English

Portuguese

Pronunciation/Notes
 
Hello Olá Olah – This is quite an informal greeting.
 
How are you? (formal) Como está? Komu eshta? – You often say things differently depending on whether you are speaking formally or informally.  Speak formally to people you meet for the first time, people older than you, or as a general sign of respect.
 
How are you? (informal) Como estás? Komu eshtazh? – This is the informal variation, which is only used with people you know well, family members, children, or people significantly younger than yourself.
 
I’m OK, thank you. Estou bem, obrigado/a Eshtoh baym[ng], Obrigahdu/a – lit. “I am well, thank you.”  This is perhaps the most common response to the above question.  For ‘thank you’, men say ‘obrigado’, women say ‘obrigada’ (regardless of whether the person they are talking to is male or female).*
 
I am fine Estou óptimo/a Eshtoh ohtimu/a – note that the ‘p’ in ‘optimo’ (fine) is virtually silent (the Brazilians spell it without a ‘p’).  Again, whether to use ‘optimo’ or ‘optima’ depends on your own gender.
 
Is everything OK? Tudo bem? Toodu baym[ng]? – lit. “everything well?”  Note:  This is probably the most common greeting in Portuguese - it is used much more frequently than 'como está?'.
 
Yes (everything is ok) Tudo [bem] Toodu – lit. “everything [well].”  The ‘bem’ is optional when replying to the above question.
 
Not too bad Mais ou menos Myze oh menush – lit. “more or less.”  Use this response if you want to indicate that you are a little ‘under the weather’.
 
Pleased to meet you Prazer Prazair – lit. “pleasure.”
 
Very pleased to meet you Muito prazer M[ng]wee[ng]tu Prazair – lit. “much pleasure.”  The word ‘muito’ has a very nasal sound, which kind of breaks the rules of pronunciation!  Sometimes it can sound more like ‘moitu’, depending on the accent of the speaker.
 
Good Morning Bom dia Bom[ng] deeya – lit. “Good day” – a slightly more formal greeting than Olá – generally used up until about 1pm.
 
Good Afternoon Boa tarde Boa tarde (after about 1pm)
 
Good Evening Boa noite Boa noite – note that the same word, noite, is used for both evening and night.  Switch from saying ‘boa tarde’ to ‘boa noite’ around sunset.
 
Good Night Boa noite Boa noite
 
Note:  You can mix Olá with bom dia, boa tarde, boa noite to make another fairly informal greeting (eg. Olá, bom dia)

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