Greetings
Oi = Hi
Tchau = Bye
Tudo bom ? = How are you?
Muito prazer = Very nice to meet you.
Bom dia = Good morning
Boa tarde = Good afternoon
Boa noite = Good night
Com licença = Excuse me
Por favor = Please
Desculpe = Sorry
só = only
também = also
Obrigado/Obrigada = Thank you
Men say ‘Obrigado‘, women say ‘Obrigada‘. Or for short ‘Brigado’ and ‘Brigada’.
Legal = Cool
ta bom = It’s good / I’m good. This can be used in a variety of situations. If someone is trying to sell you something on the beach and you don’t want it…’ta bom’. If the waiter is putting food on your plate and you don’t want anymore…’ta bom’. Basically it means you are fine, and don’t need anything.
If you want to ask if a place has something use the word tem.
(Você) tem? = Do you have? – You don’t need to say ‘Você’, it’s implied.
tem banheiro? = Do you have a bathroom?
In a restaurant
When wanting to order something at a restaurant you need to call the waiter, most won’t just come. Just wave your had.
O cardápio = the menu
Pode trazer o cardápio? = Can you bring the menu?
bebidas – drinks
tem agua? = Do you have water?
A waiter will respond, agua sem gas ou com gas – meaning water without carbonation or with. You want without, sem gas.
tem cerveja? = Do you have beer?
tem chopp? = Do you have draft beer?
tem suco? = Do you have juice?
suco de laranja = orange juice
suco de abacaxi = pineapple juice
suco de morango = strawberry juice
comida – food
tem carne? = Do you have meat?
frango = chicken
salada = salad
peixe = fish
comida vegetariana = vegetarian food
sanduíche = sandwich
A conta = the account or the check
Pode fechar a conta. = You can close the check. Meaning, please bring us the check. Or you can wave your hand in the air and make a signing motion as if you are signing a check.
Pode me ajudar? = Can you help me?
Você fala inglês? – Do you speak English?
Quanta custa? = How much does it cost?
Eu não sei = I don’t know
Eu não entendo = I don’t understand
Onde fica / está ____? = Where is ____?
a praia = the beach
a rodoviaria = the bus station
taxi = taxi
Por favor, vai para o hotel Marriott em Copacabana. = Please go to the Marriott hotel in Copacabana.
Places to see
o Cristo = Christ the Redeemer, the mountain that the Christ is on is named Corcovodo.
Pão de Açúcar = The sugar loaf
Lapa is an area near downtown that has many restaurants and street markets.
Useful Apps (with direct links to App Store)
- Google Translate, free.
- Word Lens, currently Free. Make sure to download the Português language pack. It will also store a complete dictionary that can be used offline.
- Say Hi, currently Free
- iTranslate Voice, currently $1.99.
Richard Waynick 