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Survival Portuguese

Survival Portuguese: a chapter of the Trip to Portugal Book, with the words, places and habits that make a first trip easier.

12 cards · Languages

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Each Zap teaches up to 5 new cards, so you learn the deck a few at a time.

Checked by the Brain Zap team · reviewed 23 Oct 2026

Sources: Visit Portugal (official tourism site), Portugal (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Preview

  • Hello

    Show answer: Hello

    Olá

    Learn more: The h is silent, and the stress falls on the second syllable.

  • Good morning

    Show answer: Good morning

    Bom dia

    Learn more: From lunch it becomes boa tarde, and after dark boa noite.

  • Thank you (said by a man)

    Show answer: Thank you (said by a man)

    Obrigado

    Learn more: The ending follows the speaker, not the person thanked.

  • Thank you (said by a woman)

    Show answer: Thank you (said by a woman)

    Obrigada

    Learn more: A woman says it with an a at the end, a man with an o.

  • Please

    Show answer: Please

    Por favor

    Learn more: Add it to any request: um café, por favor.

About this topic

Portuguese sounds softer than it looks: many vowels are swallowed and an s often sounds like sh. A few polite words go a long way, and locals warmly welcome any effort, even when they answer you in English.

This is a chapter of the Trip to Portugal Book. Some cards let you hear the Portuguese, some show a place glowing on the map, and some put you in a real situation, at a café or a station. Each comes with a hint before you answer and a short reason after. Once you know most of this chapter, the next one starts arriving in your Daily Zap.

All 12 cards

  1. Hello

    Olá

    Learn more: The h is silent, and the stress falls on the second syllable.

  2. Good morning

    Bom dia

    Learn more: From lunch it becomes boa tarde, and after dark boa noite.

  3. Thank you (said by a man)

    Obrigado

    Learn more: The ending follows the speaker, not the person thanked.

  4. Thank you (said by a woman)

    Obrigada

    Learn more: A woman says it with an a at the end, a man with an o.

  5. Please

    Por favor

    Learn more: Add it to any request: um café, por favor.

  6. Yes

    Sim

    Learn more: The m is hardly said: the vowel just turns nasal.

  7. No

    Não

    Learn more: The ão sound, like 'now' through the nose, is one of the language's trademarks.

  8. Excuse me (to get past)

    Com licença

    Learn more: Use it to get past someone or to get a waiter's attention politely.

  9. Sorry

    Desculpe

    Learn more: It also works to start a question: desculpe, onde fica…?

  10. Goodbye

    Adeus

    Learn more: Among friends, tchau or até logo, see you later, is more common.

  11. I don't understand

    Não percebo

    Learn more: In Brazil people say não entendo; in Portugal, não percebo.

  12. Do you speak English?

    Fala inglês?

    Learn more: Many Portuguese, especially young people, speak good English.

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