Below is a table of 50 common phrases in European Portuguese, including greetings, polite expressions, everyday interactions, and useful questions, each with English translations and approximate pronunciations. These phrases are tailored for beginners and focus on practical, real-world use. Pronunciations are simplified for English speakers, but for accurate intonation, pair this with audio resources like Practice Portuguese or Pimsleur.
50 Common European Portuguese Phrases for Beginners
| Portuguese Phrase | English Translation | Pronunciation (Approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| Greetings & Politeness | ||
| Olá, como está? | Hello, how are you? | oh-LAH, KOH-moo esh-TAH |
| Bom dia! | Good morning! | BONG DEE-ah |
| Boa tarde! | Good afternoon! | BOH-ah TAR-deh |
| Boa noite! | Good evening! | BOH-ah NOY-teh |
| Adeus! | Goodbye! | ah-DEH-oosh |
| Até amanhã! | See you tomorrow! | ah-TEH ah-mah-NYANG |
| Por favor. | Please. | poor fah-VOR |
| Obrigado/a! | Thank you! | oh-bree-GAH-doo (m) / oh-bree-GAH-dah (f) |
| Desculpe-me. | Sorry/Excuse me. | desh-KOOL-peh-meh |
| Com licença. | Excuse me (to pass through). | kom lee-SEN-sah |
| Introductions | ||
| O meu nome é… | My name is… | oo MEH-oo NOH-meh EH |
| Prazer em conhecê-lo/a. | Nice to meet you. | prah-ZAIR eng kon-yeh-SEH-loo/lah |
| De onde é? | Where are you from? | deh ON-deh EH |
| Sou de… | I’m from… | SOH deh |
| Fala inglês? | Do you speak English? | FAH-lah een-GLESH |
| Everyday Interactions | ||
| Tudo bem? | Everything okay? | TOO-doo BENG |
| Estou bem, e tu? | I’m good, and you? | esh-TOH BENG, eh TOO |
| Quero um café, por favor. | I want a coffee, please. | KEH-roo oong kah-FEH, poor fah-VOR |
| Quanto custa? | How much does it cost? | KWAN-too KOOSH-tah |
| Pode ajudar-me? | Can you help me? | POH-deh ah-zhoo-DAR-meh |
| Onde está o quarto de banho? | Where is the bathroom? | ON-deh esh-TAH oo KWAR-too deh BAH-nyoo |
| Não compreendo. | I don’t understand. | NOW kom-pree-EN-doo |
| Fale mais devagar, por favor. | Speak more slowly, please. | FAH-leh MYSH deh-vah-GAR, poor fah-VOR |
| Estou perdido/a. | I’m lost. | esh-TOH per-DEE-doo/dah |
| A que horas é? | What time is it? | ah KEH OH-rahsh EH |
| At a Restaurant | ||
| Uma mesa para dois, por favor. | A table for two, please. | OO-mah MEH-sah PAH-rah DOYSH, poor fah-VOR |
| O que recomenda? | What do you recommend? | oo KEH reh-koo-MEN-dah |
| A conta, por favor. | The bill, please. | ah KON-tah, poor fah-VOR |
| Posso pagar com cartão? | Can I pay with a card? | POH-soo pah-GAR kom kar-TONG |
| Sem açúcar, por favor. | No sugar, please. | SENG ah-SOO-kar, poor fah-VOR |
| Um copo de água, por favor. | A glass of water, please. | oong KOH-poo deh AH-gwah, poor fah-VOR |
| Está delicioso! | It’s delicious! | esh-TAH deh-lee-see-OH-soo |
| Travel & Directions | ||
| Onde fica a estação de comboios? | Where is the train station? | ON-deh FEE-kah ah esh-tah-SOWN deh kom-BOY-oosh |
| É longe daqui? | Is it far from here? | EH LOHN-jeh dah-KEY |
| Vire à esquerda. | Turn left. | VEE-reh ah esh-KAIR-dah |
| Vire à direita. | Turn right. | VEE-reh ah dee-RAY-tah |
| Siga em frente. | Go straight ahead. | SEE-gah eng fren-TEH |
| Onde posso comprar um bilhete? | Where can I buy a ticket? | ON-deh POH-soo kom-PRAR oong beel-YEH-teh |
| A que horas parte o autocarro? | What time does the bus leave? | ah KEH OH-rahsh PAR-teh oo ow-toh-KAR-oo |
| Shopping | ||
| Quanto é isto? | How much is this? | KWAN-too EH EESH-too |
| Tem isto em outro tamanho? | Do you have this in another size? | TENG EESH-too eng OH-troo tah-MAHN-yoo |
| Posso experimentar? | Can I try it on? | POH-soo esh-peh-ree-men-TAR |
| É muito caro. | It’s very expensive. | EH MOOY-too KAH-roo |
| Tem desconto? | Is there a discount? | TENG desh-KON-too |
| Emergencies & Clarifications | ||
| Preciso de ajuda! | I need help! | preh-SEE-zoo deh ah-ZHOO-dah |
| Onde está o hospital? | Where is the hospital? | ON-deh esh-TAH oo osh-pee-TAL |
| Chame a polícia, por favor. | Call the police, please. | SHAH-meh ah poo-LEE-see-ah, poor fah-VOR |
| Não falo português. | I don’t speak Portuguese. | NOW FAH-loo por-too-GESH |
| Pode repetir, por favor? | Can you repeat, please? | POH-deh reh-peh-TEER, poor fah-VOR |
| Como se diz… em português? | How do you say… in Portuguese? | KOH-moo seh DEESH… eng por-too-GESH |
Notes
- Pronunciation: European Portuguese has nasal vowels (e.g., “obrigado” has a nasal “oo” sound) and a softer, more closed intonation than Brazilian Portuguese. The “r” in words like “caro” is guttural, like a soft French “r.” Use audio apps to refine your accent.
- Gender: Some phrases adjust for gender (e.g., “obrigado” for men, “obrigada” for women). Use the appropriate form based on your gender.
- Politeness: Adding “por favor” and “obrigado/a” is key for polite interactions in Portugal.
How to Practice
- Daily Learning: Memorize 5-10 phrases daily using flashcards or apps like Memrise.
- With Grok: Ask me to quiz you: “Test me on 10 phrases from this table” or create dialogues: “Make a short conversation using 5 of these phrases.”
- Audio Support: Practice with audio from Practice Portuguese or Pimsleur to nail pronunciation.
- Real-World Use: Try these in roleplays (e.g., ordering food) or with native speakers on Tandem.