First Phrases

Pub quiz · Português

Pub quiz in Portuguese: 10 phrases for tonight

Teams of four to six answer rounds of questions over drinks. Solo players are almost always welcome to join a team with a free seat, so asking to join is the key move.

Register: Informal (friendly). In Portugal, "tu" is normal with people your age. With older people or staff, avoid "tu" and use the person's name or the verb alone ("Quer ajuda?"). Avoid singular "você", which can sound distant; the plural "vocês" is the normal way to address a group.

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 a todos!
    Say it like: BOH-uh NOY-tuh ah TOH-doosh
    Good evening, everyone!
  2. 02 · Saying you're new
    Sou novo/nova por aqui e vim sozinho/sozinha.
    Say it like: soh NOH-voo/NOH-vah poor ah-KEE ee veem soo-ZEE-nyoo/soo-ZEE-nyah
    I'm new here and I came on my own.
  3. 03 · Asking how it works
    Como é que funciona o quiz? Quantas rondas há?
    Say it like: KOH-moo eh kuh foon-SYOH-nah oo KEEZ? KWAHN-tahz ROHN-dahz ah
    How does the quiz work? How many rounds are there?
  4. 04 · Small talk
    Vocês vêm cá muitas vezes?
    Say it like: voh-SAYSH vaym kah MOOEEN-tahsh VEH-zuhsh
    Do you come here often? (to a group)
  5. 05 · Small talk
    De onde são vocês?
    Say it like: duh OHN-duh sow(n) voh-SAYSH
    Where are you from? (to a group)
  6. 06 · Small talk
    Vocês são bons em cultura geral?
    Say it like: voh-SAYSH sow(n) bohnz ayn kool-TOO-ruh zhuh-RAHL
    Are you good at general knowledge?
  7. 07 · Joining a team
    Posso juntar-me à vossa equipa?
    Say it like: POH-soo zhoon-TAR-muh ah VOH-suh ee-KEE-puh
    Can I join your team?
  8. 08 · Not knowing an answer
    Não faço ideia! E tu, o que achas?
    Say it like: now(n) FAH-soo ee-DAY-uh! ee too, oo kuh AH-shuhsh
    No idea! And you, what do you think?
  9. 09 · Naming the team
    Que nome damos à equipa?
    Say it like: kuh NOH-muh DAH-moosh ah ee-KEE-puh
    What name shall we give the team?
  10. 10 · Leaving & keeping in touch
    Foi uma noite fixe. Vemo-nos para a semana?
    Say it like: foy OO-muh NOY-tuh FEESH. VAY-moo-noosh PAH-ruh ah suh-MAH-nuh
    It was a great evening. Shall we see each other next week?

3 things you will probably hear

  1. H1 · You may hear
    Queres sentar-te connosco?
    Say it like: KEH-rezh sen-TAR-tuh kohn-NOSH-koo
    Do you want to sit with us?
  2. H2 · You may hear
    A próxima ronda começa daqui a cinco minutos.
    Say it like: ah PROH-see-muh ROHN-dah koo-MEH-sah dah-KEE ah SEEN-koo mee-NOO-toosh
    The next round starts in five minutes.
  3. H3 · You may hear
    Silêncio, por favor! Vem aí a pergunta.
    Say it like: see-LEN-syoo, poor fah-VOR! vaym ah-EE ah per-GOON-tah
    Quiet, please! Here comes the question.

Go and try it

Find pub quizzes and game nights on Come Alone

Quick answers

What do I say when I arrive alone at a pub quiz in Portuguese?

Start with: "Boa noite a todos!" (Good evening, everyone!). Then say you are new: "Sou novo/nova por aqui e vim sozinho/sozinha." (I'm new here and I came on my own.)

Should I use informal or formal Portuguese at a pub quiz?

In Portugal, "tu" is normal with people your age. With older people or staff, avoid "tu" and use the person's name or the verb alone ("Quer ajuda?"). Avoid singular "você", which can sound distant; the plural "vocês" is the normal way to address a group.

How do I ask to meet again after a pub quiz in Portuguese?

Try: "Foi uma noite fixe. Vemo-nos para a semana?" (It was a great evening. Shall we see each other next week?)

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/quiz/pt/ · Meet & Mint