🇵🇹 European Portuguese
Talk like a lisboeta — European Portuguese, as Lisbon speaks it
autocarro, comboio, paragem. The in-app «Talk like a lisboeta» guide, in full: 54 words, phrases and habits of speech the Lisbon characters use in conversation, so you recognise them when they come at you at speed. Each entry says what it means and what the rest of the Portuguese-speaking world says instead.
European vs. Brazilian words
| They say | It means | You'll hear |
|---|---|---|
| autocarro | bus (elsewhere: ônibus) | Apanho o autocarro para a Baixa. Portugal says "autocarro" and you "apanha" (catch) it; "ônibus" is Brazilian. |
| comboio | train (elsewhere: trem) | O comboio para Cascais sai do Cais do Sodré. "Trem" is Brazilian; in Portugal a train is always a "comboio". |
| paragem | bus stop (elsewhere: ponto de ônibus) | A paragem é já ali, ao virar da esquina. "Paragem do autocarro"; a Brazilian would say "ponto". |
| pequeno-almoço | breakfast (elsewhere: café da manhã) | Tomo o pequeno-almoço na pastelaria. The European word for breakfast. "Café da manhã" marks you as Brazilian-trained at once. |
| casa de banho | bathroom / toilet (elsewhere: banheiro) | Onde é a casa de banho, se faz favor? Say "casa de banho" — in Portugal a "banheiro" is a lifeguard. |
| telemóvel | mobile phone (elsewhere: celular) | Fiquei sem bateria no telemóvel. Portugal "telemóvel", Brazil "celular". |
| frigorífico | fridge (elsewhere: geladeira) | Põe o leite no frigorífico. Portugal "frigorífico", Brazil "geladeira". |
| sumo | juice (elsewhere: suco) | Um sumo de laranja natural, se faz favor. Portugal "sumo", Brazil "suco". |
| gelado | ice cream (elsewhere: sorvete) | Apetece-me um gelado. Portugal "gelado", Brazil "sorvete". |
| bica | espresso (Lisbon) (elsewhere: cafezinho) | Uma bica e um pastel de nata, se faz favor. The Lisbon word for an espresso — in Porto it's a "cimbalino". "Um café" works everywhere; "cafezinho" is Brazilian. |
| imperial | small draught beer (Lisbon) (elsewhere: chope) | Duas imperiais, se faz favor. A small glass of draught beer in Lisbon (in Porto it's a "fino"). Brazil says "chope". |
| sandes | sandwich (elsewhere: sanduíche) | Uma sandes de queijo para levar. "Sandes" is the everyday European word; "sanduíche" is understood but sounds Brazilian. |
| chávena | cup (for coffee or tea) (elsewhere: xícara) | Uma chávena de chá, se faz favor. Portugal "chávena", Brazil "xícara". |
| empregado de mesa | waiter (elsewhere: garçom) | Peça ao empregado a conta. "Garçom" is Brazilian. To get a waiter's attention in Portugal, just say "Se faz favor!" or "Desculpe!". |
| fato | suit (clothing) (elsewhere: terno) | Ele veio de fato e gravata. In Portugal a "fato" is a suit; in Brazil "fato" only means a fact and a suit is a "terno". |
| camisola | sweater / jumper (elsewhere: suéter) | Leva uma camisola, à noite arrefece. Trap: in Brazil a "camisola" is a nightdress. |
| rapariga | girl / young woman (elsewhere: moça) | A rapariga do balcão é muito simpática. Perfectly normal and polite in Portugal. Trap: in much of Brazil "rapariga" is an insult — use "moça" there. |
| miúdo / miúda | kid / child (elsewhere: garoto / garota) | Os miúdos estão a brincar no parque. The everyday Portuguese word for a kid; "garoto" is Brazilian. |
| sítio | place / spot (elsewhere: lugar) | Conheço um sítio ótimo para almoçar. "Sítio" = place in Portugal; in Brazil it means a small farm, so Brazilians say "lugar". |
Everyday phrases
- Se faz favor — please / excuse me (to get attention)
Uma bica, se faz favor.
The European "please", also the way to call a waiter. "Por favor" is fine too, but "se faz favor" (often just "faz favor") is what you'll hear in Lisbon. - Então? — so? / well? / hi, how's it going?
Então, tudo bem?
The all-purpose opener: a greeting, a "so…?", a "well then". Lisboetas start half their sentences with it. - Pois é — that's right / indeed / yeah…
—Está muito calor hoje. —Pois é.
"Pois" on its own is a constant "yes, right, I see" back-channel; "pois é" agrees with a touch of resignation. Very European — Brazilians barely use it. - Pronto — right / OK, done / that's it
Pronto, já está. Mais alguma coisa?
The Portuguese "right then": closes a topic, wraps up an order, fills a pause. You will hear it constantly. - Está bem — OK / alright
—Encontramo-nos às oito? —Está bem.
The default "OK". In speech the "es-" vanishes: it sounds like "tá bem". - Estou? — hello? (answering the phone)
—Estou? —Olá, é a Ana?
Portugal answers the phone with "Estou?" or "Está lá?"; Brazil says "Alô". - Desculpe, não percebi — sorry, I didn't catch that
Desculpe, não percebi. Pode repetir?
In Portugal "perceber" means to understand; in Brazil it means to notice, and they say "não entendi". - Com licença — excuse me (passing by / leaving the table)
Com licença, posso passar?
Squeezing past someone on the eléctrico, or excusing yourself. "Desculpe" is for apologies and getting attention. - Não tem de quê — you're welcome / don't mention it
—Obrigada! —Não tem de quê.
The everyday reply to thanks in Portugal, alongside "de nada". - Se calhar — maybe / perhaps
Se calhar vou de comboio.
Extremely European; Brazilians say "talvez" or "pode ser". Note "se calhar" takes the indicative, not the subjunctive. - Até já — see you in a bit
Vou só buscar a carteira. Até já!
When you'll be back within minutes. "Até logo" is later today, "até amanhã" tomorrow. - Ora bem — right then… / well now…
Ora bem, vamos ver o que temos.
A throat-clearing opener before an explanation or a decision. Distinctly Portuguese.
European vs. Brazilian: grammar & sound
- Estou a falar (Estou falando) — I'm speaking (the European progressive)
Está a chover. Estou a chegar.
Portugal builds the progressive with "estar a + infinitive"; the Brazilian gerund "estou falando" is understood but sounds instantly Brazilian. - Chamo-me Ana (Me chamo Ana) — my name is Ana (pronoun AFTER the verb)
Chamo-me Ana. Sento-me aqui?
Ênclise: in an ordinary affirmative sentence the object pronoun hangs off the end of the verb with a hyphen. Brazilians put it in front. - Dá-me um café, se faz favor (Me dá um café, por favor) — give me a coffee, please
Dá-me a conta, se faz favor.
Same rule in requests. The pronoun jumps back in front after a negative or words like "que", "não", "já": "não me dês", "que te disse". - Tu queres um café? (Você quer um café?) — do you want a coffee? (friends & family)
Tu vens connosco? Tu falas bem português!
In Portugal "tu" (with its own verb forms: queres, vens, falas) is the normal word for friends, family and children. "Você" is NOT the friendly form here — that's Brazil. - O senhor deseja? — what would you like, sir? (polite service form)
A senhora quer açúcar? Deseja mais alguma coisa?
For strangers and service, Portugal uses third-person forms: "o senhor / a senhora", "você", or — most often — simply the verb with no pronoun at all ("Quer um café?"). - Gosto de ti (Gosto de você) — I like you ("ti" after a preposition)
Isto é para ti. Vou contigo.
Because Portugal uses "tu", after a preposition you get "ti" (and "contigo" = with you). Brazil says "de você", "com você". - Boa noite — good evening / good night — listen for the swallowed final -e
Boa noite! Uma mesa para dois?
In Lisbon a final "-te" sounds like a bare "t": "boa noit", "leit" (leite), "sort" (sorte). Brazilians say "noi-tchi". This is the biggest thing your ear will notice. - Os pastéis de nata — the custard tarts — "s" before a consonant sounds like "sh"
Os pastéis de nata estão quentes.
"Os pastéis" comes out "ush pashtéish". Any "s" at the end of a word or before a consonant is "sh" in Portugal (like Rio, unlike São Paulo). - Desculpe, pode repetir? — sorry, could you repeat that? — hear the vanishing vowels
Desculpe, pode repetir mais devagar?
Unstressed "e" and "o" all but disappear in Lisbon: "d'sculp, pod' r'p'tir". Brazilian Portuguese keeps every vowel; that is why European Portuguese sounds faster and more consonant-heavy.
Slang & flavor
- fixe — cool / great
Que fixe! Adorei o concerto.
The everyday Portuguese "cool" (pronounced "feesh"). Brazilians say "legal". - giro / gira — cute / nice / good-looking
Que giro, este bairro! A rapariga é muito gira.
Things, places and people can all be "giro". Brazil says "bonito" or "legal". - pá — man / mate (tag word)
Ó pá, não sei. Anda lá, pá!
Clipped from "rapaz". A constant tag in casual Lisbon speech, to anyone. Not a real vocative — nobody is being called a boy. - Epá! — man! / oh come on! / wow
Epá, que chatice.
The interjection form of "pá": surprise, mild frustration, emphasis. - bué — loads / very
Está bué calor. Havia bué gente.
Informal, originally from Angolan Portuguese; extremely common, especially among younger speakers. A Brazilian would say "muito" or "pra caramba". - malta — the gang / the folks / people
A malta vai jantar fora hoje.
Your crowd, or people in general. Very Portuguese; Brazil says "a galera" or "o pessoal". - Bora lá — let's go / come on then
Bora lá, que o comboio não espera.
Clipped "vamos embora". "Bora" exists in Brazil too, but the "lá" tag is European. - cena — thing / stuff
Tenho uma cena para te contar.
Informal all-purpose "thing" — like Brazilian "coisa" or "parada". - ya — yeah
—Vens amanhã? —Ya, claro.
Informal, mostly younger Lisbon speakers. Where a Brazilian says "é" or "aham". - porreiro — great / nice / top
O restaurante é porreiro.
Warm and colloquial; a little old-school but still heard from every generation. - chavalo / chavala — guy / girl (young)
Aquele chavalo é meu vizinho.
Youth and street slang for a young man or woman — casual, not for formal company. - puto — kid / boy (informal)
Quando era puto, vivia em Alfama.
Harmless in Portugal ("os putos" = the kids). Trap: in Brazil "puto" is a vulgar insult — never use it there. - Fogo! — damn! / oh no!
Fogo, perdi o autocarro.
Literally "fire" — a mild, everyday exclamation of frustration, safe in any company. - à brava — loads / like crazy
Choveu à brava ontem.
Informal intensifier: "a lot". Brazil says "pra caramba".
Practise it with someone from Lisbon
European Portuguese swallows its vowels and keeps its own words — a bica, not a cafezinho; «se faz favor», not «por favor» half the time. João's café teaches the Lisbon variant on its own terms, side by side with our Brazilian scenes so you hear exactly where the two Portugals part ways.
Meet João in Lisbon →