Yes, no and the essentials in Portuguese
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Portuguese words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Portuguese phrases in this lesson
- SimSEEM
- Yes
- NãoNOWN
- No
- Está bemesh-TAH baym
- Okay
- Não percebonown per-SEH-boo
- I don't understand
- Fala inglês?FAH-lah een-GLAYSH
- Do you speak English?
- Pode repetir?POH-deh reh-peh-TEER
- Can you repeat that?
- Mais devagar, por favormysh deh-vah-GAR, poor fah-VOR
- Slowly, please
- O que é isto?oo keh eh EESH-too
- What is this?
- Preciso de...preh-SEE-zoo deh
- I need...
- Pode ajudar-me?POH-deh ah-zhoo-DAR-meh
- Can you help me?
Short and clear. The "i" is slightly nasalised before the final "m", which closes the syllable rather than forming a full "m" sound.
The nasal "ão" ending is one of Portuguese's most distinctive sounds. Rhymes loosely with the English word "town" but through the nose.
The everyday "okay" or "alright". Also used to confirm you have understood something. Very common in spoken European Portuguese.
European Portuguese uses "perceber" for understanding. Brazilians tend to say "não entendo". Using the local form signals effort.
Polite and direct. Many Portuguese people in cities and tourist areas do speak English, but asking first is courteous.