Getting around in Portuguese
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet. 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
- Onde é a casa de banho?ON-deh eh ah KAH-zah deh BAN-yoo
- Where is the toilet?
- Como chego a...?KOH-moo SHEH-goo ah
- How do I get to...?
- À esquerdaah esh-KER-dah
- To the left
- À direitaah dee-RAY-tah
- To the right
- Em frenteaym FREN-teh
- Straight ahead
- Aquiah-KEE
- Here
- A estaçãoah esh-tah-SOWN
- Train station
- O autocarrooo ow-toh-KAH-roo
- Bus
- O aeroportooo ah-eh-roh-POR-too
- Airport
- Um bilhete, por favoroom bee-LYEH-teh por fah-VOR
- One ticket, please
The standard European Portuguese term. You may also see "WC" (veh-SEH) on signs, which is universally understood throughout Portugal.
"Vire à esquerda" means "turn left". The "à" is a contraction of "a" and "a" (the preposition plus the article). Listen for it in directions.
"Vire à direita" means "turn right". Both left and right directions follow the same "à" + noun structure in Portuguese.
Also heard as "sempre em frente" (always straight ahead). A common directional phrase when someone is guiding you on foot.
Short and useful. "Aqui" means right here, close to you. "Ali" (ah-LEE) means over there, slightly further away. A handy distinction.
Used for train and metro stations. "Estação de comboio" (esh-tah-SOWN deh kom-BOY-oo) specifies a train station. Portugal's trains are scenic and affordable.
European Portuguese; in Brazil it is "ônibus".
Works at the counter or at a machine. Specify your destination after "bilhete para…". Machines usually have an English language option.