Essential Brazilian Portuguese Phrases

Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.

Here are the bare minimum of Brazilian Portuguese words and phrases you need to know to survive.

Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.

If you need help with pronunciation,
please see the Pronunciation Guide below.

Here are ten easy phrases to get you started ...

The Top 10 ...

Olá.
Oi.

Hello.
Tchau.
Goodbye.
Você fala inglês?
Do you speak English?
Eu não entendo.
I don't understand.
Um pouquinho.
A little.
Sim. Não.
Yes. No.
Quanto custa?

How much is it?
Muito caro. Está bom.
Too expensive. OK.
Por favor.
Please.
(Muito) obrigado. (man)
(Muito) obrigada. (woman)
Thank you (very much).

Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ... The Top 20 ...
	Qual é o seu nome? What is your name? Meu nome é ... My name is ... Como vai? How are you? Bem. E você? Fine. And you? Onde é ...? Where is ...? Onde é o banheiro? Homens/Senhoras Where is the toilet? Men/Women Desculpa. Com licença. Sorry. Excuse me. Não tem problema. No problem. Eu quero ... I want ... Eu não quero ... I don't want ...

Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...

The Top 30 ...

De onde você é?
Where are you from?
Eu sou da Austrália.*
I am from Australia.
A conta, por favor.
The bill, please.
Estou perdido. (man)
Estou perdida. (woman)
I'm lost.
Pare! Espere!
Stop! Wait!
Aqui, ali, lá.
Here, there, over there.
Táxi. Hotel. Aeroporto. Estacão.
Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station.
Eu gosto de ...
I like ...
Eu não gosto de ...
I don't like ...

um**, dois**, três, quatro, cinco.
one, two, three, four, five.
seis, sete, oito, nove, dez.
six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

**Use um before a masculine noun.
Use uma before a feminine noun.
Use dois before a masculine noun.
Use duas before a feminine noun.

*Or choose your country:
da América - from America
do Canadá - from Canada
da Inglaterra - from England
da Irlanda - from Ireland
da Nova Zelândia - from New Zealand

Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...

Useful Extras ...

Saúde!
Aù nossa!
Cheers!

bom / mau
good / bad
grande / pequeno
big / small
perto / longe
near / far
menos / mais
less / more
um outro / suficiente
another / enough

Eu sou vegetariano. (man)
Eu sou vegetariana. (woman)
I am vegetarian.
Eu não como carne.
I don't eat meat.
... frango.
... chicken.
... peixe.
... fish.

Sou alérgico a frutas secas. (man)
Sou alérgico a frutas secas. (woman)
I am allergic to nuts.
... amendoim.
... peanuts.
... peixe.
... fish.
... frutos do mar.
... seafood.
... ovo.
... eggs.

Pronunciation Guide

Vowels:
~ (tilde) over the vowel indicates a nasal vowel, eg ã
a vowel followed by m or n is a nasal vowel, the m or n is not pronounced, eg. bom = bõ
unstressed a at the end of a word is pronounced as a weak a, like u in nut (ɐ)
unstressed e at the end of a word is pronounced as i
unstressed o at the end of a word is pronounced as u

Consonants:
ç is pronounced as s
ch is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
d before e or i is pronounced as j as in judge (dʒ)
gu before e or i is pronounced as g
h is silent
j is pronounced as zh as in pleasure (ʒ)
l at the end of a syllable or word is pronounced as w
lh is pronounced as ly as in million (ʎ), or y as in yet (IPA j)
nh is pronounced as ny as in canyon (ɲ)
qu before e or i is pronounced as k
r at the start of a word or the end of a syllable or word is pronounced as a voiceless uvular fricative, a voiceless French r (χ)
rr is pronounced as a voiceless uvular fricative, a voiceless French r (χ)
t before e or i is pronounced as ch as in church (tʃ)
x is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)