First Phrases

First 48 hours · Português

First 48 hours in Portuguese: 25 phrases for meeting people

Introduce yourself, say you are new here and ask for tips, ask to join a table, ask where people meet, leave politely, and swap contacts. Short, natural phrases for the first two days in a new country.

Phrases, not advice. These cards only help you say what you need. They give no medical, legal, tax or financial advice. For any decision, ask the pharmacist, doctor, bank or the official office.

Register: Polite (formal is safer). In Portugal, avoid "você" with strangers: it can sound cold or rude. Use the verb alone (the polite third person, as below), or "o senhor" / "a senhora" with older people. "Tu" is normal with people your age at meetups and among younger people; the "tu" version is given in each note.

How to read the sounds: European Portuguese swallows unstressed vowels, so syllables sound shorter than they look. (n) = nasal vowel, don't sound the n. sh = the 'sh' of 'ship' for final s and x. Stress is in CAPITALS.

Your recording stays on your device.

25 phrases you will need

  1. 01Neutral
    Olá, chamo-me …. Muito prazer!
    Say it like: oh-LAH, SHAH-moo-meh … MWEE-too prah-ZEHR
    Hi, I'm …. Nice to meet you!
    Register: Gender-free and standard. "Prazer em conhecê-lo(a)" is more formal.
  2. 02Polite
    Como se chama?
    Say it like: KOH-moo seh SHAH-mah
    What's your name?
    Register: Tu: "Como te chamas?"
  3. 03Neutral
    De onde é?
    Say it like: deh OHN-deh eh
    Where are you from?
    Register: Tu: "De onde és?"
  4. 04Neutral
    Sou de ….
    Say it like: soh deh
    I'm from ….
    Register: Add your country or city. To ask back: "E o senhor?" / "E a senhora?" (polite) or "E tu?"
  5. 05Neutral
    Acabei de me mudar para cá.
    Say it like: ah-kah-BAY deh meh moo-DAR PAH-rah KAH
    I've just moved here.
    Register: "Acabei de chegar" = I've just arrived, if you are only visiting.
  6. 06Neutral
    Acabei de chegar e ainda não conheço nada. Tem alguma dica?
    Say it like: ah-kah-BAY deh sheh-GAR ee ah-EEN-dah nowng kon-YEH-soo NAH-dah. tayng ahl-GOO-mah DEE-kah
    I've just arrived and I don't know anything yet. Any tips?
    Register: "Dica" = tip. Tu: "Tens alguma dica?" Also "Dá-me uma ajuda?" (can you help me out?).
  7. 07Neutral
    Vive aqui perto?
    Say it like: VEE-veh ah-KEE PEHR-too
    Do you live nearby?
    Register: Tu: "Moras aqui perto?"
  8. 08Neutral
    Este lugar está livre?
    Say it like: AYSH-teh loo-GAR ish-TAH LEE-vreh
    Is this seat free?
    Register: Answers: "Está, sim" (it is) or "Está ocupado" (taken).
  9. 09Neutral
    Posso juntar-me a vocês?
    Say it like: POH-soo zhoon-TAR-meh ah voh-SAYSH
    Can I join you?
    Register: "Vocês" (you, plural) is perfectly normal. It is only the singular "você" that is risky.
  10. 10Neutral
    Quer juntar-se a nós?
    Say it like: kehr zhoon-TAR-seh ah nosh
    Would you like to join us?
    Register: Tu: "Queres juntar-te a nós?" Friendly and normal.
  11. 11Neutral
    Onde é que as pessoas costumam encontrar-se por aqui?
    Say it like: OHN-deh eh keh ahsh peh-SOH-ahsh kosh-TOO-mowng ayn-kon-TRAR-seh poor ah-KEE
    Where do people usually meet up around here?
    Register: Short version: "Onde é que se costuma ir?" (where do people usually go?).
  12. 12Neutral
    Há algum grupo ou evento para quem acabou de chegar?
    Say it like: ah ahl-GOON GROO-poo oh eh-VEN-too PAH-rah kayng ah-kah-BOH deh sheh-GAR
    Is there a group or event for people who have just arrived?
    Register: Also search "encontro de línguas" or "intercâmbio" for language meetups.
  13. 13Polite
    Pode recomendar-me um sítio aqui perto?
    Say it like: POH-deh reh-koh-men-DAR-meh oom SEE-tyoo ah-KEE PEHR-too
    Could you recommend a place nearby?
    Register: Add what you want: "para tomar um café" or "para jantar". Tu: "Podes recomendar-me...?"
  14. 14Neutral
    Desculpe, o meu português ainda é básico.
    Say it like: dish-KOOL-peh oo MEH-oo poor-too-GAYSH ah-EEN-dah eh BAH-zee-koo
    Sorry, my Portuguese is still basic.
    Register: Tu: "Desculpa". People will happily slow down.
  15. 15Neutral
    Pode repetir, por favor?
    Say it like: POH-deh reh-peh-TEER poor fah-VOR
    Could you repeat that, please?
    Register: Tu: "Podes repetir?"
  16. 16Neutral
    Pode falar mais devagar, por favor?
    Say it like: POH-deh fah-LAR maysh deh-vah-GAR poor fah-VOR
    Could you speak more slowly, please?
    Register: Tu: "Podes falar mais devagar?"
  17. 17Neutral
    Que tal um café um dia destes?
    Say it like: keh tahl oom kah-FEH oom DEE-ah DESH-tehsh
    How about a coffee one of these days?
    Register: Warm and low pressure. Portuguese often say "uma bica" for an espresso in Lisbon.
  18. 18Neutral
    Agradeço as dicas, foram muito úteis.
    Say it like: ah-grah-DEH-soo ahsh DEE-kahsh FOH-rowng MWEE-too OO-teh-eesh
    Thanks for the tips, they were very useful.
    Register: Or simply "Obrigado" (men) / "obrigada" (women) "pelas dicas".
  19. 19Polite
    Foi um prazer falar consigo.
    Say it like: foy oom prah-ZEHR fah-LAR kon-SEE-goo
    It was a pleasure talking to you.
    Register: Tu: "Foi um prazer falar contigo."
  20. 20Neutral
    Vou andando. Até à próxima!
    Say it like: voh ahn-DAHN-doo ah-TEH ah PRO-see-mah
    I'll be heading off. Until next time!
    Register: "Vou andando" is the everyday way to say you are leaving. Also "Até logo!"
  21. 21Neutral
    Desculpe, tenho de ir ter com alguém. Foi um prazer!
    Say it like: dish-KOOL-peh TAYN-yoo deh eer tehr kong ahl-GAYNG. foy oom prah-ZEHR
    Sorry, I have to go and meet someone. Nice to meet you!
    Register: "Ir ter com" = to go and meet. Polite and honest.
  22. 22Neutral
    Trocamos contactos?
    Say it like: troh-KAH-moosh kon-TAH-toosh
    Shall we swap contacts?
    Register: "Contacto" is the Portugal spelling. "Posso ficar com o seu número?" = can I have your number?
  23. 23Neutral
    Tem WhatsApp?
    Say it like: tayng WOTS-ahp
    Do you have WhatsApp?
    Register: Tu: "Tens WhatsApp?" Everyone uses it.
  24. 24Neutral
    Vamos manter contacto!
    Say it like: VAH-moosh mahn-TEHR kon-TAH-too
    Let's stay in touch!
    Register: Casual: "Vamos falando!"
  25. 25Neutral
    Tenha um bom resto de dia!
    Say it like: TAYN-yah oom bom RESH-too deh DEE-ah
    Have a good rest of your day!
    Register: Tu: "Tem um bom resto de dia!" (the tu command is "tem"). Also "Boa continuação!"

New in town?

More tools for people who just moved: converters, checklists and country guides.

Open Newcomer Kit

Quick answers

How do you introduce yourself in Portuguese?

Say: "Olá, chamo-me …. Muito prazer!" (Hi, I'm …. Nice to meet you!)

Should I use informal or formal Portuguese with people I have just met?

In Portugal, avoid "você" with strangers: it can sound cold or rude. Use the verb alone (the polite third person, as below), or "o senhor" / "a senhora" with older people. "Tu" is normal with people your age at meetups and among younger people; the "tu" version is given in each note.

How do I ask to join a table in Portuguese?

Try: "Posso juntar-me a vocês?" (Can I join you?)

How do I say I am new here in Portuguese?

Try: "Acabei de chegar e ainda não conheço nada. Tem alguma dica?" (I've just arrived and I don't know anything yet. Any tips?)

First 48 hours in another language

Español Português Français Deutsch Italiano Nederlands

Portuguese, another errand

Pharmacy Doctor / GP Opening a bank account Tax office Renting a flat Christmas market

All survival decks · Phrases for an evening out

How it works

  1. Pick the language of the country you have just moved to.
  2. Read the phrases: each has the English meaning, an easy pronunciation guide and a register note. Tap the speaker to hear it in your device's voice, or tap Practise to record yourself and compare with the model (your recording never leaves your device).
  3. Print the card or keep it open on your phone. Native-speaker review is still pending.
  4. Then open Meet & Mint to find events near you, see who else is going, join alone and chat with the group.

firstphrases.app/survival/first48/pt/ · Phrases, not advice · Meet & Mint