Basic Nouns

1. a água

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water; works with pointing

   Grammar Note

   Feminine noun; sparkling water is "água com gás"

2. a comida

   Food

   Usage

   The general word when you are looking for something to eat

   Grammar Note

   Feminine noun; a meal is "a refeição"

3. o dinheiro

   Money

   Usage

   Comes up when paying or changing currency

   Grammar Note

   Masculine noun; change is "o troco"

4. a casa de banho

   Toilet

   Usage

   The word alone is enough to ask for directions

   Grammar Note

   Feminine noun; Brazil uses "o banheiro" (masculine)

5. o lenço de papel

   Tissue

   Usage

   For asking at a shop or a diner

   Grammar Note

   Masculine noun; "lenço" alone means a cloth handkerchief

6. o remédio

   Medicine

   Usage

   The core word at a pharmacy, paired with your symptom

   Grammar Note

   Masculine noun; the pharmacy is "a farmácia" (feminine)

7. a bagagem

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking in, picking up, or storing bags

   Grammar Note

   Feminine and uncountable; one suitcase is "a mala"

8. a chave

   Key

   Usage

   For collecting or returning it at hotel reception

   Grammar Note

   Feminine noun; plural "as chaves"

9. o bilhete

   Ticket

   Usage

   The base word for transport and admission tickets

   Grammar Note

   Masculine noun; Brazil also uses "a passagem" for transport

10. o passaporte

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at every check-in and border control

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun despite the "-e" ending

11. o telefone

    Phone

    Usage

    Refers to the device and to making a call

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; a mobile is "o telemóvel" in Portugal, "o celular" in Brazil

12. o carregador

    Charger

    Usage

    When you want to borrow one at a hotel or café

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; tool names in "-dor" are usually masculine

13. a estação

    Station

    Usage

    The easiest landmark to name when asking directions

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun — all "-ção" nouns are. Plural "as estações"

14. o hospital

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; plural "os hospitais"

15. a polícia

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; the word alone gets help

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun for the force; an individual officer takes either article

16. a loja

    Shop

    Usage

    The general word when hunting for somewhere to buy things

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun; a big one is "o supermercado"

17. o quarto

    Room

    Usage

    For negotiating a stay or confirming a room number

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun for a hotel room; the same word also means "fourth"

18. a rua

    Street

    Usage

    Used when asking directions, often over a map

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun for a street; an out-of-town road is "a estrada"

19. a família

    Family

    Usage

    Comes up in small talk about who you are travelling with

    Grammar Note

    Feminine noun; the stress falls on the "í"

20. o nome

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

    Grammar Note

    Masculine noun; surname is "o apelido" in Portugal, "o sobrenome" in Brazil

21. a cabeça

    Head

    Usage

    Show where it hurts; point at your own head as you hold up the card

22. o olho

    Eye

    Usage

    Point here for eye trouble; both eyes is "os olhos"

23. o dente

    Tooth

    Usage

    Point here for toothache; a dentist is "o dentista"

24. a garganta

    Throat

    Usage

    Point here for a sore throat; the outside of the neck is a different word, "o pescoço"

25. a barriga

    Belly / stomach area

    Usage

    The everyday word for the belly; say "o estômago" if you mean the stomach organ

26. as costas

    Back

    Usage

    Point here for back pain; the word is always plural in Portuguese

27. a região lombar

    Lower back

    Usage

    Portuguese has no single word for the Japanese "koshi"; this names the lumbar area. Colloquially people say "dor nas costas" or "dor nos rins"

28. a perna

    Leg

    Usage

    The leg; the foot is a separate word, "o pé", so point at the exact spot as well

29. o pé

    Foot

    Usage

    The foot only; the whole leg is "a perna"

30. a mão

    Hand

    Usage

    The hand; both hands is "as mãos"

31. o peito

    Chest

    Usage

    Point here for chest pain; keep it to the rib cage. The clinical word is "o tórax"

32. o hotel

    Hotel

    Usage

    Show it to a taxi driver as your destination; the same word in Portugal and Brazil

33. o aeroporto

    Airport

    Usage

    Show it as a destination; the same spelling appears on road signs

34. o ponto de ônibus

    Bus stop

    Usage

    Ask where the bus stop is (Brazil); Portugal and Lusophone Africa say "a paragem de autocarro", and the bus itself is "o autocarro"

35. o metrô

    Subway / metro

    Usage

    Look for a metro station (Brazilian spelling); Portugal writes "o metro" without the accent. A mainline train is "o trem" (BR) / "o comboio" (PT)

36. a embaixada

    Embassy

    Usage

    Show it as a destination after losing a passport; a consulate is "o consulado"

37. o caixa eletrônico

    ATM

    Usage

    Ask where an ATM is (Brazilian spelling); Portugal says "o multibanco" or "a caixa automática"

38. a casa de câmbio

    Currency exchange

    Usage

    Look for a bureau de change; the shop sign is often just the single word "CÂMBIO"

39. a lavanderia

    Laundromat

    Usage

    Look for somewhere to do laundry (Brazilian spelling); Portugal writes "a lavandaria". Self-service is "lavanderia self-service"

40. o carro de bombeiros

    Fire engine

    Usage

    For asking that a fire engine be sent, or describing what is happening at a fire; Brazil also writes "o carro de bombeiro" or "o caminhão de bombeiro"

41. o consulado

    Consulate

    Usage

    Your destination if your passport is lost or you are in trouble; glossed as the office where the consul and staff deal with the public. An embassy is "a embaixada"

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