Basic Portuguese Phrases: Unlimited Traveling Experiences

Traveling should be enjoyable and easy, especially in multicultural countries like Portugal and Brazil. To make your journey to this sunny, coastal location smooth sailing, you need to be prepared to communicate with the natives.

While this country remains at the top of the high-level English-speaking population, acquiring basic Portuguese phrases can be your first step in learning the new melodic and romantic language. In this article, you’ll find the most common beginner-friendly Portuguese vocabulary for hassle-free and enjoyable traveling.

Essential Portuguese Phrases for Beginners: Your Ultimate Travel Guide

The more we travel, the more valuable our experiences become. Learn beginner vocabulary to explore Portugal or Brazil and enjoy carefree traveling.

Getting Started: Basic Greetings and Polite Expressions

Making a good first impression when traveling will help you present your nationality in a positive light to anyone you meet. You can make it by learning basic phrases that show politeness. Let’s start with simply saying “Hello.” One of the variants of Hi in Portuguese is similar to that in Spanish, Olá [o.ˈla] [oh-lah]. It’s a common way of greeting someone.

Brazil’s most common informal option of saying “Hi” is Oi [ɔj] [oy]. You may use it to welcome friends and close colleagues. On the other hand, stick to olá when you meet people you don’t really know.

If you want to specify the time, you can say:

• Bom dia [baʊn ˈdiː ɑː] [bown DEE-ah] – Good morning.
• Boa tarde [boa’taɾdɛ] [bo-ah TAR-deh] – Good afternoon.
• Boa noite [boa’nɔɪtɛ] [bo-ah NOY-teh] – Good evening/night.

In English, we often greet other people by asking, “How’s it going?/What’s up?” In Portuguese, you can say Como está? [ˈko.mu esˈta] [KOH-moo es-TAH]. Compared to the English variant, this one is more suitable for starting a polite conversation.

To say thank you in Portuguese, use obrigado/a [o.bɾiˈɡa.du] [oh-bree-GAH-doo] [o.bɾiˈɡa.dɐ] [oh-bree-GAH-dah]. The ending depends on your gender; the first is for males, and the latter is for females. Finally, to end the conversation, say Tchau! [t͡ʃaw] [chow], which translates as goodbye in Portuguese. 

Travel Essentials: Asking for Directions and Getting Around

You’re landing in a minute, and suddenly, your phone dies. You walk out of the airport, unsure how to exit and where to go next to get to your lodgings. That’s the time when you can benefit from memorizing the essential words in Portuguese to ask for help in getting around. 

You can reach out for directions by saying:

• Onde fica...? [ˈõ.d͡ʒi ˈfi.kɐ] [ON-jee FEE-kah] – Where is…?

Example: Onde fica o hotel Independente Príncipe Real? – [ˈõ.d͡ʒi ˈfi.kɐ u oˈtɛw ĩd͡ʒepẽˈdẽ.t͡ʃi ˈpɾĩ.si.pɨ ʁeˈaw] [ON-jee FEE-kah oo oh-TEL een-deh-pen-DEN-chee PREEN-see-pee heh-AHL] – Where is the hotel Independente Príncipe Real?

The responses may be different, including phrases like: 

• à esquerda – [ˈa iʃˈkeɾ.dɐ] [AH eesh-KER-dah] – on the left,
• à direita – [ˈa d͡ʒiˈɾej.tɐ] [AH jee-RAY-tah] – on the right,
• siga em frente – [ˈsi.ɡɐ ẽ ˈfɾẽ.t͡ʃi] [SEE-gah eng FREN-chee] – go straight ahead.

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Shopping in Portuguese: Basic Portuguese Phrases for Markets and Stores

If you want to get some souvenirs in the local markets, you’ll need to know the cost of the items. Simply ask:

•  Quanto custa...? – [ˈkwɐ̃.tu ˈkus.tɐ] [KWAN-too KOOS-tah] – How much does it cost...?

Example: Quanto custa este chapéu? – [ˈkwɐ̃.tu ˈkus.tɐ ˈes.t͡ʃi ʃaˈpɛw] [KWAN-too KOOS-tah ES-chee sha-PEL] – How much does this hat cost?

Dining Out: Essential Portuguese Phrases for Restaurants

You can’t just pass by the delicious Portugal or Brazilian cuisine. So, go to the local restaurant and order its specials. For this, you’ll need to learn helpful phrases:

• O menu, por favor – [u meˈnu puʁ faˈvoʁ] [oo meh-NOO poor fah-VOR] – The menu, please.
• A conta, por favor – [a ˈkõ.tɐ puʁ faˈvoʁ] [ah KON-tah poor fah-VOR] – The bill, please.

Regional Differences: How to Speak Portuguese

European Portuguese feels more formal and precise, with clearer pronunciation. This is manifested in a rougher, more guttural sound. On the other hand, Brazilian Portuguese comes off as more nasal, and vowels are usually stretched out longer. You’ll also notice different slang and expressions influenced by indigenous and African languages. 

Furthermore, some words can have completely different meanings. The difference shows up in specific words where European Portuguese uses an acute accent (´), but Brazilian Portuguese uses a circumflex (ˆ) instead, like tónica/tônica, académico/acadêmico, António/Antônio, etc.

Verb conjugations and pronoun usage aren’t always the same. For instance, in European Portuguese, pronouns are placed after the verb, but in Brazilian Portuguese, they typically come before the verb. 

Promova: Learning Portuguese Essential Vocabulary for Travelers

Studying Portuguese with Promova is like having a helpful assistant on your way to improving your language skills. This one-stop solution will help you learn common Portuguese phrases and upgrade your overall vocabulary.

• A self-paced learning program with bite-sized lesson plans on each topic.
• All sessions include corresponding visuals and audio recordings to help you immerse in the true-to-life language environment.
• Free app version with the essential Portuguese corpus.

Choose the Premium subscription plan if you want a full-featured experience with more valuable information like Portuguese sayings and educational resources. Make your choice and download the Promova app today to start an enjoyable learning path. 

Conclusion

For your trip to Portugal or Brazil, prepare not only your suitcases but also enrich your vocabulary with basic Portuguese words and phrases. This way, you’ll impress the locals with your eagerness to learn about their country and simplify your touring by already knowing a thing or two. Boa viagem!