European Portuguese basics for travellers. Greetings, restaurant ordering, asking directions, polite refusals, and the small Azorean expressions that locals appreciate hearing.
Most Azoreans under 50 speak English, and the tourism workers all do. You can travel the islands without a word of Portuguese and not hit a wall. But a handful of phrases changes the texture of every interaction. The bakery worker who said “good morning” with a slight tilt becomes a warm smile when you say “bom dia”. The taxi driver who was polite becomes a chatty companion when you order your coffee in Portuguese.
This guide covers the 30 phrases that matter, the pronunciation notes that make them work, and a few Azorean expressions that mark you as a careful visitor rather than a passing tourist.
A pronunciation primer
European Portuguese sounds nothing like Spanish, despite the spelling overlap. Three patterns to know.
- Final vowels are weak. “Obrigado” sounds closer to “ob-ree-gah-doo” than “ob-ree-gah-DOH”. The final O nearly disappears.
- The “ão” diphthong in words like “não” (no), “pão” (bread) is nasalised. Closest English approximation: “now-ng” said through the nose.
- The “ch” is “sh”. “Chá” (tea) is “sha”. “Chuva” (rain) is “shoo-va”.
Do not stress about getting it right. The effort is what counts.
The 30 essential phrases
Greetings and politeness
| Portuguese | Translation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bom dia | Good morning | Until midday |
| Boa tarde | Good afternoon | Midday to dusk |
| Boa noite | Good evening / night | Used both for “good evening” and goodbye after dark |
| Olá | Hello | Casual, any time |
| Adeus | Goodbye | Formal |
| Até logo | See you later | Casual |
| Obrigado / Obrigada | Thank you (male / female) | Match your own gender, not the listener’s |
| Por favor | Please | |
| Desculpe | Sorry / excuse me | Catch attention or apologise |
| Com licença | Excuse me (to pass) | Squeezing past someone |
Yes, no, basics
| Portuguese | Translation |
|---|---|
| Sim | Yes |
| Não | No |
| Talvez | Maybe |
| Não sei | I don’t know |
| Não percebo | I don’t understand |
| Fala inglês? | Do you speak English? |
| Pode ajudar-me? | Can you help me? |
| Quanto custa? | How much does it cost? |
Restaurant and food
| Portuguese | Translation |
|---|---|
| Uma mesa para dois | A table for two |
| A ementa, por favor | The menu, please |
| Queria… | I would like… (then point or name) |
| O prato do dia | The dish of the day |
| A conta, por favor | The bill, please |
| Está delicioso | It’s delicious |
Directions and transport
| Portuguese | Translation |
|---|---|
| Onde fica…? | Where is…? |
| À esquerda / à direita | Left / right |
| Em frente | Straight ahead |
| Perto / longe | Near / far |
| Um bilhete, por favor | One ticket, please |
| A que horas? | At what time? |
Six Azorean expressions that locals appreciate
European Portuguese has regional flavours, and the Azores has its own. A few markers that signal you have been paying attention.
- “Pois é” (poysh ehh). Used as a filler meaning “yeah”, “indeed”, “I hear you”. Sprinkled liberally into conversation.
- “Da hora” (dah ora). “Cool”, “great” in casual register.
- “Vai indo” (vye een-doo). Literally “going along”. The standard answer to “how are you”, meaning “doing alright”.
- “Açoriano” (ah-soo-ree-ah-noo). Azorean (the adjective). Knowing it shows you know the distinction from “Português”.
- “Cozido” (koo-zee-doo). The Furnas slow-cooked stew. Mention it at a Furnas-village café and watch the smile.
- “Lapas” (lah-pash). Limpets. The bilingual menu probably translates it; ordering it in Portuguese shows you read up.
Polite refusals and travel-friendly bits
Phrases for the awkward moments.
| Portuguese | Translation |
|---|---|
| Não, obrigado / obrigada | No, thank you |
| Outra vez, por favor | Once more, please (asking to repeat) |
| Mais devagar, por favor | Slower, please |
| É vegetariano / vegetariana? | Is it vegetarian? |
| Tenho alergia a… | I’m allergic to… |
| Onde fica a casa de banho? | Where is the toilet? |
Numbers, days and times
The 10 numbers and a few time words to cover most practical needs.
| Portuguese | Translation |
|---|---|
| Um, dois, três | 1, 2, 3 |
| Quatro, cinco, seis | 4, 5, 6 |
| Sete, oito, nove, dez | 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Hoje | Today |
| Amanhã | Tomorrow |
| Ontem | Yesterday |
| Hora | Hour |
| Minuto | Minute |
Frequently asked questions
How different is Azorean Portuguese from Brazilian?
Significantly different. European Portuguese (including Azorean) is spoken faster, with weaker final vowels and stronger consonants. To a Brazilian ear, European Portuguese sounds clipped and almost Slavic-accented. Brazilians and Portuguese understand each other fine, but a beginner trained on Brazilian Portuguese (Duolingo’s default) will find European pronunciation noticeably harder.
Will people switch to English if I struggle?
Almost always, yes. Younger Azoreans particularly will switch to English the moment they sense difficulty. If you genuinely want to practise Portuguese, say so explicitly: “Estou a aprender, podemos falar em português?” (“I am learning, can we speak in Portuguese?”). Most people are happy to oblige.
Is "obrigado" or "obrigada" right for me?
It matches the speaker’s own gender, not the listener’s. Men say “obrigado”, women say “obrigada”, regardless of who they are thanking. This catches out English speakers used to gendering adjectives by the addressee. Picking the wrong one is harmless; people understand the intent.
What about hand gestures?
Portuguese gestures are relatively low-key compared to Mediterranean neighbours. A nod and “obrigado” works for almost any service interaction. The thumbs-up is positive everywhere. The “OK” circle is neutral. Pointing with the chin (rather than the finger) is the local way to indicate something or someone.
Should I learn before I go or pick it up on the trip?
For a one-week trip, the table above is enough; pick it up on the fly. For longer or repeated trips, 4 to 6 weeks of Pimsleur European Portuguese (audio-based, repetition-driven) gets you to genuine conversational basics. Avoid Duolingo for European Portuguese; their default is the Brazilian variant and the pronunciation is misleading.