60+ Brazilian Portuguese Basic Phrases for Travelers and Beginners

If you’re just getting started with learning Brazilian Portuguese or if you are planning a trip to Brazil, then these Brazilian Portuguese phrases will come in handy.

From simple greetings to introducing yourself to ordering food at the restaurant, you’ll be able to readily locate the exact phrase you need, when you need it.

Let’s dive right into it.

Tips! Learning European Portuguese? Here’s the equivalent read: 35 Basic Portuguese Phrases for Beginners.

Greetings

Whether you run into someone you’ve met before or meet a new person, these basic greetings will help you spark a conversation.

1	Oi	Hi
2	*Bom dia*	Good morning
3	*Boa tarde*	Good afternoon
4	*Boa noite*	Good evening/night
5	*Tudo bem?*	How are you?
6	*Meu nome é …*	My name is …
7	*Sou…*	I’m…
8	*Qual é seu nome?*	What’s your name?
9	*Sou de …*	I’m from …
10	*De onde você é?*	Where are you from?
11	*Muito prazer*	Nice to meet you
12	*Até breve*	See you soon
13	*Até mais*	See you again

Etiquette

Good manners are always charming and worth cultivating. While traveling in Brazil, these expressions will help prevent any cultural misunderstandings and create a good rapport with the locals.

14	Por favor Um café por favor.	Please One coffee, please.
15	Desculpe Por favor, onde fica o banheiro?	Excuse me Excuse me, where’s the bathroom?
16	Desculpe Desculpe! Foi sem querer.	Sorry I’m sorry! It was not on purpose.
17	Obrigado/a (m/f)*	Thank you
18	*De nada*	You’re welcome

* Women say obrigada, men say obrigado.

Getting Around

If you are, say, in S. Paulo, and you want to know where to go and how to get there, the following expressions will be helpful. See, locals know best what are the most exciting things to do, see and eat – just ask them!

19	*Quais são as atrações aqui?*	What do you recommend to see here?
20	*Onde posso encontrar …?*	Where can I find …?
21	*Como chego ao …?*	How do I get to …?
22	*Onde fica a praia?*	Which way is the beach?
23	*Pode me mostrar no mapa?*	Can you show me where it is on the map?
24	Qual linha/número de ônibus preciso pegar?	Which bus line/number do I need to take?
25	*Que horas o ônibus sai?*	What time does the bus leave?
26	Quanto custa uma passagem de ida/ida e volta?	How much does a one-way/round trip ticket cost?
27	*Tem restaurante bom por aqui?*	Is there a good restaurant nearby?

Eating

Being at a restaurant, coffee shop or any other place where you can order something to eat or drink is always an excellent opportunity to interact in your target language.

Next time you have that kind of opportunity, try out the following lines.

28	*Posso ver um cardápio?*	Can I see a menu?
29	*Tem alguns pratos típicos da região?*	Are there any typical local dishes?
30	*Gostaria de pedir por favor.*	I’d like to order, please.
31	*O que você recomenda?*	What do you recommend?
32	*Isto é para uma pessoa/duas pessoas?*	Is this for one person/two people?
33	*Onde fica o banheiro?*	Where is the bathroom?
34	*Gostaria de pagar.*	Could I get the check?
		juices
35	*Gostaria de um suco de …*	I would l … juice.
36	*Gostaria de uma vitamina de …*	I would like a fruit smoothie of …
37	*Sem açúcar, por favor.*	I’d like to order, please.
38	*Só um pouquinho de açúcar, por favor.*	Just a little bit of sugar please.
		allergies & special diets
39	*Sou vegetariana.*	I’m a vegetarian.
40	*Sou vegana.*	I’m a vegan.
41	*Tenho intolerância à lactose.*	I’m lactose-intolerant.
42	*Sou alérgica ao glúten.*	I’m allergic to gluten.
43	*Tenho alergia a …*	I’m allergic to …

Shopping

You may want to buy a few gifts for your friends and family before you head back home. Here are a few helpful phrases for you.

44	*Gostei disso.*	I like this.
45	*Isto é lindo/chic.*	This is beautiful/stylish.
46	*Desculpe, quanto custa isso?*	Excuse me, how much does this cost?
47	*Tem em outro tamanho/cor?*	Do you have this in a different size/color?
48	*Tem algumas promoções?*	Do you have any sales?
49	*Pode fazer um desconto?*	Can you give me a discount?
50	*Que horas vocês abrem/fecham?*	What time do you open/close?

Comprehension aid

The following lines will help you assert that you are not a pro in Portuguese just yet 🙂 and ask people to either repeat, talk more slowly, or even speak in English.

51	*Fala inglês?*	Do you speak English?
52	*Alguém aqui fala inglês?*	Does anyone here speak English?
53	*Não entendi*	I didn’t understand
54	*Entendi*	I understood/I understand
55	*Pode falar mais devagar, por favor?*	Can you speak more slowly, please?
56	*Pode repetir por favor?*	Can you repeat that, please?
57	*Como se diz… em Português?*	How do you say … in Portuguese?
58	*Estou aprendendo português.*	I am learning Portuguese.

In case of an emergency

Hopefully, you won’t need to use the following phrases. But just in case…

59	*Socorro!*	Help!
60	*Pode me ajudar?*	Can you help me?
61	*Fui roubado/a.*	I’ve been robbed.
62	Onde fica a polícia?	Where is the police station?
63	*Preciso de uma ambulância.*	I need an ambulance.
64	*Onde fica o hospital mais próximo?*	Where is the nearest hospital?

! If you’re wondering what are the differences between European and Brazilian Portuguese, I recommend you read this one: European vs. Brazilian Portuguese – How Different Are They Really?

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