You do not need fluent Portuguese to start living in Portugal. A small set of polite, practical phrases can make cafés, shops, deliveries, pharmacies, appointments and bureaucracy much easier. This guide uses European Portuguese and focuses on phrases you are likely to need in your first weeks and months.

The five phrases to learn first

  • Bom dia / Boa tarde / Boa noite — Good morning / afternoon / evening.
  • Por favor — Please.
  • Obrigado / Obrigada — Thank you. Traditionally, men say obrigado and women obrigada.
  • Desculpe — Excuse me / sorry.
  • Não falo muito português. Fala inglês? — I don’t speak much Portuguese. Do you speak English?

Starting an interaction with bom dia or boa tarde is often more natural and polite than immediately asking a question.

Understanding people

  • Não percebo. — I don’t understand.
  • Pode repetir, por favor? — Can you repeat that, please?
  • Pode falar mais devagar? — Can you speak more slowly?
  • Como se diz … em português? — How do you say … in Portuguese?
  • O que significa …? — What does … mean?
  • Pode escrever? — Can you write it down?

Cafés and restaurants

  • Queria um café, por favor. — I’d like a coffee, please.
  • Queria isto, por favor. — I’d like this, please.
  • A conta, por favor. — The bill, please.
  • Tem uma mesa para duas pessoas? — Do you have a table for two?
  • Sem … — Without …
  • Sou alérgico/alérgica a … — I am allergic to …
  • Posso pagar com cartão? — Can I pay by card?

Shopping

  • Quanto custa? — How much does it cost?
  • Tem isto noutro tamanho? — Do you have this in another size?
  • Onde fica …? — Where is …?
  • Só estou a ver, obrigado/obrigada. — I’m just looking, thank you.
  • Queria um saco, por favor. — I’d like a bag, please.
  • Tem troco? — Do you have change?

Transport and directions

  • Onde fica a estação? — Where is the station?
  • Onde é a paragem do autocarro? — Where is the bus stop?
  • Este comboio vai para …? — Does this train go to …?
  • Um bilhete para …, por favor. — One ticket to …, please.
  • A que horas sai? — What time does it leave?
  • É longe? — Is it far?
  • À esquerda / à direita / em frente — Left / right / straight ahead.

Home, deliveries and repairs

  • Moro em … — I live in …
  • A minha morada é … — My address is …
  • Estou em casa. — I’m at home.
  • Pode ligar quando chegar? — Can you call when you arrive?
  • Não há água / eletricidade / internet. — There is no water / electricity / internet.
  • Está avariado. — It is broken.
  • Quando pode vir? — When can you come?
  • Quanto vai custar? — How much will it cost?

Healthcare and pharmacies

  • Preciso de um médico. — I need a doctor.
  • Tenho uma consulta. — I have an appointment.
  • Tenho dores aqui. — I have pain here.
  • Tenho febre. — I have a fever.
  • Sou alérgico/alérgica a … — I am allergic to …
  • Tomo este medicamento. — I take this medicine.
  • Preciso de uma farmácia. — I need a pharmacy.
  • É preciso receita? — Is a prescription required?

For a life-threatening or immediate emergency call 112. For non-emergency health triage, see our SNS24, emergencies and when to use 112 guide. Our Pharmacies and medicines guide explains prescriptions, generics and on-duty pharmacies.

Bureaucracy: useful words

  • marcação / agendamento — appointment/booking
  • atendimento — service/assistance at a counter or office
  • documento — document
  • comprovativo — proof/supporting document
  • morada — address
  • assinatura — signature
  • formulário — form
  • prazo — deadline/time limit
  • senha — queue ticket, or password depending on context
  • certidão — certificate/official record

Useful sentences include Tenho uma marcação (I have an appointment), Que documentos são necessários? (Which documents are required?), Falta algum documento? (Is any document missing?) and Onde tenho de assinar? (Where do I need to sign?).

Work

  • Trabalho como … — I work as …
  • Estou à procura de trabalho. — I’m looking for work.
  • A que horas começo? — What time do I start?
  • Pode enviar-me por email? — Can you send it to me by email?
  • Tenho uma dúvida. — I have a question/doubt.
  • Podemos marcar uma reunião? — Can we schedule a meeting?

Numbers and dates matter

Learn numbers, weekdays, months and how to say your phone number, NIF and date of birth. These come up constantly at pharmacies, clinics, deliveries and public offices. Portugal normally writes dates as day/month/year.

European Portuguese can sound faster than it looks

European Portuguese often reduces unstressed vowels in everyday speech, so a word can sound shorter than a learner expects from the spelling. Do not worry if you can read a sentence but initially struggle to recognise it when spoken. Listening practice is especially important.

Also be careful with resources labelled simply “Portuguese”: many teach Brazilian Portuguese. Brazilian Portuguese is perfectly valid Portuguese, but pronunciation, vocabulary and some everyday usage differ. If your goal is life in Portugal, deliberately choose European Portuguese materials.

Learn beyond survival Portuguese

Phrase lists get you through situations; they do not replace learning the language. See our Learning Portuguese in Portugal guide for courses, CAPLE exams, books and subsidised learning routes. You can also use PortugueseLearner.com for structured Portuguese learning and practice. Our next guide, Portuguese courses, teachers and learning resources, goes deeper into choosing a course or teacher.

A realistic first-month target

  1. Learn greetings, please/thank you and how to ask whether someone speaks English.
  2. Learn your address, phone number and the numbers you need for everyday transactions.
  3. Memorise 10–20 phrases relevant to your own life: pharmacy, school, work, café, landlord or public office.
  4. Practise listening every day, even for 10 minutes.
  5. Use Portuguese first in low-pressure situations instead of waiting until your grammar is perfect.

Useful links

  • PortugueseLearner.com — structured Portuguese learning and practice.
  • Infopédia — Portuguese dictionary.
  • Priberam — Portuguese dictionary and language reference.
  • RTP Play — Portuguese television and audio for listening exposure.

Last verified: 2 October 2026. This is a practical language guide, not an official translation service. For legal, medical or other high-stakes matters, use a qualified interpreter when accurate communication is important.