Queria um cartão português.
I'd like a Portuguese SIM card.
Pré-pago, se faz favor.
Prepaid, please.
Portuguese for real life · explained in English
Getting a Portuguese SIM card: what to say in Portuguese
Ask plainly: “Queria um cartão português” (I'd like a Portuguese SIM). Prepaid is normal and needs no contract. Ask what it costs a month, how much data you get, and how to top up.
Portuguese phrases with translations
A short errand with four questions in it. These are the four.
Quanto é por mês?
How much is it a month?
Tem taxa de activação?
Is there an activation fee?
Quantos gigas tem?
How much data does it have?
Dá para usar em Espanha?
Can I use it in Spain?
Como é que carrego?
How do I top it up?
Posso carregar no multibanco?
Can I top up at a cash machine?
Tenho o passaporte.
I have my passport.
Chega?
Is that enough?
A dialogue to read aloud
Read one role and then the other. The translations are there to understand it; try it again afterwards without looking.
- Vendedor
Boa tarde. Em que posso ajudar?
Good afternoon. How can I help?
- Cliente
Queria um cartão português, pré-pago.
I'd like a Portuguese SIM card, prepaid.
- Vendedor
Com dez euros fica com gigas para o mês.
Ten euros gets you data for the month.
- Cliente
Quantos gigas tem? E como é que carrego depois?
How much data is that? And how do I top up afterwards?
What to know before you go
- «Carregar» is to top up. You will see it on every kiosk and cash machine, and it is the one verb this errand needs.
- «Multibanco» is the Portuguese cash machine network and it does far more than cash: bills, tickets and phone top-ups all go through it.
- A passport is normally enough to register a prepaid SIM. Ask «chega?» — it means «is that enough?» and saves a second trip.
Now it's your turn to talk
Without reading, ask for a prepaid Portuguese SIM, ask two questions about price and data, and ask how to top up.
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