First Phrases

Dinner with strangers · Português

Dinner with strangers in Portuguese: 10 phrases for tonight

A shared table where nobody knows anybody, which makes it easy to ask the obvious questions. Names, what you do, how you know the host: everyone is in the same boat.

Register: Informal (friendly). At a dinner with strangers in Portugal, "tu" among peers is normal. If the person is clearly older, use their name or avoid the pronoun. Dinner often starts around 20:30.

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
    Boa noite! Chamo-me ___. Prazer em conhecer-vos.
    Say it like: BOH-ah NOY-tuh! SHAH-moo-muh ___. prah-ZEHR ayn koo-nyuh-SEHR-voosh
    Good evening! I'm ___. Pleased to meet you.
  2. 02 · Saying you're new
    Não conheço ninguém, por isso estou contente por estar cá!
    Say it like: now(n) koo-NYEH-soo neen-GAYN, poor EE-soo ish-TOH kon-TEN-tuh poor ish-TAR kah
    I don't know anyone, so I'm glad to be here!
  3. 03 · Asking how it works
    Sentamo-nos onde quisermos? A comida é para partilhar?
    Say it like: sen-TAH-moo-noosh OHN-duh kee-ZEHR-moosh? ah koo-MEE-dah eh PAH-ruh par-TEE-lyar
    Do we sit wherever we like? Is the food for sharing?
  4. 04 · Small talk
    O que fazes na vida?
    Say it like: oo kuh FAH-zesh nah VEE-dah
    What do you do?
  5. 05 · Small talk
    De onde é que conheces o anfitrião?
    Say it like: duh OHN-duh eh kuh koo-NYEH-sesh oo ahn-fee-tree-OW(N)
    How do you know the host?
  6. 06 · Small talk
    Já foste a algum jantar destes?
    Say it like: zhah FOHSH-tuh ah ahl-GOON zhahn-TAR DAYSH-tezh
    Have you been to one of these dinners before?
  7. 07 · Dietary needs
    Sou vegetariano/vegetariana. Há alguma opção sem carne?
    Say it like: soh veh-zhuh-tah-ree-AH-noo/veh-zhuh-tah-ree-AH-nah. ah ahl-GOO-mah oh-PSOW(N) sayn KAR-nuh
    I'm vegetarian. Is there an option without meat?
  8. 08 · At the table
    Podes passar-me a água, por favor?
    Say it like: POH-dezh pah-SAR-muh ah AH-gwah, poor fah-VOR
    Could you pass me the water, please?
  9. 09 · Paying
    Dividimos a conta ou como é que se paga?
    Say it like: dee-vee-DEE-moosh ah KOHN-tah oh KOH-moo eh kuh suh PAH-gah
    Shall we split the bill, or how do we pay?
  10. 10 · Leaving & keeping in touch
    Obrigado/Obrigada pela companhia. Vamos repetir em breve!
    Say it like: oh-bree-GAH-doo/oh-bree-GAH-dah PEH-lah kohm-pah-NYEE-ah. VAH-moosh rruh-puh-TEER ayn BREH-vuh
    Thanks for the company. Let's do this again soon!

3 things you will probably hear

  1. H1 · You may hear
    Sentem-se onde quiserem.
    Say it like: SEN-tayn-suh OHN-duh kee-ZEH-rayn
    Sit wherever you like.
  2. H2 · You may hear
    Alguma alergia ou alguma coisa que não comam?
    Say it like: ahl-GOO-mah ah-LEHR-zhee-ah oh ahl-GOO-mah KOY-zah kuh now(n) KOH-mow(n)
    Any allergies, or anything you don't eat?
  3. H3 · You may hear
    Pedimos mais uma garrafa de vinho?
    Say it like: puh-DEE-moosh mysh OO-mah gah-RRAH-fah duh VEE-nyoo
    Shall we order another bottle of wine?

Go and try it

Find dinners with strangers on Come Alone

Quick answers

What do I say when I arrive alone at a dinner with strangers in Portuguese?

Start with: "Boa noite! Chamo-me ___. Prazer em conhecer-vos." (Good evening! I'm ___. Pleased to meet you.). Then say you are new: "Não conheço ninguém, por isso estou contente por estar cá!" (I don't know anyone, so I'm glad to be here!)

Should I use informal or formal Portuguese at a dinner with strangers?

At a dinner with strangers in Portugal, "tu" among peers is normal. If the person is clearly older, use their name or avoid the pronoun. Dinner often starts around 20:30.

How do I ask to meet again after a dinner with strangers in Portuguese?

Try: "Obrigado/Obrigada pela companhia. Vamos repetir em breve!" (Thanks for the company. Let's do this again soon!)

Same evening, another language

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Portuguese, another evening

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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/dinner/pt/ · Meet & Mint