Phrases before arriving you'll share the language with 6 million Portuguese speakers worldwide. Portuguese has Latin roots and Arabic influences visible in words beginning with "Al" like "Alfama"- Lisbon's ancient Arab labyrinth. So start translating street names or words for food and drink and you get drawn in to Portugal's other labyrinth - its rich cultural diversity. If you enjoy weaving a deeper cultural tapestry, learning some useful Portuguese phrases before you go will certainly deepen your experience.

Tips on Portuguese Pronunciation

Some sounds have rough English equivalents. You can make the back of the throat sound of the 'r' as in "rua" (street)by making a guttural English 'h' sound instead of the 'r'.

'Ch' is like the English SHip (chamar = call). 'lh' as in "filha" is similar to LIttle. 'nh' as in Minho (Minho River)is similar to the English sound 'ni' as in "oNIon.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes - Portuguese grammar isn't easy and the pronunciation is complex! Portuguese people are encouraging when people try out their language. So feel adventurous and have fun with it!

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