Whether you’re talking to someone in Brazil, or you’ve got a few friends from Portugal you’d love to chat with in their native language, we’re about to cover what might just be the essential conversation starter: a simple hello.
There are lots of different ways to say “Hello,” “Hi” and “How are you?” in Portuguese, and I’m here to teach you all of them.
Naturally, we want you to feel confident with other greetings so you can have some authentic language exchanges. So, before we teach you the basics, here are a few tips that’ll help you throughout your studies.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
How to Learn to Say Hello in Portuguese
If you want to revise your “hellos,” “goodbyes” and “how are yous” before you practice with another person, here are our top recommendations:
1. Prep yourself
If you want to memorize these essential words and phrases, flashcards are really good option. Getting started is quite easy too: this collection from Quizlet will point you in the right direction, otherwise just power up an app like Anki to create your own.
2. Test yourself
Even at the most basic level, testing your knowledge on a regular basis will help you learn and assess your strengths and weaknesses.
You could enter each greeting through an online dictionary like Forvo or Linguee to hear it spoken in the dialect you’re learning. Play it back a few times and repeat it back to yourself; this allows you to practice your Portuguese pronunciation as much as it helps you commit your greetings to memory.
Another way to test your knowledge is through online games. For instance, Digital Dialects has one for basic phrases in Brazilian and European Portuguese that covers essential greetings and allows you to listen to audio.
3. Get out of your comfort zone-online and offline!
If you’re feeling a bit shy, start with some online interactions. You can easily connect with Portuguese speakers through language exchange apps like HelloTalk or Speaky.
For offline exchanges, social media can offer some good leads: you could look for Facebook groups for Portuguese speakers and learners in your area and ask them if there are any exchange meetups coming up. You could even offer to organize your own! Otherwise, take a look at Meetup and see if there are any Portuguese language exchanges happening near you.
Wherever possible, we’ve included audio links for the words or phrases listed below; just click on them to hear them in the dialect you’re learning.
How to Say “Hello” or “Hi” in Portuguese: The Basics
Used by European and Brazilian Portuguese speakers alike, Ola is a slightly more formal way of saying hello, and the safest option when you’re greeting someone you don’t know very well.
How to respond: A simple Ola back to the person will suffice. You can also say hello and immediately ask the other person how they are-the phrases you’ll need in order to do this will be covered later in this post.
A casual, informal way to say “hi” in Portuguese. It’s primarily used in Brazil, but you’ll sometimes hear it in Portugal too.
A common, slightly more formal way to greet people in Portugal: Viva, amigos! would be like saying “hello, my friends.” The word viva is literally translated as “live” or “long live” (as in “long live the king”- viva o rei), but the Portuguese use it as a way to wish good health to the person being greeted.
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