Dining in Portuguese

If you’re planning on dining out in a Portuguese-speaking country, you don’t want to miss this free lesson! Rocket Portuguese will teach you everything you need to know on dining in Portuguese – just listen to the Portuguese pronunciation on the audio and practice saying these Portuguese words and phrases aloud. When you’re ready, why not try them out at a local Portuguese-speaking restaurant!

Portuguese food is renowned as being among the best in the world. So what would you like to start with…? Vegetarian? Not what you ordered? No problem! After this lesson you’ll be ordering from the menu in Portuguese like a pro, and impressing your Portuguese-speaking friends with your Portuguese language skills. So let’s get started…

Resources for further reading:

Questions for dining in Portuguese

After being greeted you could get asked one of the following questions…

Practice Your Pronunciation With Rocket Record

Rocket Record lets you perfect your Portuguese pronunciation. Just listen to the native speaker audio and then use the microphone icon to record yourself. Once you’re done, you’ll get a score out of 100 on your pronunciation and can listen to your own audio playback. (Use a headset mic for best results.) Problems? Click here!

Você gostaria de pedir alguma bebida para começar?

Would you like to order some drinks to start with?

Você já escolheu?

Have you chosen already?

Qual é o seu pedido?

What would you like to order?

Gostaria de um aperitivo?

Would you like a starter?

O que você gostaria?

What would you like?

O que você gostaria de pedir?

Would you like to order?

O que você gostaria de comer?

What would you like to eat?

Sometimes all you might get asked is…

Sim, por favor?

Yes, please?

You could answer by saying one of these phrases…

Um momento, por favor.

One moment, please.

Eu gostaria de pedir algo para beber para começar.

I'd like to order something to drink to start with.

Eu não sei ainda.

I don't know yet.

Not sure what to have? Just ask the waiter what he recommends…

O que você recomenda?

What can you recommend?

Qual é o prato especial do dia?

What is the daily special?

Qual é a sopa do dia?

What is the soup of the day?

Here are the names of some dishes and drinks that you might find on the menu…

Água mineral

Mineral water

suco

Juice

Cerveja

Beer

Vinho tinto

Red wine

Vinho branco

White wine

Champanhe

Champagne

Uma Entrada

(One)Starter

Um prato principal

(one)Main dish

Uma sobremesa

(one)Dessert

Um acompanhamento

(one)Side dish

Uma sopa

(one)Soup

Uma salada

(one)Salad

Um molho

(one)Sauce

Os legumes

(the)Vegetables

As batatas

(the)Potatoes

O arroz

(the)Rice

A carne

(the)Meat

Os noodles

(the)Noodles

O porco

(the)Pork

O frango

(the)Chicken

O bife

(the)Beef

A massa

(the)Pasta

In order to get the dish you want simply say…

Eu vou querer…

I want…

Eu gostaria…

I would like…

Once you finished your meal you ask for the bill…

A conta, por favor.

The bill, please.

Eu gostaria de pagar, por favor.

I would like to pay, please.

In Portuguese the waiter or waitress will bring the bill to your table. If you are eating out with a group you might get asked whether you want to pay…

Junto

Together

Separadamente

Separately

It is not really expected to tip in Portuguese restaurants, as they mentioned in the bill and on the menu that the service is included. But if you really liked the service a tip is usually 10% of the price or more if you were really satisfied. The word for tip is…

Gorjeta

Tip

That’s it for today’s lesson.

Why not check out some more lessons on Portuguese phrases next?

Até a próxima!

Tereza Pereira: Rocket Portuguese

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Reinforce your learning from this lesson with the Rocket Reinforcement activities!