Food & Drinks

1. A ementa, por favor

   The menu, please

   Usage

   Ask for the menu at a restaurant (European Portuguese)

   Grammar Note

   Portugal uses "ementa"; Brazil uses "cardápio". "A" is the feminine definite article

2. Queria um galão, por favor

   I'd like a galão (milky coffee), please

   Usage

   Order Portugal's signature milky coffee drink at a café

   Grammar Note

   "Queria" is the imperfect of querer used for polite requests. Galão is a tall, milky espresso

3. A conta, por favor

   The bill, please

   Usage

   Ask for the bill at a restaurant or café

   Grammar Note

   "Conta" means bill/account and is feminine. "A" is the definite article

4. Está delicioso!

   It's delicious!

   Usage

   Express that food is delicious — a great compliment to the cook

   Grammar Note

   In Portuguese, food taste uses "estar." "Que saboroso!" (how tasty!) is another expression

5. Tem mesa para dois?

   Do you have a table for two?

   Usage

   Ask for a table at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Tem" is third person of ter (to have). Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal) uses third person for polite "you" too

6. Queria uma dose de bacalhau à brás

   I would like a portion of bacalhau à brás

   Usage

   Order one of Portugal's most beloved bacalhau (salt cod) dishes

   Grammar Note

   Bacalhau has allegedly 365 recipes in Portugal. "À brás" is one of the most popular preparations

7. Não como carne

   I don't eat meat

   Usage

   Inform a restaurant that you don't eat meat

   Grammar Note

   "Como" is first person of comer (to eat). Swap "carne" with "peixe" (fish) or "glúten" (gluten)

8. Tem prato do dia?

   Do you have a dish of the day?

   Usage

   Ask about the daily special at a Portuguese restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Do" = de + o (preposition + masculine article). "Prato" (plate/dish) is masculine

9. Pode trazer mais pão, por favor?

   Could you bring more bread, please?

   Usage

   Ask for more bread during a meal — very common in Portuguese restaurants

   Grammar Note

   Portuguese restaurants often bring bread and olives automatically, but they may be charged

10. Onde fica a casa de banho?

    Where is the restroom?

    Usage

    Ask where the restroom is in a restaurant or café (European Portuguese)

    Grammar Note

    Portugal uses "casa de banho" (bath house). Brazil uses "banheiro" for restroom

11. o arroz

    Rice (cooked)

    Usage

    Ask for rice with a meal; the same word covers uncooked rice, so it reads as cooked rice inside an eatery

12. o pão

    Bread

    Usage

    Ask for bread, or check for wheat; a bread roll is "pão francês" in Brazil and "papo-seco" in Portugal

13. o macarrão

    Noodles / pasta

    Usage

    Covers noodles and pasta in Brazil; Portugal says "a massa", where "macarrão" means macaroni only

14. picante

    Spicy (hot)

    Usage

    Chilli heat only — temperature "hot" is "quente". Show "não picante" to ask for it mild

15. doce

    Sweet

    Usage

    The adjective for sweet taste; as a noun the same word means a dessert, so tell it apart from a menu heading. "Pouco doce" asks for less sugar

16. cru

    Raw (uncooked)

    Usage

    Check whether something is cooked; the feminine form is "crua", and "bem passado" asks for it well done

17. a sopa

    Soup

    Usage

    Order soup; the same word in Portugal and Brazil

18. a fruta

    Fruit

    Usage

    Fruit as food; "o fruto" is the botanical term, so use "a fruta" when you mean something to eat

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