0.1.1 Common Greetings

Question 1

Translate to Portuguese:

Hello!

Answer 1

Olá!

Olá works any time of day and is a neutral greeting, similar to “hello” in English.

Question 2

Translate to Portuguese:

Hi!

Answer 2

Oi!

Oi is more casual than Olá and is more like “Hi.” It’s also a common, casual way to answer the phone.

Question 3

Translate to Portuguese:

What’s up?

Answer 3

E aí?

E aí is a very casual Brazilian way to greet someone. Use it only with friends or people you know well.

Question 4

Translate to Portuguese:

Bye!

(informal)

Answer 4

Tchau!

Tchau is an informal and very common way to say “bye” in Brazil. You’ll hear it everywhere.

Just like in English, you can also say tchau-tchau (“bye-bye”).

Question 5

Translate to Portuguese:

Goodbye!

(formal)

Answer 5

Adeus!

Adeus is very formal and suggests you won’t see the person again. In everyday life, Brazilians say tchau instead.

Question 6

Translate to Portuguese:

Good morning!

Answer 6

Bom dia!

This phrase is used from the morning until around noon, in a similar way to how “good morning” in used in English.

Question 7

Translate to Portuguese:

Good afternoon!

Answer 7

Boa tarde!

Boa tarde is used from noon to early evening, usually until around 6 p.m.

Question 8

Translate to Portuguese:

Good evening!

Answer 8

Boa noite!

Boa noite is used at night both as a greeting and as a goodbye. It also means “good night” when someone is going to sleep.

Question 9

[What is being said in the audio recording?]

Answer 9

Olá!

Translation: “Hello!”

Question 10

Translate to Portuguese:

Yes

Answer 10

Sim

Question 11

Translate to Portuguese:

No

Answer 11

Não

Não means “no,” and it can also mean “do not” or “does not” when it comes before a verb.

Question 12

Translate to Portuguese:

Portuguese

Answer 12

Português

In Portuguese, accent marks show which part of the word is stressed, in cases where natural stress rules are overridden.

So, in the word português, the accent tells you to stress the last part, so you pronounce it as por-tu-guês.

Question 13

Translate to Portuguese:

English

Answer 13

Inglês

“English” = Inglês

Note that, just as in English, inglês can mean both the language and the nationality. It is always stressed on the last syllable: in-GLÊS.

Question 14

Translate to Portuguese:

I speak English.

Answer 14

Eu falo inglês.

“I speak” = eu falo

Portuguese verbs change their ending depending on who is speaking. Here, falo is the first-person singular form of the verb falar (“to speak”).

Question 15

Translate to Portuguese:

Do you speak English?

Answer 15

Você fala inglês?

“you speak” = você fala

In Portuguese, “yes/no” questions look just like regular sentences; you raise your intonation at the end. It’s like saying “You speak English?” in English.

In casual speech in Brazil, você is commonly reduced to cê.

Question 16

Translate to Portuguese:

I don’t speak Portuguese.

Answer 16

Eu não falo português.

“I don’t speak” = Eu não falo

Remember that the word não can mean “no” by itself, and it can also mean “do not” or “does not” when it comes before a verb.

Question 17

Translate to Portuguese:

Thank you!

Answer 17

Obrigada!

(f.)

Men say obrigado; women say obrigada.

Question 18

[What is being said in the audio recording?]

Answer 18

Mulher: Obrigada!

Homem: De nada!

Translation:

Woman: “Thank you!”

Man: “You’re welcome!”

Question 19

Translate to Portuguese:

Good night!

Answer 19

Boa noite!

Boa noite is used both as an evening greeting and as a way to say goodbye before going to sleep.

Question 20

Translate to Portuguese:

See you later!

Answer 20

Até logo!

In Portuguese, besides até logo, we can also say até mais; both mean “see you later” and are used in the same way in Brazil.

Literally, it means “until later,” but there is no difference in meaning. You can use either one anytime.

Question 21

[What is being said in the audio recording?]

Answer 21

Mulher: Você fala inglês?

Homem: Sim.

Translation:

Woman: “Do you speak English?”

Man: “Yes.”

Question 22

Translate to Portuguese:

What’s your name?

(formal)

Answer 22

Qual é o seu nome?

(formal)

“What is your name?” means Qual é o seu nome?

Note that in Portuguese, the use of the definite article o, a, os, as (“the”) before possessive pronouns is optional. You can say: Qual é o seu nome? (With the article “o”), or Qual é seu nome? (Without the article o). This sounds more natural and less formal.

In an informal setting, you might also hear Como você se chama? which literally means: “What do you call yourself?”.

Question 23

[What is being said in the audio recording?]

Answer 23

Mulher: Você fala português?

Homem: Um pouco.

Translation:

Woman: “Do you speak Portuguese?”

Man: “A little.”

Question 24

Translate to Portuguese:

Nice to meet you!

Answer 24

Prazer em te conhecer!

Prazer em te conhecer literally means “Pleasure in knowing you.” In everyday conversations, you’ll very often hear just prazer.

Question 25

# Translate to Portuguese: Same to you! ## Footnote (e.g., when someone says "Nice to meet you")

Answer 25

Igualmente! ## Footnote Use *igualmente* to respond to *prazer*, meaning "likewise" (or more literally, "equally").

Question 26

# Translate to Portuguese: Have a nice day!

Answer 26

Tenha um bom dia! ## Footnote *Tenha* ("you have") comes from *ter* (“to have”). We use it to wish something to someone, like “(you) have a nice day!”

Question 27

[What is being said in the audio recording?]

Answer 27

**Homem**: Qual é o seu nome? **Mulher**: Meu nome é Jenny. Prazer! **Homem**: Igualmente! ## Footnote _Translation_: **Man**: "What’s your name?" **Woman**: "My name is Jenny. Nice to meet you!" **Man**: "Likewise!"