First Phrases

Language café · Português

Language café in Portuguese: 10 phrases for tonight

You are there to practise, so mistakes are the point. Say what you are learning, ask people to slow down, and ask them to correct you.

Register: Informal (friendly). "Tu" is normal in language cafés. Use "obrigado/obrigada" matching your own gender.

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.

10 phrases, door to goodbye

  1. 01 · Arriving
    Olá! Muito prazer em conhecer-vos.
    Say it like: oh-LAH! MOOEEN-too prah-ZEHR ayn koo-nyuh-SEHR-voosh
    Hi! Very nice to meet you all.
  2. 02 · Saying you're new
    É a minha primeira vez e estou a aprender português.
    Say it like: eh ah MEE-nyah pree-MAY-rah vaysh ee ish-TOH ah ah-pren-DEHR poor-too-GAYSH
    It's my first time and I'm learning Portuguese.
  3. 03 · Asking how it works
    Como funciona? Falamos em grupos por língua?
    Say it like: KOH-moo foon-SYOH-nah? fah-LAH-moosh ayn GROO-poosh poor LEEN-gwah
    How does it work? Do we talk in groups by language?
  4. 04 · Small talk
    Há quanto tempo aprendes línguas?
    Say it like: ah KWAHN-too TEM-poo ah-PREN-desh LEEN-gwahsh
    How long have you been learning languages?
  5. 05 · Small talk
    Qual é a tua língua materna?
    Say it like: kwahl eh ah TOO-ah LEEN-gwah mah-TEHR-nah
    What's your mother tongue?
  6. 06 · Small talk
    Que língua achas mais difícil?
    Say it like: kuh LEEN-gwah AH-shahsh mysh dee-FEE-seel
    Which language do you find hardest?
  7. 07 · Slow down
    Podes falar mais devagar, por favor?
    Say it like: POH-dezh fah-LAR mysh duh-vah-GAR, poor fah-VOR
    Could you speak more slowly, please?
  8. 08 · Asking for a word
    Como se diz "slow" em português?
    Say it like: KOH-moo suh deezh "slow" ayn poor-too-GAYSH
    How do you say "slow" in Portuguese?
  9. 09 · Being corrected
    Corriges-me se eu me enganar?
    Say it like: koo-RREE-zhezh-muh suh ay-oo muh en-gah-NAR
    Will you correct me if I make a mistake?
  10. 10 · Leaving & keeping in touch
    Obrigado/Obrigada pela prática. Combinamos outro dia para um intercâmbio?
    Say it like: oh-bree-GAH-doo/oh-bree-GAH-dah PEH-lah PRAH-tee-kah. kohm-bee-NAH-moosh OH-troo DEE-ah PAH-ruh oom een-ter-KAHM-byoo
    Thanks for the practice. Shall we arrange a language exchange another day?

3 things you will probably hear

  1. H1 · You may hear
    Que língua queres praticar?
    Say it like: kuh LEEN-gwah KEH-rezh prah-tee-KAR
    Which language do you want to practise?
  2. H2 · You may hear
    Com calma, eu percebo-te.
    Say it like: kohm KAHL-mah, ay-oo per-SEH-boo-tuh
    Take your time, I understand you.
  3. H3 · You may hear
    A cada dez minutos mudamos de língua.
    Say it like: ah KAH-dah desh mee-NOO-toosh moo-DAH-moosh duh LEEN-gwah
    Every ten minutes we switch language.

Go and try it

Find language cafés on speak.comealone.app

Quick answers

What do I say when I arrive alone at a language café in Portuguese?

Start with: "Olá! Muito prazer em conhecer-vos." (Hi! Very nice to meet you all.). Then say you are new: "É a minha primeira vez e estou a aprender português." (It's my first time and I'm learning Portuguese.)

Should I use informal or formal Portuguese at a language café?

"Tu" is normal in language cafés. Use "obrigado/obrigada" matching your own gender.

How do I ask to meet again after a language café in Portuguese?

Try: "Obrigado/Obrigada pela prática. Combinamos outro dia para um intercâmbio?" (Thanks for the practice. Shall we arrange a language exchange another day?)

Same evening, another language

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Portuguese, another evening

Pub quiz Padel & pickleball Run club Sauna Book club Dinner with strangers Language café

All 7 × 6 cards · Phrases for a specific event near you

How it works

  1. Pick the evening and the language people will speak.
  2. Read the ten phrases in order: they follow the evening from the door to goodbye. Tap the speaker to hear each one in your device's voice.
  3. Print the card or keep it open on your phone. Native-speaker review is still pending; a "check" mark flags a phrase we are least sure of.
  4. Find the event on Come Alone, open it in Meet & Mint to see who else is going, and say the first phrase for real.

firstphrases.app/tonight/cafe/pt/ · Meet & Mint