Basic phrases for learners: Basic Phrases

🇵🇹 With strangers in Portugal, people are more likely to ask more indirectly, like [Fala inglês?] or [Fala inglês, por favor?], than use an explicit [tu]. It's normal and not rude.

💬 European Portuguese often uses [a] + the verb for ongoing actions: [aprender] becomes [a aprender]. The same pattern shows up in [estou a estudar] for "I'm studying."

💬 In Portugal, "I am learning" is usually [estou a aprender], not the Brazilian-style [estou aprendendo]. You can reuse this with other verbs: [estou a estudar], [estou a tentar].

💬 [não] is the usual way to make a sentence negative, and it goes before the verb: [não entendo], [não sei]. Its [ão] sound is nasal, not like English "now."

🇵🇹 This is polite and natural with strangers, staff, or anyone speaking too fast. Adding [por favor] makes it a little softer if needed.

💬 [fale] here is the polite/request form of [falar], so it works for "speak ..." when asking someone to do something. You'll see the same shape in [desculpe] and [espere].

🇵🇹 This can sound a bit direct on its own, so learners often soften it with [por favor]. It's fine in real situations, especially if you're struggling to follow.