Trip Kit: Portuguese (Portugal) in 50 phrases Official
Fifty European Portuguese phrases for your trip to Portugal, as a five-day plan of ten a day: greetings and manners, café and restaurant, paying and shops, getting around and signs, hotel and help. Every card has a pronunciation respelling, a real example exchange and a tip on when to use it and what catches tourists out, plus a bonus group of numbers 1–10. About 10 minutes a day.
CEFR A1–A2 — Beginner to Elementary
At this level you can introduce yourself, order food, ask directions. Vocabulary: ~500–1,200 words (cumulative).
Phrases you'll learn
How do you say “Hello / Good morning” in Portuguese?
“Hello / Good morning” is “Olá / Bom dia” in Portuguese. For example: Bom dia! Uma bica, se faz favor. – Bom dia, é para já. — Good morning! An espresso, please. – Good morning, coming right up.
How do you say “Good afternoon / Good evening” in Portuguese?
“Good afternoon / Good evening” is “Boa tarde / Boa noite” in Portuguese. For example: Boa noite, tem mesa para dois? – Boa noite, temos, faça favor. — Good evening, do you have a table for two? – Good evening, we do, this way please.
How do you say “Please” in Portuguese?
“Please” is “Por favor / Se faz favor” in Portuguese. For example: Faz favor! Uma água, se faz favor. — Excuse me! A water, please.
How do you say “Thank you” in Portuguese?
“Thank you” is “Obrigado / Obrigada” in Portuguese. For example: Muito obrigado! – De nada, boa viagem. — Thanks a lot! – You're welcome, have a good trip.
Portuguese → English60 words~6 days at 10 words/day0 downloadsA1A2
No ratingsNo ratingsby admin@wordsonrepeat.comNov 1, 2026
Cumprimentos para entrar numa loja ou café; 'bom dia' usa-se até à hora de almoço.
Synonyms:viva
Hello / Good morning
Bom dia! Uma bica, se faz favor. – Bom dia, é para já.
Good morning! An espresso, please. – Good morning, coming right up.
'Olá' works with anyone at any hour; 'bom dia' is what you say walking into a shop, café or bus until lunchtime, around one o'clock, before anything else. 'Oi', the Brazilian hello, is understood but marks you as Brazil-trained; in Lisbon and Porto 'olá' or 'bom dia' is the safe choice.
Boa tarde / Boa noiteA1
BOH-uh TARD / BOH-uh NOYT
Cumprimentos usados à tarde e à noite; 'boa noite' diz-se ao chegar e ao sair.
Good afternoon / Good evening
Boa noite, tem mesa para dois? – Boa noite, temos, faça favor.
Good evening, do you have a table for two? – Good evening, we do, this way please.
'Boa tarde' from lunch until dark, 'boa noite' from dusk, both as a hello and as a goodnight. It is the normal greeting walking into a restaurant at eight. Both also work as a goodbye on the way out ('obrigado, boa noite'). The final e of 'tarde' and 'noite' is silent in Portugal.
Por favor / Se faz favorA1
poor fuh-VOR / suh fash fuh-VOR
Expressão de cortesia no fim de um pedido; 'faz favor' também serve para chamar o empregado.
Synonyms:faz favor, s.f.f.
Please
Faz favor! Uma água, se faz favor.
Excuse me! A water, please.
Both go at the end of the request. 'Se faz favor' (written s.f.f. on signs) is the everyday Portugal form, and a bare 'faz favor!' is how you call a waiter. 'Por favor' is always fine. Staff will say 'faça favor': that means 'go ahead' or 'here you are', not please.
Obrigado / ObrigadaA1
oh-bree-GAHD(oo) / oh-bree-GAH-duh
Palavra para agradecer; um homem diz 'obrigado', uma mulher diz 'obrigada'.
Thank you
Muito obrigado! – De nada, boa viagem.
Thanks a lot! – You're welcome, have a good trip.
The ending follows the speaker, not the listener: a man says 'obrigado', a woman says 'obrigada', whoever they are talking to. The reply is 'de nada' or 'não tem de quê'. The final o is almost swallowed in Portugal, so you hear 'oh-bree-GAHD'; letters in brackets in these respellings are barely said.
DesculpeA1
dush-KOOLP
Serve para pedir desculpa ou para abordar alguém que não se conhece.
Synonyms:peço desculpa, desculpa
Excuse me / Sorry
Desculpe, sabe onde fica a Sé? – Sim, é sempre em frente.
Excuse me, do you know where the cathedral is? – Yes, it's straight ahead.
For a small bump, a mild apology, or to open a question to a stranger. 'Peço desculpa' (I apologise) is the fuller apology and very common in Portugal. To call a waiter, 'faz favor!' or 'desculpe!' both work. 'Desculpa' is the version for friends.
Com licençaA1
kong lee-SEN-suh
Expressão para pedir para passar, entrar ou sair, ou para deixar uma conversa.
Excuse me (to get past)
Com licença, vou sair na próxima. – Faça favor.
Excuse me, I'm getting off at the next stop. – Go ahead.
For squeezing past on a tram or bus, walking in front of someone, stepping into an office or leaving a table: 'com licença' before, 'desculpe' after you have bumped. The reply is 'faça favor' (go ahead). On a packed Lisbon tram a quick 'licença' is enough.
Sim / NãoA1
seeng / nowng
As duas respostas básicas; 'não, obrigado' recusa uma oferta com educação.
Yes / No
Precisa de saco? – Não, obrigada.
Do you need a bag? – No, thanks.
'Não, obrigado' (or 'obrigada') politely closes any offer, from a restaurant tout to the men in Lisbon's Baixa who whisper offers of 'hashish' (it is fake, usually bay leaves): say it and keep walking. People often answer yes by repeating the verb ('quer?' – 'quero') and agree with 'pois' or 'pois é'. The 'ão' is 'owng' through the nose.
Fala inglês?A1
FAH-luh eeng-GLAYSH
Pergunta educada para saber se alguém fala inglês.
Synonyms:o senhor fala inglês?
Do you speak English?
Desculpe, fala inglês? – Falo, um bocadinho.
Excuse me, do you speak English? – I do, a little bit.
Leave the 'you' out: the verb alone ('fala inglês?') is the polite form in Portugal, and 'o senhor' / 'a senhora' in front ('a senhora fala inglês?') is more formal still, for an older stranger. Drop 'você': the everyday Brazilian 'you' can sound blunt in Portugal. Most people under fifty in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve speak good English, but asking in Portuguese first gets a warmer answer.
Não perceboA1
nowng pur-SAY-boo
Frase para dizer que não se percebeu o que a pessoa disse.
Synonyms:não entendo, não percebi
I don't understand
Desculpe, não percebo. Mais devagar, se faz favor.
Sorry, I don't understand. More slowly, please.
'Perceber' is the everyday Portugal verb for understand; 'não entendo' is understood too. Add 'mais devagar, se faz favor' (more slowly, please) and people slow down. European Portuguese swallows its unstressed vowels, so it sounds much faster than it looks written; asking is normal. 'Não falo português' is I don't speak Portuguese.
Adeus / Até logoA1
uh-DEWSH / uh-TEH LOH-goo
Despedidas neutras usadas com toda a gente, também em lojas e hotéis.
Synonyms:até já, até amanhã
Goodbye / See you later
Obrigado, adeus! – Adeus, bom dia!
Thanks, goodbye! – Goodbye, have a good day!
'Adeus' is the normal neutral goodbye in Portugal, to shopkeepers and hotel staff alike, not the forever farewell it sounds like elsewhere. 'Até logo' is see you later, 'até amanhã' see you tomorrow, and 'bom dia' / 'boa tarde' on the way out are goodbyes too. 'Tchau' (often written 'xau') is the informal alternative, fine with young staff and friends.
Uma mesa para dois, se faz favorA1
OO-muh MAY-zuh PAH-ruh doysh, suh fash fuh-VOR
Frase para pedir mesa num restaurante e dizer quantas pessoas são.
A table for two, please
Boa noite, uma mesa para dois, se faz favor. – Tem reserva?
Good evening, a table for two, please. – Do you have a reservation?
In a restaurant wait at the door to be seated; in a tasca (small family eatery) you sit where there is room, sometimes at a shared table. Swap 'dois' for the number you need ('três', 'quatro'). Lunch runs from about half past twelve to three and dinner from half past seven; popular places in Lisbon and Porto fill up, so book or arrive early.
Queria…A1
kuh-REE-uh
Forma educada de pedir alguma coisa num café, restaurante ou loja.
Synonyms:era…, para mim…
I'd like…
Queria um pastel de nata. Queria um galão, se faz favor.
I'd like a custard tart. I'd like a milky coffee, please.
'Queria' (literally 'I wanted') plus the item is the polite way to order, and Portugal leaves out the 'I'. At a counter you will hear locals order with 'era…' ('era uma bica', literally 'it was an espresso'), and at the table 'para mim…' (for me) plus the dish. 'Quero' (I want) sounds blunt from a stranger.
A ementa, por favorA1
uh ee-MEN-tuh, poor fuh-VOR
Pedido da lista de pratos; 'menu' é muitas vezes a refeição de preço fixo.
Synonyms:a carta
The menu, please
A ementa, por favor. Qual é o prato do dia? – Hoje é bacalhau à Brás.
The menu, please. What's the dish of the day? – Today it's bacalhau à Brás (salt cod with egg and fried potato).
'Ementa' is the menu ('a carta' in smarter places). 'Menu' on a board usually means the set meal: the 'menu do dia' or 'prato do dia' at lunch, often soup, main, drink and coffee for one fixed price, the best-value meal in the country. Many places now put a QR code on the table instead of a paper menu.
Uma bica / Um café, se faz favorA1
OO-muh BEE-kuh / oong kuh-FEH, suh fash fuh-VOR
Em Portugal, 'um café' é um expresso curto; em Lisboa chama-se 'bica', no Porto 'cimbalino'.
Synonyms:um cimbalino, um expresso
An espresso / A coffee (= an espresso), please
Uma bica, se faz favor. – Mais alguma coisa? – Um pastel de nata.
An espresso, please. – Anything else? – A custard tart.
'Um café' anywhere in Portugal is a short espresso, about a euro standing at the counter (as of 2026; a little more at a table or on a tourist square). Lisbon calls it 'uma bica', Porto 'um cimbalino'. Milky coffee is 'um galão' (a tall glass, mostly milk) or 'uma meia de leite' (half and half in a cup); 'um pingado' is an espresso with a drop of milk, and 'um abatanado' a long black.
Água com gás ou sem gás?A1
AH-gwuh kong GAHSH oh sayng GAHSH
Pergunta sobre a água: com gás ou sem gás; 'fresca' é fria, 'natural' é à temperatura ambiente.
Sparkling or still water?
Água com gás ou sem gás? – Sem gás, fresca, se faz favor.
Sparkling or still water? – Still, chilled, please.
The question when you order water; bottled water is charged. Tap water is safe to drink, and by law cafés and restaurants must give customers tap water ('água da torneira') free on request, even if they also sell bottles. The next question is 'fresca ou natural?', chilled or room temperature, so 'natural' does not mean still.
A conta, se faz favorA1
uh KON-tuh, suh fash fuh-VOR
Frase para pedir a conta; em Portugal a conta não vem sem se pedir.
The bill, please
Faz favor! A conta, se faz favor. – Com certeza, já trago.
Excuse me! The bill, please. – Of course, I'll bring it right away.
The bill never comes unasked; sitting for an hour over an empty glass is normal. Catch the waiter's eye with 'faz favor' or the air-writing gesture. You pay at the table, where the waiter brings the card machine, or in a tasca at the counter on the way out. No service charge is added (see the couvert card).
Posso pagar com cartão?A2
POH-soo puh-GAR kong kur-TOWNG
Pergunta para saber se se pode pagar com cartão de débito ou de crédito.
Can I pay by card?
Posso pagar com cartão? – Pode, é só aproximar.
Can I pay by card? – Yes, just tap it.
'Multibanco' is the national card network and the name for cash machines too; foreign Visa and Mastercard cards work almost everywhere and contactless is normal. Small tascas, kiosks and some cafés take Multibanco or cash only, or set a minimum for cards, so keep some coins. Locals pay each other with MB Way on their phones. If a terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, choose euros.
Saúde!A1
suh-OOD
Palavra para brindar; também se diz quando alguém espirra.
Synonyms:à nossa
Cheers!
Saúde! – Saúde! À nossa!
Cheers! – Cheers! To us!
Clink glasses and look each other in the eye; 'à nossa!' (to us) is the friendly alternative. 'Saúde' is also what you say after a sneeze. A small draught beer is 'uma imperial' in Lisbon and 'um fino' in Porto, and 'vinho verde' is the light, slightly fizzy wine of the north.
Bom apetite!A1
bong uh-puh-TEET
Desejo dito a quem vai comer; responde-se 'obrigado, igualmente'.
Synonyms:bom proveito
Enjoy your meal!
Bom apetite! – Obrigada, igualmente.
Enjoy your meal! – Thanks, you too.
Said by the waiter as the plates land and by anyone at the next table; the reply is 'obrigado, igualmente' (thanks, likewise). 'Bom proveito' is the traditional version you will hear from older people. Lunch is a proper meal in Portugal, often the 'prato do dia' with a soup first.
CouvertA2
koo-VAIR
Pão, manteiga, azeitonas e outros petiscos postos na mesa; só se paga se for pedido ou consumido.
Cover (bread, butter, olives put on the table: charged only if you asked for it or ate it)
Couvert: pão, manteiga e azeitonas, 4,50 €. – Não queremos o couvert, obrigado.
Cover: bread, butter and olives, €4.50. – We don't want the cover, thanks.
The bread, butter, olives, cheese or pâté put on the table before you order are not free: whatever you touch is charged per item. By law (since 2015) the couvert can only be charged if you asked for it or ate it, so send it back ('não queremos o couvert, obrigado') or leave it untouched. There is no service charge in Portugal: rounding up or 5 to 10% for good service is kind, never expected. If a bill looks wrong, ask for the 'Livro de Reclamações' (complaints book), which every business must have.
Quanto custa…?A1
KWAN-too KOOSH-tuh
Pergunta para saber quanto custa uma coisa.
Synonyms:quanto é?
How much is…?
Quanto custa isto? Quanto custa um bilhete para Cascais?
How much is this? How much is a ticket to Cascais?
Frame: 'quanto custa' plus the item, or just 'quanto custa?' while pointing; 'isto' is this. 'Quanto é?' asks for the total at the till. Prices are in euros and the comma is the decimal point: 2,50 € is 'dois e cinquenta' (two fifty).
É muito caroA1
eh MWEEN-too KAH-roo
Frase para dizer que o preço é alto demais.
That's too expensive
É muito caro para mim. – Temos este, mais barato.
It's too expensive for me. – We have this one, cheaper.
A comment, not a bargaining opener: prices are fixed in shops, cafés and most markets, and haggling there is awkward. The exception is flea markets such as Lisbon's Feira da Ladra (Tuesdays and Saturdays), where 'faz por…?' (will you do it for…?) is fine. 'Obrigado na mesma' (thanks anyway) lets you walk away politely.
Dinheiro ou Multibanco?A1
deen-YAY-roo oh mool-tee-BANG-koo
Pergunta na caixa: pagar em dinheiro ou com cartão (Multibanco).
Synonyms:dinheiro ou cartão?
Cash or card?
Dinheiro ou Multibanco? – Multibanco, se faz favor.
Cash or card? – Card, please.
The till question: 'Multibanco' here simply means card. Answer with the one word or just tap your card; contactless is normal and 'débito ou crédito?' is rarely asked. Some small shops set a minimum for cards or say 'só dinheiro' (cash only). If a terminal or cash machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choose euros.
Contribuinte? / A fatura, por favorA2
kong-tree-BWEENT / uh fuh-TOO-ruh, poor fuh-VOR
'Contribuinte?' pede o número fiscal; a fatura ou o talão é o comprovativo da compra.
Synonyms:número de contribuinte?, o talão
Tax number? / The receipt, please
Contribuinte? – Não, obrigado. A fatura, por favor.
Tax number? – No, thanks. The receipt, please.
The Portugal till trap: almost every till asks 'contribuinte?' or 'número de contribuinte?', your Portuguese tax number (NIF), which residents add to receipts for tax deductions. Tourists just say 'não, obrigado'. Shops must issue a receipt for every sale, 'a fatura' or 'o talão'; keep it for returns. Visitors from outside the EU can ask for 'tax free' before paying in shops that offer VAT refunds.
Estou só a ver, obrigadoA1
shTOH soh uh VAYR, oh-bree-GAHD(oo)
Resposta educada ao vendedor quando só se quer ver as coisas, sem comprar.
I'm just looking, thanks
Posso ajudar? – Estou só a ver, obrigada.
Can I help you? – I'm just looking, thanks.
The answer to 'posso ajudar?' or 'precisa de ajuda?' in any shop; staff usually leave you alone after it. It uses the Portugal progressive, 'estar a' plus the infinitive ('estou a ver', I'm looking): in Lisbon and Porto the '-ndo' form sounds Brazilian, though you will hear it in the Alentejo and the Algarve. A woman ends with 'obrigada'.
É só, obrigadoA1
eh SOH, oh-bree-GAHD(oo)
Frase para dizer que não se quer mais nada.
Synonyms:só isso, mais nada
That's all, thanks
Mais alguma coisa? – É só, obrigado. Quanto é?
Anything else? – That's all, thanks. How much is it?
Ends the order at a pastelaria counter, market stall or kiosk; 'mais alguma coisa?' (anything else?) is what triggers it, and 'só isso' does the same job. In many pastelarias you eat standing at the counter and pay at the till ('a caixa') afterwards: just say what you had.
Um destes, se faz favorA1
oong DAYSH-tush, suh fash fuh-VOR
Frase para pedir uma coisa que se mostra com o dedo.
Synonyms:uma destas
One of these, please
Um destes, se faz favor. – É para levar ou para comer aqui?
One of these, please. – To take away or to eat here?
Point and say it: pastéis de nata, croquetes, the 'bolas de Berlim' sold on Algarve beaches. 'Para levar' is takeaway, 'para comer aqui' to eat here. For a feminine item ('uma bifana', 'uma queijada') say 'uma destas'.
Tem…?A1
tayng
Forma de perguntar se a loja ou o restaurante tem alguma coisa.
Synonyms:há…?
Do you have…?
Tem um tamanho maior? Tem protetor solar?
Do you have a bigger size? Do you have sun cream?
Frame: 'tem' plus the thing. The answer is 'tenho' (I have) or 'não tenho', and for things in general you will hear 'há' / 'não há' (there is / there isn't), which Portugal uses far more than 'tem' for 'is there'. 'Tamanho' is a clothing size, 'número' a shoe size; European sizes are used.
Aberto / FechadoA1
uh-BAIR-too / fuh-SHAH-doo
As palavras nas portas das lojas; 'encerrado' também quer dizer fechado.
Synonyms:encerrado
Open / Closed
Aberto das 9h às 19h. Encerra ao domingo.
Open from 9 am to 7 pm. Closed on Sundays.
The two shop-door signs; 'encerrado' (closed) is just as common on Portuguese doors, and 'encerra ao domingo' means closed on Sundays. Shops open roughly 9 or 10 to 7; in small towns many close for lunch from 1 to 3, and small shops often shut on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Shopping centres and big supermarkets open every day until late.
Saldos / CaixaA1
SAHL-doosh / KY-shuh
'Saldos' são descontos de época; 'caixa' é o sítio onde se paga.
Synonyms:promoção
Sale / Checkout
Saldos: 30% de desconto. Pague na caixa.
Sale: 30% off. Pay at the checkout.
'Saldos' is the sales season, traditionally January to February and July to August; 'promoção' is a one-off deal and 'desconto' a discount. 'Caixa' is the till; 'caixa prioritária' is the till that by law serves pregnant women, older people and disabled people first. 'Caixa Multibanco' (or just 'Multibanco') is a cash machine.
Onde fica…?A1
OND FEE-kuh
Pergunta para saber onde fica um sítio.
Synonyms:onde é…?
Where is…?
Onde fica a estação de comboios? Onde fica a casa de banho?
Where is the train station? Where is the toilet?
Frame: 'onde fica' plus the place with its article ('o', 'a'); 'onde é' does the same job. Open with 'desculpe'. The answer uses 'à esquerda', 'à direita' and 'em frente', and often 'é já ali' (it's just there), which on Lisbon's hills can still mean a steep climb.
Onde fica a casa de banho?A1
OND FEE-kuh uh KAH-zuh duh BAH-nyoo
Pergunta para encontrar o WC num café, restaurante ou estação.
Synonyms:o WC
Where is the toilet?
Desculpe, onde fica a casa de banho? – Ao fundo, à direita.
Excuse me, where is the toilet? – At the back, on the right.
'Casa de banho' is the toilet; signs say 'WC', and doors say 'Homens' / 'Senhoras', or just 'H' / 'S' (S is the women's). In a hotel room it is 'o quarto de banho'. Brazil calls it the 'banheiro', but 'banheiro' means lifeguard in Portugal, which gets a smile. Cafés expect you to buy something before using theirs.
Onde fica a estação de comboios?A1
OND FEE-kuh uh shtuh-SOWNG duh kong-BOY-oosh
Pergunta para encontrar a estação de comboios ou de metro.
Synonyms:a estação de metro
Where is the train station?
Onde fica a estação de comboios? – Siga em frente, é a cinco minutos.
Where is the train station? – Go straight on, it's five minutes away.
'Comboio' is a train, never 'trem' (the Brazilian word). 'Metro' has no accent and is said MEH-troo ('a estação de metro'). Lisbon has several main stations: Santa Apolónia and Oriente for Porto, Rossio for Sintra, Cais do Sodré for Cascais; in Porto long-distance trains stop at Campanhã and local ones also at São Bento in the centre.
Um bilhete para Sintra, se faz favorA1
oong bee-LYET PAH-ruh SEEN-truh, suh fash fuh-VOR
Frase para comprar um bilhete de comboio ou de autocarro para um destino.
A ticket to Sintra, please
Um bilhete para Sintra, se faz favor. – Só ida ou ida e volta?
A ticket to Sintra, please. – One way or return?
'Bilhete' is every ticket: train, bus, metro, museum; 'passagem' is not used in Portugal. Sintra trains leave from Lisbon's Rossio station and are paid by loading the reusable navegante (the old Viva Viagem) card at the machines, not with a paper ticket. Trains to Porto (Alfa Pendular, Intercidades) have reserved seats: buy on the CP app or at the window. 'Só ida' is one way, 'ida e volta' return.
Qual é a linha?A1
kwahl eh uh LEE-nyuh
Pergunta para saber de que linha (plataforma) parte o comboio.
Which platform?
Qual é a linha do comboio para Cascais? – Linha dois.
Which platform is the train to Cascais? – Platform two.
Portuguese train stations call platforms 'linhas' ('Linha 3' on the board), so listen for 'linha' in announcements. In the metro 'linha' is the line itself (Linha Azul, the blue line), the platform is 'o cais', and the direction sign names the last station. 'Atrasado' is late, 'suprimido' cancelled; CP strikes ('greve') are announced days ahead, so check before you go.
Esquerda / direita / em frenteA1
shKAYR-duh / dee-RAY-tuh / ayng FRENT
As palavras para indicar o caminho: esquerda, direita e em frente.
Left / right / straight on
Siga sempre em frente e depois vire à esquerda.
Keep going straight on, then turn left.
What every answer to 'onde fica' contains: 'à esquerda', 'à direita', 'em frente' or 'sempre em frente' (keep straight on), and just as often 'sempre a direito', which also means straight on: do not mix up 'a direito' (straight) with 'à direita' (right). Also 'ao fundo' at the end, 'perto' near, 'longe' far, and 'lá em cima' up there, which you will hear a lot in Lisbon and Porto. 'Reto' is Brazilian; in Portugal straight on is 'em frente' or 'a direito'.
Entrada / SaídaA1
eng-TRAH-duh / suh-EE-duh
As palavras nas placas de entrada e de saída de um edifício.
Entrance / Exit
Saída de emergência. Entrada livre.
Emergency exit. Free admission.
'Saída' is also the way out of the metro and the motorway exit. At museums and monuments 'entrada' also means admission: 'entrada livre' or 'entrada gratuita' is free, and 'bilheteira' is the ticket office. Students and over-65s often get a reduced price with ID.
Empurrar / PuxarA1
eng-poo-RAR / poo-SHAR
As palavras nas portas: empurrar para a frente ou puxar para si.
Push / Pull
A porta diz 'puxar'. – Então puxe!
The door says 'pull'. – Then pull!
Portuguese door signs usually use the infinitive, 'empurrar' (push) and 'puxar' (pull), sometimes 'empurre' / 'puxe'. The trap for English speakers: 'puxar' looks like push and means pull; say it 'poo-SHAR'. On buttons you will see 'carregar' (press), and on buses you press the button to ask for the next stop.
Valide o bilheteA2
vuh-LEED oo bee-LYET
Aviso para passar o cartão de transporte no validador antes de viajar.
Synonyms:valide sempre
Validate your ticket
Valide sempre o seu título de transporte. – Bilhetes, se faz favor! Fiscalização.
Always validate your ticket. – Tickets, please! Inspection.
In Lisbon you tap your navegante card (the old Viva Viagem) at the metro gates and on the reader every time you board a bus or tram; a contactless Visa or Mastercard bank card also works at the metro gates and on Carris buses and trams. Porto's metro has no gates: tap the Andante card on the validator before the platform and again on every change, or it counts as no ticket. Inspectors ('fiscais') fine on the spot, an unvalidated ticket counts as no ticket, and not knowing is no excuse; check the operator's site for the current amount.
Paragem de autocarroA1
puh-RAH-zhayng duh ow-toh-KAH-roo
Sítio onde o autocarro para; é preciso fazer sinal ao motorista.
Synonyms:paragem
Bus stop
Próxima paragem: Cais do Sodré.
Next stop: Cais do Sodré.
'Autocarro' is the city bus and 'paragem' the stop, on the sign and in announcements ('próxima paragem'); the intercity coach is 'o expresso' (Rede Expressos, FlixBus), from terminals such as Sete Rios in Lisbon. Buses only stop if you signal: hold out your arm as yours approaches, and press the button to get off. In Lisbon, Carris runs the city buses and the yellow trams ('elétricos').
Tenho uma reservaA1
TEN-yoo OO-muh ruh-ZAIR-vuh
Frase para dizer na receção que já se fez a reserva.
I have a reservation
Boa tarde, tenho uma reserva em nome de Smith. – O passaporte, se faz favor.
Good afternoon, I have a reservation under Smith. – Your passport, please.
The check-in opener; 'em nome de' plus your surname gives the name. Hotels ask for your passport or ID card because the law requires it. Lisbon adds a tourist tax of 4 euros per person per night (as of 2026) and Porto and other towns charge their own, paid at the hotel and often not in the online price.
A chave, se faz favorA1
uh SHAHV, suh fash fuh-VOR
Pedido da chave do quarto na receção.
The key, please
A chave do quarto doze, se faz favor.
The key to room twelve, please.
Most hotels use key cards ('o cartão'); small guesthouses keep keys at the desk. In 'alojamento local' (AL) holiday flats, marked by a blue 'AL' plaque by the door, there is often no desk at all: you get a lockbox code ('o código') by message, so save the host's number.
Qual é a palavra-passe do Wi-Fi?A1
kwahl eh uh puh-LAH-vruh PASS doo WYE-fye
Pergunta para saber a palavra-passe da rede Wi-Fi.
Synonyms:a senha
What's the Wi-Fi password?
Qual é a palavra-passe do Wi-Fi? – Está no talão, em baixo.
What's the Wi-Fi password? – It's on the receipt, at the bottom.
'Palavra-passe' is the Portugal word for password. 'Senha' is also used, but in Portugal it is above all the numbered queue ticket ('tirar senha', take a number) at post offices, pharmacies and deli counters, and 'código' is your card PIN. Free Wi-Fi is standard in cafés and hotels and on most long-distance trains.
A que horas é o pequeno-almoço?A1
uh kuh OH-rush eh oo puh-KAY-noo ahl-MOH-soo
Pergunta sobre o horário do pequeno-almoço no hotel.
What time is breakfast?
A que horas é o pequeno-almoço? – Das sete e meia às dez e meia.
What time is breakfast? – From half past seven to half past ten.
'Pequeno-almoço' (literally small lunch) is breakfast: often included in hotels, and in town a coffee and a pastry at the counter. 'Almoço' is lunch, roughly 12:30 to 14:30, and 'jantar' dinner, from 19:30 or 20:00, earlier than in Spain. 'Das… às…' gives the range; the other question you need is 'a que horas é o check-out?'.
Socorro!A1
soo-KOH-roo
Grito para pedir ajuda numa emergência.
Help!
Socorro! Liguem para o 112!
Help! Call 112!
Shout it; people react. 112 is the single emergency number for police, ambulance and fire, free from any phone, and operators speak English: say where you are first ('estou em…'), then what happened. Pickpockets work the 28 tram and Lisbon's busy viewpoints, so keep your phone and wallet in front of you.
Preciso de um médicoA2
pruh-SEE-zoo duh oong MEH-dee-koo
Frase para dizer que se precisa de um médico.
I need a doctor
Preciso de um médico. Não me sinto bem.
I need a doctor. I don't feel well.
'Preciso de' is I need. In an emergency call 112; the hospital emergency department is 'as urgências'. The SNS 24 line, 808 24 24 24 (as of 2026), gives medical advice by phone and tells you where to go. EU travellers with an EHIC and UK travellers with a GHIC are treated in public hospitals like residents; everyone else needs travel insurance.
Onde fica a farmácia?A1
OND FEE-kuh uh fur-MAH-syuh
Pergunta para encontrar uma farmácia; a cruz verde acesa indica que está aberta.
Where is the pharmacy?
Onde fica a farmácia mais próxima? – Na esquina, ao lado do café.
Where is the nearest pharmacy? – On the corner, next to the café.
Look for the green cross, lit up when the pharmacy is open. At night one 'farmácia de serviço' (pharmacy on duty) stays open in each area, and every pharmacy door lists which one it is tonight. Pharmacists advise and sell many medicines without a prescription, antibiotics excepted.
Chame a polícia, se faz favorA2
SHAHM uh poo-LEE-syuh, suh fash fuh-VOR
Pedido para chamar a polícia numa emergência ou depois de um roubo.
Call the police, please
Chame a polícia, se faz favor. Roubaram-me a carteira.
Call the police, please. My wallet has been stolen.
In an emergency call 112. The police are the PSP in cities and the GNR in the countryside; for a theft you need a report ('uma queixa') for insurance, made at any police station ('esquadra'). Lisbon has a tourist police station with English speakers at Praça dos Restauradores, and Porto has one in the city centre. Bring your passport or a photo of it.
Estou perdido / perdidaA1
shTOH pur-DEE-doo / pur-DEE-duh
Frase para dizer que não se sabe onde se está.
I'm lost
Estou perdida. Onde fica o Castelo de São Jorge?
I'm lost. Where is São Jorge Castle?
'Perdido' if you are male, 'perdida' if female. In Portugal 'estou' shrinks to 'shTOH': the first syllable all but disappears. Follow it with 'onde fica' and the place, or show the address on your phone; 'é longe?' (is it far?) gets a useful answer, and people will often walk you part of the way.
Pode chamar um táxi, se faz favor?A2
POD shuh-MAR oong TAHK-see, suh fash fuh-VOR
Pedido educado para que chamem um táxi.
Can you call a taxi, please?
Pode chamar um táxi, se faz favor? – Claro, para onde vai?
Can you call a taxi, please? – Of course, where are you going?
'Pode' is the polite 'can you'. Bolt and Uber are normal and usually cheaper than taxis. Licensed taxis are cream, or black with a green roof, and run on the meter ('o taxímetro'): make sure it is on. At Lisbon airport you can instead buy a fixed-price taxi voucher at the Ask Me Lisboa tourist desk in arrivals. Luggage is no longer charged extra; a small supplement for booking by phone is legal and shows on the receipt.
umA1
oong
O número 1.
one
Um galão e uma torrada, se faz favor.
One milky coffee and one toast, please.
'Um' before masculine nouns, 'uma' before feminine ones (uma bica, uma torrada); counting on its own it is 'um'. It is nasal: 'oong' through the nose, with no hard g at the end. Prices go the same way: 'um euro', 'um euro e meio' (1.50).
dois / duasA1
doysh / DOO-ush
O número 2.
two
Duas imperiais, se faz favor.
Two small draught beers, please.
'Dois' for masculine, 'duas' for feminine nouns (duas bicas, duas imperiais); on its own it is 'dois'. The final s is 'sh': 'doysh'. 'Somos dois' means there are two of us.
trêsA1
traysh
O número 3.
three
Linha três.
Platform three.
The final s is 'sh': 'traysh'. It is the single most audible Portugal marker and runs through the whole language: 'mais' is 'mysh', 'euros' is 'EW-roosh'. Platform, room and tram numbers are read as plain numbers; the 28 tram is 'o vinte e oito'.
quatroA1
KWAH-tr(oo)
O número 4.
four
Somos quatro. Tem mesa?
There are four of us. Do you have a table?
'Somos' plus a number tells a restaurant how many you are. The final o is barely said in Portugal, a whispered 'oo', so it sounds close to 'KWAHTR'.
cincoA1
SEENG-k(oo)
O número 5.
five
São cinco euros.
That's five euros.
'São' plus a price is how the total is announced: 'são cinco euros'. Prices use a comma: 5,50 € is 'cinco e cinquenta'. Keep a few coins for kiosks, tram drivers and the toilets in some stations.
seisA1
saysh
O número 6.
six
O comboio parte às seis.
The train leaves at six.
'Às' plus the hour is 'at'. Phone numbers, room numbers and codes are read with a plain 'seis', often in groups of three: Portugal does not say 'meia' for six; Brazil does. Timetables use the 24-hour clock: 18h is 'dezoito' on the board, 'seis da tarde' in speech.
seteA1
set
O número 7.
seven
O pequeno-almoço é às sete.
Breakfast is at seven.
The final e is silent in Portugal, so 'sete' is just 'set', and the t never turns into 'ch' as it does in Brazil. Breakfast and opening hours are given this way: 'a partir das sete', from seven.
oitoA1
OY-t(oo)
O número 8.
eight
Reserva para as oito.
A reservation for eight o'clock.
'Para as' plus the hour is 'for' a time when booking. Dinner starts around eight in Lisbon and Porto, earlier than in Spain; 'às oito da noite' makes clear it is evening. The final o is whispered: 'OYT'.
noveA1
nov
O número 9.
nine
Quarto nove.
Room nine.
Open o as in British 'not', and the final e is silent: 'nov'. Do not confuse it with 'novo' (new). Portugal's emergency number has no nine in it: it is 112, 'um, um, dois'.
dezA1
desh
O número 10.
ten
São dez minutos a pé, sempre a subir.
It's ten minutes on foot, uphill all the way.
'A pé' is on foot; 'dez minutos' is the hoped-for answer to 'é longe?', though in Lisbon and Porto it may be ten minutes uphill. 'Dez por cento' (ten per cent) is a generous tip here, not the rule. 'Vinte' is twenty, 'cem' a hundred.