First Phrases

New Year phrases · Português

New Year phrases in Portuguese: 20 phrases

Wish people a happy new year, raise a glass, ask to join a table, find out who is watching the fireworks and where, ask for the last metro, and say thank you, you too. Short, common phrases for New Year's Eve and the winter holidays; secular greetings only.

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: Informal (friendly). In Portugal New Year's Eve is "a passagem de ano" or "Ano Novo". "Tu" is normal with people your age at a party; use "o senhor / a senhora" or the person's name with older people you do not know.

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.

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20 phrases you will need

  1. 01Neutral
    Feliz Ano Novo!
    Say it like: feh-LEESH AH-noo NOH-voo
    Happy New Year!
    Register: Said from midnight on. "Bom Ano Novo!" also works.
  2. 02Neutral
    Tudo de bom para 2027!
    Say it like: TOO-doo deh bom PAH-rah doysh meel ee VEEN-teh ee SEH-teh
    All the best for 2027!
    Register: Say the year as: dois mil e vinte e sete.
  3. 03Neutral
    Saúde!
    Say it like: sah-OO-deh
    Cheers!
    Register: "Tchin-tchin!" is a friendly informal alternative.
  4. 04Neutral
    Feliz Natal!
    Say it like: feh-LEESH nah-TAHL
    Merry Christmas!
    Register: The standard greeting.
  5. 05Neutral
    Boas festas!
    Say it like: BOH-ash FEHSH-tash
    Happy holidays!
    Register: Covers Christmas and New Year together.
  6. 06Neutral
    Obrigado/a, igualmente!
    Say it like: oh-bree-GAH-doo/dah ee-gwahl-MEN-teh
    Thank you, you too!
    Register: Men say "obrigado", women say "obrigada".
  7. 07Neutral
    Posso juntar-me a vocês?
    Say it like: POS-soo zhoon-TAR-meh ah voh-SAYSH
    Can I join you?
    Register: Friendly and polite.
  8. 08Informal
    Que planos tens para a passagem de ano?
    Say it like: keh PLAH-noosh taynsh PAH-rah ah pah-SAH-zhayn deh AH-noo
    What are your plans for New Year's Eve?
    Register: Polite: "Que planos tem ...?"
  9. 09Informal
    Onde vais ver o fogo de artifício?
    Say it like: ON-deh vysh vehr oo FOH-goo deh ar-tee-FEE-see-oo
    Where are you watching the fireworks?
    Register: Casual, "tu".
  10. 10Neutral
    Esta é a fila para …?
    Say it like: ESH-tah eh ah FEE-lah PAH-rah
    Is this the queue for …?
    Register: Add what you queue for.
  11. 11Informal
    Está um frio de rachar!
    Say it like: shtah oom FREE-oo deh rah-SHAR
    It's freezing!
    Register: Literally "a cold that splits"; a common saying.
  12. 12Informal
    Sabes de algum sítio aberto esta noite?
    Say it like: SAH-bush deh ahl-GOON SEE-tee-oo ah-BEHR-too ESH-tah NOY-teh
    Do you know a place that's open tonight?
    Register: Polite: "Sabe de algum sítio ...?"
  13. 13Neutral
    A que horas passa o último metro?
    Say it like: ah keh OH-rahsh PAH-sah oo OOL-tee-moo MEH-troo
    What time is the last metro?
    Register: For a bus say "o último autocarro" ("oo OOL-tee-moo ow-toh-KAH-rroo").
  14. 14Polite
    Pode tirar-nos uma foto, por favor?
    Say it like: POD-eh tee-RAR-noosh OO-mah FOH-too poor fah-VOR
    Could you take a photo of us, please?
    Register: Polite; with friends: "Tiras-nos uma foto?"
  15. 15Informal
    Para o ano há mais!
    Say it like: PAH-rah oo AH-noo ah mysh
    Same time next year!
    Register: A set phrase, literally "next year there's more".
  16. 16Neutral
    Este lugar está livre?
    Say it like: ESH-teh loo-GAR shtah LEE-vreh
    Is this seat free?
    Register: Said at a table or on a bench.
  17. 17Informal
    Posso oferecer-te uma bebida?
    Say it like: POS-soo oh-feh-reh-SER-teh OO-mah beh-BEE-dah
    Can I buy you a drink?
    Register: Friendly and casual.
  18. 18Informal
    Já falta pouco para a meia-noite!
    Say it like: zhah FAHL-tah POH-koo PAH-rah ah MAY-ah NOY-teh
    It's almost midnight!
    Register: Casual.
  19. 19Neutral
    Bom resto de noite!
    Say it like: bom RESH-too deh NOY-teh
    Have a good rest of your evening!
    Register: A friendly way to leave.
  20. 20Informal
    Passaste umas boas festas?
    Say it like: pah-SASH-teh OO-mahsh BOH-ahsh FEHSH-tash
    Did you have a nice holiday?
    Register: Use it after the holidays; polite: "Passou umas boas festas?"

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Quick answers

How do you say Happy New Year in Portuguese?

Say: "Feliz Ano Novo!" (Happy New Year!)

Should I use informal or formal Portuguese at a New Year's Eve party?

In Portugal New Year's Eve is "a passagem de ano" or "Ano Novo". "Tu" is normal with people your age at a party; use "o senhor / a senhora" or the person's name with older people you do not know.

How do I ask to join a table in Portuguese?

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

New Year phrases in another language

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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 are celebrating in.
  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/newyear/pt/ · Phrases, not advice · Meet & Mint