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 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.
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Hello.
How much is it?|
Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ...
The Top 20 ... |
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Como se chama? What is your name? Chamo-me ... My name is ... Como está? How are you? Bem. E você? Fine. And you? Onde é ...? Where is ...? Onde é a casa de banho? Homens/Senhoras Where is the toilet? Men/Women Sinto muito. Desculpe. Sorry. Excuse me. Não há problema. No problem. Quero ... I want ... Não quero ... I don't want ... |
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Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...
The Top 30 ... |
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De onde é? Where are you from? Sou da Austrália.* I am from Australia. A conta, se faz 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. Gosto de ... I like ... 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 |
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Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...
Useful Extras ... |
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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 Sou vegetariano. (man) Sou vegetariana. (woman) I am vegetarian. Não como carne. I don't eat meat. ... frango. ... chicken. ... peixe. ... fish. Sou alérgico a frutos secos. (man) Sou alérgico a frutos secos. (woman) I am allergic to nuts. ... amendoim. ... peanuts. ... peixe. ... fish. ... marisco. ... seafood. ... ovo. ... eggs. |
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 is pronounced as a weak a, like u in nut (ɐ)
unstressed e is pronounced as ɨ (a high schwa ə or New Zealand i)
unstressed o is pronounced as u
Consonants:
b in the middle of a word is a bilabial fricative, like a v using both lips together (β)
ç is pronounced as s
ch is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
d in the middle or end of a word is like the in this (ð)
g in the middle of a word is like gh, a voiced velar fricative (ɣ) or its approximant (ɰ)
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 a dark l, like l in bull (ɫ)
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 is pronounced as a voiced uvular fricative as in French or German (ʁ)
rr is pronounced as a voiced uvular fricative as in French or German (ʁ)
s at the end of a syllable or word is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
x is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
z at the end of a syllable or word is pronounced as zh as in pleasure (ʒ)
~ (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 is pronounced as a weak a, like u in nut (ɐ)
unstressed e is pronounced as ɨ (a high schwa ə or New Zealand i)
unstressed o is pronounced as u
Consonants:
b in the middle of a word is a bilabial fricative, like a v using both lips together (β)
ç is pronounced as s
ch is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
d in the middle or end of a word is like the in this (ð)
g in the middle of a word is like gh, a voiced velar fricative (ɣ) or its approximant (ɰ)
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 a dark l, like l in bull (ɫ)
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 is pronounced as a voiced uvular fricative as in French or German (ʁ)
rr is pronounced as a voiced uvular fricative as in French or German (ʁ)
s at the end of a syllable or word is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
x is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
z at the end of a syllable or word is pronounced as zh as in pleasure (ʒ)