Lesson 7: Getting Around

Lesson 7 of 8 · about 15 minutes

In this lesson you'll learn:

  • How to ask where something is
  • Left, right, straight ahead and other directions
  • Words for places and transport
  • What to say when you don't understand

Asking the way

Portuguese Sounds like English
Com licença, onde fica…? kohng lee-SEN-sah, OHN-djee FEE-kah Excuse me, where is…?
Onde fica o banheiro? OHN-djee FEE-kah oo bah-NYAY-roo Where's the bathroom?
Como eu chego ao centro? KOH-moo EH-oo SHAY-goo ow SEN-troo How do I get downtown?
É longe? eh LOHN-zhee Is it far?
É perto? eh PEHR-too Is it close?

Understanding directions

Portuguese Sounds like English
à direita ah djee-RAY-tah on the right, to the right
à esquerda ah ees-KEHR-dah on the left, to the left
siga reto SEE-gah HEH-too go straight ahead
vire VEE-ree turn
na esquina nah ees-KEE-nah at the corner
ao lado de ow LAH-doo djee next to
em frente a ayng FREN-tchee ah across from, in front of
aqui ah-KEE here
ali ah-LEE there

Put them together: Siga reto e vire à direita na segunda rua. Go straight ahead and turn right at the second street.

Places and transport

Portuguese Sounds like English
o aeroporto oo ah-eh-roh-POR-too the airport
a rodoviária ah hoh-doh-vee-AH-ree-ah the bus station
o ponto de ônibus oo POHN-too djee OH-nee-boos the bus stop
o ônibus oo OH-nee-boos the bus
o metrô oo meh-TROH the metro, the subway
o táxi oo TAHK-see the taxi
o hotel oo oh-TEW the hotel
a farmácia ah far-MAH-see-ah the pharmacy
o supermercado oo soo-pehr-mehr-KAH-doo the supermarket
a praia ah PRY-ah the beach
a rua ah HOO-ah the street

When you don't understand

Portuguese Sounds like English
Não entendi. nowng en-ten-DJEE I didn't understand.
Pode repetir, por favor? PAW-djee heh-peh-TCHEER, poor fah-VOHR Can you repeat that, please?
Mais devagar, por favor. mice djee-vah-GAR, poor fah-VOHR Slower, please.
Você fala inglês? voh-SAY FAH-lah een-GLAYS Do you speak English?
Estou perdido. / Estou perdida. ees-TOH pehr-DJEE-doo / ees-TOH pehr-DJEE-dah I'm lost. (said by a man / a woman)

A dialogue on the street

Who Portuguese English
You Com licença, onde fica a farmácia? Excuse me, where's the pharmacy?
Local Siga reto e vire à esquerda na segunda rua. Go straight ahead and turn left at the second street.
You É longe? Is it far?
Local Não, é perto. Uns cinco minutos a pé. No, it's close. About five minutes on foot.
You Muito obrigado! Thank you very much!
Local De nada! You're welcome!

Listen for "pra": in speech, para ("to, for") is almost always shortened to pra: Vou pra praia! (I'm going to the beach!). You'll hear it constantly.

Practice

  1. How do you ask "Where is the bus stop?"
  2. What does vire à direita mean?
  3. How do you say "I didn't understand"?
  4. How do you ask "Is it far?"
  5. How do you say "Slower, please"?
Show answers
  1. Onde fica o ponto de ônibus?
  2. Turn right.
  3. Não entendi.
  4. É longe?
  5. Mais devagar, por favor.
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