
There comes a point in everyone’s language learning experience where they feel stuck. This plateau is especially common for advanced learners. Figuring out where to go next and which skills to improve is not so easy. And at the same time, there are likely some gaps in your knowledge of Portuguese. Maybe some of the phrases used by native Portuguese speakers still confuse you, or you lack the appropriate expressions for use in work settings.
At this point, focusing on advanced Portuguese phrases will help you bridge the gap! Once you learn these phrases, you will have an array of ready-to-use expressions at your disposal. This will allow for fluent communication, whether you’re writing a cover letter or giving a presentation in Portuguese.
You probably know by now that language, and specifically Portuguese, is not always objective and literal. In many instances, the old adage “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” is very true! With the explanations given in this article, you’ll be able to see and understand how this concept applies to advanced Portuguese phrases.
We’ll end on a fun note by looking at some of the most commonly used idioms in Portuguese. If you translate them word for word, they might not make much sense…but once you understand how they’re used, you’ll be on your way to sounding just like a native speaker!

As an advanced Portuguese speaker, you’ll be getting all the jokes!

- Sound Smart: Academic Writing and Speeches
- Sound Hireable: Resumes and Cover Letters
- Sound Efficient: Business and Meetings
- Sound Like a Native: Idioms and Proverbs
- Continue Studying with PortuguesePod101
1. Sound Smart: Academic Writing and Speeches
If you have been tasked with writing an academic paper or giving a speech, congratulations! That means you are definitely a high-level Portuguese speaker. Still, you might yet lack some advanced Portuguese words and phrases that are essential for structuring your discourse.
The examples below will help you organize and present your arguments, making them all sound coherent.
Inicialmente / A princípio “Initially” / “At first” |
Inicialmente, os dados da pesquisa serão analisados separadamente. “Initially, the survey data will be analyzed separately.” A princípio, o projeto depende da aprovação do Conselho Administrativo. “At first, the project will depend on the approval of the Board of Directors.” |
Pretende-se estabelecer “It is intended to establish” |
Neste estudo, pretende-se estabelecer que o consumo excessivo de açúcar é danoso à saúde. “In this study, it’s intended to establish that the excessive consumption of sugar is damaging to health.” |
Embora / Por outro lado / Apesar de “Although” / “On the other hand” / “Despite” |
Embora amplamente divulgados, os resultados não são claros. “Although widely publicized, the results are not clear.” Por outro lado, os dados coletados são altamente relevantes. “On the other hand, the data collected is highly relevant.” Apesar de todos os esforços, um estudo mais aprofundado é necessário. “Despite all efforts, further study is needed.” |
É importante / É necessário / Convém “It’s important” / “It’s necessary” / “It’s worth” |
É importante ressaltar que estamos longe deste cenário. “It is important to emphasize that we are far from this scenario.” É necessário processar o grande volume de informação de forma automática. “It is necessary to process the large volume of information automatically.” Convém notar que existem formas alternativas de analisar o problema. “It is worth noting that there are alternative ways to analyze the problem.” |
Em termos de “In terms of” |
Em termos de organização, é possível implementar melhorias de baixo custo. “In terms of organization, it is possible to implement low-cost improvements.” |
As evidências sugerem que “The evidence suggests that” |
As evidências sugerem que o aumento da temperatura global tem acelerado. “The evidence suggests that the rise in global temperature has accelerated.” |
Assim / Desta maneira “Thus” / “In this way” |
Assim, podemos esperar que medidas de contenção sejam tomadas. “Thus, we can expect containment measures to be taken.” Desta maneira, garantimos a qualidade do ensino. “In this way, we guarantee the quality of education.” |
Similarmente “Similarly” |
Similarmente, o mesmo se aplica dentro da sala de aula. “Similarly, the same applies within the classroom.” |
De acordo com “According to” |
De acordo com o autor, este procedimento apresenta menor risco. “According to the author, this procedure presents less risk.” |
Respectivamente “Respectively” |
Estes valores correspondem ao grupo A e ao grupo B, respectivamente. “These values correspond to Group A and Group B, respectively.” |
Consequentemente “Therefore” / “Consequently” / “As a result” |
Obtemos um aumento nas vendas de 35% e, consequentemente, podemos continuar a expandir. “We achieved a sales increase of 35% and, consequently, we can continue to expand.” |
Mais além “Beyond” |
Alguns colaboradores vão mais além do que lhes é pedido. “Some contributors go beyond what is asked of them.” |
Até que ponto “How far” / “To what extent” |
Até que ponto o uso de animais para estudos científicos é justificado? “To what extent is the use of animals for scientific studies justified?” |
Por fim / Em conclusão “Finally” / “In conclusion” |
Por fim, buscamos responder a pergunta central deste simpósio. “Finally, we seek to answer the central question of this symposium.” Em conclusão, os resultados indicam um aumento do nível de poluição do rio avaliado. “In conclusion, the results indicate an increase in the pollution level of the assessed river.” |

Writing your next paper in Portuguese will be much easier if you know these phrases.
- ➜ Practice your listening with this advanced lesson on presentations from PortuguesePod101!
2. Sound Hireable: Resumes and Cover Letters
Although writing a resume or cover letter is pretty formulaic, it can be a challenging feat. For one, the phrases are constructed in a more formal way. In addition, knowing specific vocabulary related to your industry is necessary. Finally, there are certain expressions you should be familiar with so that you can leave a good impression and come across as a polite person.
Of course, that’s not to say you can’t make them your own! Especially in creative fields like marketing or graphic design, you have a lot more freedom in how to craft your resume, cover letter, or portfolio. But understanding the advanced Portuguese phrases below will help you get started.
Estou entrando em contato para discutir ___. “I’m contacting you to discuss ___.” |
Tenho interesse em saber mais sobre a oportunidade ___. “I’m interested in learning more about the ___ opportunity.” |
Busco a oportunidade de ___. / Estou em busca de ___. “I am looking for the opportunity to ___.” / “I am looking for ___.” |
Procuro uma nova colocação no mercado ___. “I’m looking for a new placement in the ___ market.” |
Buscando novos desafios na minha carreira em ___ “Seeking new challenges in my career in ___” |
Com vasta experiência profissional na área de ___ “With extensive professional experience in the area of ___” |
Possuo ampla experiência no mercado de ___. “I have extensive experience in the ___ market.” |
Acredito que as minhas experiências poderão contribuir com ___. “I believe that my experiences can contribute to ___.” |
Adoraria ter a oportunidade de conversar mais sobre ___. “I would be delighted to have the opportunity to talk more about ___.” |
Através dos meus estudos em ___, adquiri amplo conhecimento em___. “Through my studies in ___, I have gained broad knowledge in ___.” |
Me coloco à disposição para ___. “I am at your disposal to ___.” |
Aguardo ansiosamente seu contato. “I look forward to hearing from you.” |
- ➜ Refresh your memory and review important terms to use when talking about your career in Portuguese.

Ready to find the job of your dreams? Start with the perfect resume!
3. Sound Efficient: Business and Meetings
Clear communication is an essential part of doing business. While simply speaking Portuguese in meetings will garner recognition and praise from most Brazilians, you can go beyond that and make them focus on what you say instead of how you say it. The key is to be so comfortable with advanced Portuguese that you won’t have to stop and search for words.
If that sounds a bit daunting, don’t worry. Since you’re reading this article, it’s clear that you already have a pretty good handle on the language. Now, you just need to get to know the business lingo so you can go confidently into your next meeting!
Trabalho em equipe “Teamwork” |
Este projeto só foi possível graças ao nosso trabalho em equipe. “This project was only possible thanks to our teamwork.” |
Levar ___ nas costas “Carry ___ on one’s back” / “Carry ___ on one’s shoulders” Literally: “To carry the team on the back” |
Meu departamento levou esta empresa nas costas no primeiro semestre. “My department carried this company on its back in the first semester.” |
Tomar responsabilidade “To take responsibility” |
Uma característica importante de líderes é tomar responsabilidade. “An important characteristic of leaders is taking responsibility.” |
Prazo final / Data de entrega “Deadline” / “Delivery date” |
Lembre-se de que estamos perto do prazo final: a data de entrega é daqui a uma semana. “Remember that we are close to the deadline: the delivery date is a week away.” |
Gestão de processos “Process management” |
A gestão de processos é uma parte essencial da estratégia de empresas de sucesso. “Process management is an essential part of successful businesses’ strategy.” |
Rotina de trabalho “Work routine” |
Ao trabalhar de casa, é importante organizar a rotina de trabalho. “When working from home, it is important to organize your work routine.” |
Pesar os prós e contras “Weigh the pros and cons” |
Precisamos pesar os prós e contras da proposta antes de tomar uma decisão. “We need to weigh the pros and cons of the proposal before making a decision.” |
Cultura organizacional “Organizational culture” |
Os valores da companhia são a base para a cultura organizacional. “The company’s values are the basis for the organizational culture.” |
Missão e visão da empresa “Company’s mission and vision” |
Eu acredito na missão e visão da empresa, por isso amo trabalhar aqui. “I believe in the company’s mission and vision; that’s why I love working here.” |
Vamos prosseguir de acordo com os planos. “We will proceed according to plan.” |
Sinto muito pelo mal-entendido. “Sorry for the misunderstanding.” |
- ➜ Do you need more vocabulary and cultural information for doing business in a Portuguese-speaking country? PortuguesePod101 has a complete guide covering it all!

The meetings will go a lot smoother if you have the right vocabulary!
4. Sound Like a Native: Idioms and Proverbs
The Portuguese language has countless proverbs, sayings, and idioms. In each lusophone country, you will encounter dozens more that are specific to that place. Before you try getting to know all the quirkiest idioms out there, it’s a good idea to zero in on the most used sayings in Portuguese. You’ll definitely encounter those in conversations with native speakers.
They might not make literal sense, but we bet you’ll see the wisdom in them. And even better, you’ll soon add to your daily vocabulary what are arguably the most advanced phrases in Portuguese!
Estar com a faca e o queijo na mão To have all you need to solve a situation Literally: “To be with the knife and cheese in hand” |
Você está com a faca e o queijo na mão, é hora de agir. “You have all you need to solve this; it’s time to act.” |
Fazer uma vaquinha To pool money, as in a crowdfunding Literally: “To make a little cow” |
Vamos fazer uma vaquinha para a festa de formatura. “Let’s pool money for the graduation party.” |
A esta altura do campeonato At this late stageLiterally: “At this point in the championship” |
A esta altura do campeonato, acho que não podemos fazer mais nada. “At this point, I don’t think there is anything else we can do.” |
Comprar gato por lebre To be fooled / To be deceived Literally: “To buy a cat thinking it was a rabbit” |
Quando a encomenda chegou, ele descobriu que tinha comprado gato por lebre! “When the delivery arrived, he found out he had been deceived.” |
Ir para o olho da rua To be fired Literally: “To go to the eye of the street” |
Eu não sei como ele ainda não foi para o olho da rua. “I don’t know how he still hasn’t been fired.” |
Não é a minha praia. It’s not my thing. Literally: “It’s not my beach.” |
Matemática não é a minha praia. “Math is not my thing.” |
Bicho de sete cabeças Something very complicated Literally: “Seven-headed beast” |
Dirigir não é nenhum bicho de sete cabeças. “Driving is not so complicated.” |
The origin of this expression is Hydra, the monster from Greek and Roman mythology. Hydra had many heads, with some versions of the story stating that it had seven. Every time one of the heads was chopped off, the Hydra would grow two in its place. Killing it was extremely complicated: um bicho de sete cabeças. |
A carapuça serviu. To identify with something bad, assuming the guilt Literally: “The hood fits.” |
Ela ficou chateada, mas o que eu posso fazer se a carapuça serviu? “She was upset, but what can I do if she feels guilty?” |
Carapuça is a kind of hood, but the word isn’t really used at all except in this expression. |
Quem vê cara, não vê coração. “To judge a book by its cover” Literally: “Who sees face doesn’t see heart.” |
Ninguém suspeitou dele, realmente quem vê cara não vê coração. “Nobody suspected him, really judging a book by its cover.” |
Falar pelos cotovelos To talk a lot Literally: “Speak through the elbows” |
Você já sabe que a minha mãe fala pelos cotovelos. “You already know my mother talks a lot.” |
Estar com a pulga atrás da orelha To have a suspicion about something Literally: “To have a flea behind your ear” |
Eu bem que estava com a pulga atrás da orelha, parecia bom demais para ser verdade. “I was suspicious about it; it sounded too good to be true.” |
- ➜ Check out this article containing many more popular Portuguese proverbs to find even more quirky sayings. It’s available for free on PortuguesePod101.com!

Me mandaram para o olho da rua. (“They fired me.”)
5. Continue Studying with PortuguesePod101
Are you ready to go out into the world and put these advanced Portuguese phrases to use? We hope you feel confident in your ability to have all kinds of conversations with Portuguese speakers while having a lot of fun along the way. Try to find situations where you can use the phrases and idioms explained in this article, as that will really help fix them in your memory.
Do you think we missed any important advanced conversational phrases in Portuguese? Or is there something that isn’t clear enough? Let us know in the comments! We are always eager to hear from you.
To take your skills to the next level, continue exploring PortuguesePod101.com! We have lots of free Portuguese resources and vocabulary lists for all situations. Go ahead and choose your favorite tools to expand your learning opportunities and continue growing your advanced Portuguese vocabulary.
If you want to take your studies further, create your free lifetime account today. Members of PortuguesePod101.com get access to the largest language lesson library in the world, with thousands of real lessons by real teachers. Perfect for anyone who wants to learn from anywhere, feel motivated, and be ready to speak Portuguese with confidence.

Intermediate-level Portuguese Phrases You Should Know

The transition from beginner to intermediate level is one of the hardest things when learning a new language. Maybe you’re already comfortable presenting yourself, asking simple questions, and getting directions in Portuguese. Now it’s time to convey more complex ideas, understand conversations with different tenses, and feel at ease speaking the language. This guide to intermediate Portuguese phrases is the perfect tool for getting beyond the beginner level!
This article includes more than 50 intermediate Portuguese phrases for informal and formal conversations. Learning these phrases will ensure you always have ready-to-go sentences to use in various situations—it will also help you see how to create your own phrases using similar structures. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll be able to reminisce about the past, explain your choices, make recommendations, and more. We’ve even included sample dialogues to make it easy to understand!

Interesting conversations, here we go!

- Talking About the Past: Experiences and Stories
- Talking About the Future: Making Plans
- Giving Explanations and Reasons
- Making Recommendations and Criticisms
- Reacting to Everyday Conversations
- Be Polite: Etiquette Phrases
- Continue Learning Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
1. Talking About the Past: Experiences and Stories
As a beginner, you focused a lot on learning the present tense. It really is a great way to get started because it helps you become familiar with many verbs in their simplest form. But to have better conversations in Portuguese, you’ll need to know how to use the past tense. This way, you’ll be able to tell stories, share past experiences, and talk about what you’ve done and felt before.
The sentences below provide a blueprint to some useful patterns using the past tense. You can always use different nouns and verbs to tell your own anecdotes.
Passei uma noite muito agradável. |
I had a very pleasant evening. |
Literally: I spent a very pleasant night. |
Me diverti muito com você. |
I had a lot of fun with you. |
Ontem eu encontrei uma carteira na rua. |
Yesterday, I found a wallet in the street. |
Aquele foi o pior dia da minha vida. |
That was the worst day of my life. |
Quando eu era criança, eu não tinha medo de altura. |
When I was a kid, I wasn’t afraid of heights. |
Literally: When I was a kid, I didn’t have fear of height. |
Eu já viajei para o Japão. |
I have already traveled to Japan. |
Teve uma vez que eu me perdi na floresta. |
Once, I got lost in the forest. |
Literally: There was one time when I lost myself in the forest. |
No ano passado, comecei a aprender a tocar piano. |
Last year, I started to learn how to play the piano. |
Literally: In the last year, I started to learn to play piano. |
Já faço aulas de dança há seis meses. |
I’ve been taking dance lessons for six months. |
Literally: I already take dance lessons for six months. Notice that the sentence in Portuguese uses the verb in the present tense, since the action began in the past but is still ongoing. |

Um dia, ela entrou na floresta encantada. (“One day, she entered the enchanted forest.”)
- ➜ Do you need a refresher on Portuguese verb conjugations and tenses? Check out this article for a complete guide.
2. Talking About the Future: Making Plans
To make plans, you can either 1) use one of the present tenses with a time-indicating word or 2) use the future tense.
In this section, we have included phrases for both formal and informal scenarios. The vocabulary is slightly different, as is the way the verbs are used. That happens because, when speaking informally in Brazilian Portuguese, the future tense of the auxiliary verb ir (“to go”) is used with the infinitive form of the main verb. In formal situations, it’s more common to use the verb in the future tense.
For example:
- Informal: Você vai viajar amanhã? (“Will you travel tomorrow?”)
- Formal: O senhor viajará amanhã? (“Will you travel tomorrow [sir]?”)
Formal situations
Nós iremos discutir este assunto na reunião desta tarde. |
We will discuss this matter in this afternoon’s meeting. |
É possível agendar uma consulta para semana que vem? |
Is it possible to schedule an appointment for next week? |
Podemos marcar uma reunião por Zoom na próxima semana para discutir os detalhes. |
We can arrange a meeting by Zoom next week to discuss the details. |
Podemos remarcar a apresentação. |
We can reschedule the presentation. |
O que o senhor / a senhora fará neste final de semana? |
What will you do this weekend? |
Literally: What will the sir / the lady do on this weekend? |
Casual situations
O que você vai fazer neste fim de semana? |
What are you going to do this weekend? |
Vamos marcar algo! |
Let’s schedule / arrange something! |
Vamos combinar um jantar? |
Let’s arrange a dinner? |
Nos vemos no sábado? |
See you Saturday? |
Literally: See ourselves on Saturday? |
Você tem tempo para sair hoje? |
Do you have time to go out today? |
Que tal pedir uma pizza esta noite? |
How about ordering a pizza tonight? |
Literally: What about ask a pizza tonight? |
Posso levar meu namorado / minha namorada? |
Can I take my boyfriend / girlfriend? |
Vou deixar para a próxima. |
I’ll leave it for next time. |
Literally: I’ll leave it for the next. |

Vamos celebrar esta tarde!(“We will celebrate this afternoon!”)
- ➜ You can review how auxiliary verbs are used (as well as a hundred useful verbs to spice up your intermediate Portuguese phrases) in this complete guide by PortuguesePod101!
3. Giving Explanations and Reasons
Many times, when telling a story or having a conversation, we need to explain the “why” behind our decisions. You can easily do this—and level up your sentences—by using one of the numerous Portuguese conjunctions available to you!
After all, being able to make our motivations clear is super important in connecting with people. At the same time, learning these intermediate Portuguese phrases and patterns will allow you to understand the reasons and explanations that people give you.
Eu contei a verdade para a professora, porque eu não gosto de mentir. |
I told the truth to the teacher because I don’t like to lie. |
Nós temos que pensar nos prós e contras. |
We have to think about the pros and cons. |
Eu vou esperar pelo outro ônibus, então temos tempo para conversar. |
I will wait for the other bus, so we have time to talk. |
É bom que você não quebre nada, senão terá que pagar. |
You better not break anything; otherwise, you’ll have to pay. |
Literally: It’s good that you don’t break anything; otherwise, you’ll have to pay. |
Eu acho que você tomou a decisão certa, sabe por quê? Porque você seguiu sua intuição. |
I think you made the right decision. Do you know why? Because you followed your intuition. |
Literally: I think you took the right decision. Do you know why? Because you followed your intuition. |
Como você demorou para chegar, já fiz o jantar. |
Since you took so long to arrive, I already made dinner. |
Tome cuidado para não cair. |
Be careful not to fall. |
Literally: Take care not to fall. |
Este filme é o meu preferido! Primeiramente, tem esse ator que é muito bom. Em segundo lugar, a trilha sonora é maravilhosa. E em terceiro lugar, sempre me faz sorrir. |
This movie is my favorite! First, there is this actor who is very good. Second, the soundtrack is wonderful. And third, it always makes me smile. |
In Portuguese, there is a word for “firstly” (primeiramente) but not for “secondly,” “thirdly,” etc. Instead, we use an expression: em segundo lugar (literally “in second place”), em terceiro lugar (literally “in third place”), etc. You can also use the expression for “firstly” (em primeiro lugar). |

Você tem que comer salada para manter sua saúde. (“You have to eat salad to maintain your health.”)
- ➜ There are many conjunctions in Portuguese for expressing causality and adding information. Take a look at this handy guide to conjunctions to learn how to use them and polish your intermediate Portuguese phrases.
4. Making Recommendations and Criticisms
Likes and dislikes are common topics of conversation, especially when you first meet someone. People may want to know your favorite book, color, or local restaurant. Maybe you’ll even want to give recommendations or let people know to steer clear of an establishment.
The following Portuguese phrases for the intermediate level are perfect for these situations. Once again, remember that you can always swap out words when using these sentence patterns in order to make all kinds of recommendations or complaints.
Este é o meu cabeleireiro preferido. |
This is my favorite hairdresser. |
Literally: This is my preferred hairdresser. |
Esta é a minha praça favorita. |
This is my favorite plaza. |
To talk about your preferences, use either the adjective favorito (“favorite”) or preferido (“preferred”). Remember that these adjectives have to agree in gender and number with the noun.
- O meu livro favorito é Harry Potter e o Prisioneiro de Azkaban. (“My favorite book is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.”)
- A minha sorveteria preferida fechou. (“My favorite ice cream shop closed.”)
- As minhas atividades favoritas são correr e cozinhar. (“My favorite activities are running and cooking.”)
Você tem que experimentar / provar isto! É a melhor torta que eu já comi! |
You have to try it! It’s the best pie I’ve ever had! |
Literally: You have to experiment / to taste this! It’s the best pie that I’ve already eaten! You can use these two verbs interchangeably to talk about trying food. |
Minha família amou este parque de diversões! Com certeza voltaremos. |
My family loved this amusement park! We will definitely be back. |
Eu não recomendo este dentista. O atendimento deixou muito a desejar. |
I do not recommend this dentist. The service was disappointing. |
Literally: I do not recommend this dentist. The service left a lot to be desired. |
Evite comprar roupa naquela loja: é cara e as roupas não são de qualidade. |
Avoid buying clothes in that store: It’s expensive, and the clothes aren’t of (good) quality. |

Assistir filmes é a minha atividade favorita! (“Watching movies is my favorite activity!”)
- ➜ Being able to talk about your likes and dislikes is an essential skill—it makes for interesting conversations and allows us to actually get to know other people. Be sure to check the resources available on PortuguesePod101.com to master this topic!
5. Reacting to Everyday Conversations
It’s time to see sample dialogues using some of the sentences we’ve covered today, as well as some new phrases. To make things more interesting, each sample dialogue includes a reaction. By learning Portuguese phrases for reacting to statements, you’ll be able to have more natural conversations!
1 – Excitement
A: Eu já viajei para o Japão. (“I have already traveled to Japan.”)
B: Ai, que demais! E você gostou? (“Oh, how awesome! And did you like it?”)
A: Comprei este vestido em promoção. (“I bought this dress on sale.”)
B: Legal! Ele é lindo! (“Cool! It’s pretty.”)
Other expressions you can use to convey excitement:
- Boa! (“Good one!”)
- Oba! or Eba! (“Yay!”)
- Que bom! (“That’s good!”)
- Demais! (“Awesome!”)
2 – Disbelief and Surprise
A: Eu perdi minha carteira na festa. (“I lost my wallet at the party.”)
B: Sério? Não pode ser! Ela caiu do seu bolso? (“Seriously? It can’t be! Did it fall out of your pocket?”)
A: Ela vai perder o voo, ainda está presa no trânsito. (“She’s going to miss her flight; she’s still stuck in traffic.”)
B: Você só pode estar brincando! (“You have got to be kidding!”)
Other expressions for reacting with surprise or disbelief:
- É mesmo? (“Really?”)
- Caramba! (This can be used as “Darn!” but also to express surprise, similar to “Oh my!” or “Wow!”)
- Nossa Senhora! (Literally, it means “Our Lady,” and it refers to the religious figure Our Lady of Aparecida. Very commonly used as “Oh my!” or “Gee!”)
- Nossa! (“Oh my!” This is a shortened version of the previous expression.)
- Meu Deus! (“My God!”)
- Meu Deus do céu! (“My God in Heaven!”)
3 – Bad News
A: Como você demorou para chegar, já fiz o jantar. (“Since you took so long to arrive, I already made dinner.”)
B: Desculpa, eu achei que ia chegar mais cedo. (“Sorry, I thought I was going to arrive earlier.”)
A: Minha mãe quebrou a perna. (“My mom broke her leg.”)
B: Ah não, sinto muito! Espero que ela melhore logo. (“Oh no, I’m sorry! I hope she gets better soon.”)
A: Nos vemos no sábado? (“See you Saturday?”)
B: Não posso, tenho que estudar. (“I can’t; I have to study.”)
A: Que pena! Fica para a próxima, então. (“What a pity! Next time, then.”)
4 – That’s Annoying
A: A minha sorveteria preferida fechou. (“My favorite ice cream shop closed.”)
B: Que droga, era a melhor da cidade! (“Shoot, it was the best in town!”)
A: Vamos ter que cancelar a festa porque vai chover o dia todo. (“We’re going to have to cancel the party because it’s going to rain all day.”)
B: Que saco! Já estava animada para ver todo mundo. (“Darn it! I was already excited to see everyone.”)
→ Que saco! can also be used to indicate that something is boring, as in “How boring!”
6. Be Polite: Etiquette Phrases
Whether you’re in a casual situation with friends or in a formal business setting, polite etiquette phrases can improve the mood. It’s a good idea to learn these sentences so you can use them with coworkers, for example. At the very least, by becoming familiar with them, you’ll understand when people are being polite to you! Below are some basic Portuguese phrases for intermediate learners who want to make a great impression.
Bom apetite! |
Enjoy your meal! |
Literally: Good appetite! |
Olá, como posso ajudar? |
Hello, how can I help? |
Se precisar de ajuda, é só me chamar. |
If you need help, just call me. |
This phrase has a more informal tone, and you might hear it in department stores, for example. |
Estou à sua disposição. |
I am at your disposal. |
In more formal establishments, the staff will use this phrase instead of the previous one. |
Bem-vindos à nossa casa! |
Welcome to our home! [plural] |
Sinta-se à vontade. [Formal] | Fique à vontade. [Informal] |
Make yourself comfortable. | Make yourself comfortable. |
Literally: Feel at ease. | Literally: Stay at ease. |
Sintam-se em casa. |
Make yourself at home. |
Literally: Feel at home. |
Saúde! |
Bless you! |
Literally: Health! You can say saúde when someone sneezes. Saúde is also used when making toasts! |
Boa viagem! |
Enjoy your trip! |
Literally: Good travel! |
Na expectativa de um contato seu. [Formal] |
Waiting for your contact. |
Literally: In the expectation of your contact. |
Aguardo sua resposta. [Formal] | Fico no aguardo. [Informal] |
I look forward to your reply. | I look forward to your reply. |
Literally: I await your reply. | Literally: I stay in wait. |
Volte sempre. |
Thank you for your business. |
Literally: Come back always. |

Being polite in business settings is a key to success.
- ➜ Practice polite Portuguese phrases with this audio lesson available in PortuguesePod101.
7. Continue Learning Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
Are you ready to put these handy Portuguese phrases to the test? Start using them in your conversations, and see just how much more you’ll be able to communicate. Remember to not only use the phrases we presented today but make them your own by swapping out nouns and verbs.
Do you think we missed any useful intermediate Portuguese phrases? Has this article been useful in helping you improve your Portuguese as an intermediate learner? Drop us a comment below to let us know. We’d love to hear from you!
Before you go, explore some of the amazing free Portuguese resources we have prepared for you, and try out any of the Portuguese vocabulary lists available on PortuguesePod101.com. Go ahead and choose your favorite tools to expand your learning opportunities.
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The Top 50 Portuguese Phrases for Beginners

Learning a language means becoming familiar with a lot of different things: grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation… Each of these elements deserves attention and dedication. But as a beginner, it’s easy to feel stuck. Learning some handy and practical Portuguese phrases for beginners is a way to break through the initial roadblocks.
This is not to say you should overlook the more methodical, step-by-step study of Portuguese grammar. But pairing it with go-to phrases, expressions, and even slang terms can give you the boost you need in your language learning journey. Remember to also watch videos, listen to music, and tune into Portuguese conversations in order to practice your oral comprehension. Along the way, you’ll definitely encounter some of the beginner phrases from this article!
Today, you’ll learn basic Portuguese phrases you can use in a variety of situations and contexts. For some of the phrases, we have included a literal translation along with the natural translation; this way, you can identify both the practical uses of the phrase and the meaning behind the words. By the time you’re done with this article, you’ll have the tools you need to greet people and introduce yourself, use polite courtesy phrases, dine, shop, and get help from Portuguese speakers.

These Portuguese beginner phrases will help you deal with common situations!

- Conversation Starters: Greetings and Self-introductions
- Being Social: Courtesy Phrases
- Spending Money: Dining & Shopping
- Don’t Be Shy, and Ask for Help
- Continue Learning with PortuguesePod101!
1. Conversation Starters: Greetings and Self-introductions
Picture this: You’ve just arrived in a beautiful city in Brazil. While you wait for your bus, a fellow traveler smiles at you and says Oi! (“Hi!”). Instead of panicking, stay calm and remember these basic introduction phrases!
Remember that, in most friendly and informal situations, you can start interactions with oi. Olá! (“Hello!”) also works, but it comes across as a bit more formal.
The following Portuguese beginner phrases will help you continue a quick conversation, present yourself, and say goodbye.
Greetings and Goodbyes
Bom dia! | Good morning! |
Boa tarde! | Good afternoon! |
Boa noite! | Good evening! / Goodnight! |
Oi, tudo bem? | Literally: Hi, all well? | Hi, how are you? |
Olá, como você está? | Hello, how are you? |
This is a more formal version of Oi, tudo bem? |
When greeting, you can always add the name or the title of the person you’re talking to. For example:
- Bom dia, Luísa! Tudo bem? (“Good morning, Luísa! How are you?”)
- Olá professor, como você está? (“Hello, Professor. How are you?”)
Tudo bem, obrigado. Tudo bem, obrigada. | Literally: All well, thank you. (masculine) All well, thank you. (feminine) | I’m well, thank you. (masculine) I’m well, thank you. (feminine) |
Eu estou bem, obrigado. Eu estou bem, obrigada. | I’m well, thank you. (masculine) I’m well, thank you. (feminine) |
Até mais tarde. | Literally: Until later. | See you later. |
Até mais. | Literally: Until more. | See you. |
Até logo. | Literally: Until soon. | See you soon. |
Até amanhã. | Literally: Until tomorrow. | See you tomorrow. |
- → Learn how to pronounce each of these useful Portuguese phrases with our Common Ways to Say Hello vocabulary list.
Introductions
Meu nome é [nome]. | My name is [name]. |
Eu me chamo [nome]. | Literally: I am called [name]. | My name is [name]. |
Qual é o seu nome? | What is your name? |
Como você se chama? | Literally: How do you call yourself? | What is your name? |
É um prazer te conhecer. | Literally: It’s a pleasure to meet you. | Nice to meet you. |
In more casual situations, you could simply say prazer (literally “pleasure,” but meaning “nice to meet you”). |
Eu tenho [idade] anos. | Literally: I have [age] years. | I am [age] years old. |
Eu sou (“I am”) is a handy, short way of giving some basic information about yourself, such as your name and your nationality.
Eu sou o [nome]. Eu sou a [nome]. | I am [name]. (masculine) I am [name]. (feminine) |
Eu sou [nacionalidade]. | I am [nationality]. |
Eu sou do Canadá. Eu sou de Israel. Eu sou da Austrália. Eu sou dos Estados Unidos. | I am from Canada. I am from Israel. I am from Australia. I am from the United States. |
- → If you need to brush up on some words, be sure to check out the article Basic Portuguese Words for Beginners on PortuguesePod101.com.

Meu nome é Michael. (“My name is Michael.”)
2. Being Social: Courtesy Phrases
There’s a special set of words that children learn early on: the magic words! When learning a foreign language, it’s a good idea to take a child’s approach by also mastering the magic words. You know the ones: thank you, please, excuse me, I’m sorry…
Even if you’re not a fluent Portuguese speaker, knowing how to use these courtesy phrases is important as it will help you come across as more polite. Pair these phrases with a smile, and you can get a long way in Brazil!
- → Hear these courtesy phrases in context with this audio lesson and transcript by PortuguesePod101.
Desculpa. | Literally: Apologies. | I’m sorry. |
Variations you can use:
|
Perdão. | Literally: Forgiveness. | Pardon. |
Me perdoe. | Forgive me. |
Sinto muito. | Literally: I feel a lot. | I’m really sorry. |
Com licença. | Excuse me. |
You can use this expression in two ways:
|
Obrigado. Obrigada. | Thank you. (masculine) Thank you. (feminine) |
If you identify as male, always use the masculine form, regardless of the gender of the person you’re thanking. Same thing for the female form: If you identify as female, always use obrigada. |
Muito obrigado. Muito obrigada. | Thank you very much. (masculine) Thank you very much. (feminine) |