Basic Portuguese phrases and how to pronounce them

On our trip to Lisbon we found even an attempt at basic Portuguese was well received. I hope the below helps with pronouncing some introductory phrases and most importantly, ordering a drink!

In words of more than one syllable, I have shown where to stress the word in bold. Portuguese has some nasal sounds which I have shown as ‘n(g)’, think of this as like swallowing the end of the word ‘sing’ with a very soft ending.

Hello = Olá (oh-lah)

Good day/morning = Bom dia (bon(g) dee-a)

Good afternoon / good evening = Boa tarde (boh-a tard)

Good evening / good night = Boa noite (boh-a noyt)

Bye = Tchau (chow)

Goodbye (more formal) = Adeus (A-day-oosh)

Yes = Sim (seen(g))

No = Não (nown(g))

Please = Por favor (por fa-vore)

Thank you = Obrigado/a (Oh-bree-gah-doo / oh-bree-gah-da) NB men should say obrigado, women say obrigada

Excuse me / Sorry = Desculpe (Desh-koolp)

Do you speak English? = Fala inglês? (Fa-la een-glaysh)

I don’t understand = Nao compreendo (nown(g) com-pray-end-o)

Where is the bathroom? = Onde fica a casa de banho? (Ohn-dee fee-ka a kah-za di ban-yoo?)

How much is it? = Quanto custa? (Kwan-too coos-ta)

My name is = Me chamo (Mi sham-oo)

A coffee (espresso) = um café (oon(g) ka-fay) in Lisbon you may also hear uma bica (oom-a bee-ka)

A coffee (3/4 milk, like a latte) = um galão (oon(g) gal-own(g))

Tea with milk = um chá com leite (oon(g) shah con(g) layt)

Sparkling mineral water = água mineral com gás (ah-gwa mee-ni-rahl con(g) gahsh)

Still mineral water = água mineral sem gás (ah-gwa mee-ni-rahl sayn(g) gahsh)

A beer = uma cerveja (oom-a ser-vay-zsah)

A bottle = uma garrafa (oom-a ga-raph-a)

A glass of red wine = um copo de vinho tinto (oom ko-poo di veen-yoo teen(g)-too)

White wine = vinho branco (veen-yoo bran-koo)

The wine list – A carta de vinhos (a kar-ta di veen-yoos)

A gin and tonic – Um gin tónico (Oom gin ton-ee-koh)

Cheers – Saúde (sa-ood)

The bill, please = A conta por favor (A kon-ta por fa-vore)

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