Travelling to Portugal? Start with bom dia (good morning), obrigado / obrigada (thank you), por favor (please), desculpe (excuse me), onde fica…? (where is…?) and quanto custa? (how much does it cost?). These European Portuguese expressions help visitors ask directions, order food, buy tickets and communicate politely in Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, Faro and smaller towns.
This guide focuses on Portuguese as spoken in Portugal, not Brazilian Portuguese. The two varieties are closely related and mutually intelligible, but pronunciation and everyday vocabulary differ. In Portugal, you will commonly see comboio for train and autocarro for bus; in Brazil, trem and ônibus are the usual words. The difference matters when reading local signs or asking for transport.
Quick read: Greet with bom dia or boa tarde, use obrigado if you are a man and obrigada if you are a woman, and say queria… for a polite request. Learn comboio, autocarro, bilhete and estação. Keep your complete accommodation address ready and check current train, bus and attraction information before departure.
22 useful European Portuguese travel phrases
| English meaning | Portuguese (Portugal) | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Olá | Friendly greeting |
| Good morning | Bom dia | Morning greeting |
| Good afternoon | Boa tarde | Afternoon greeting |
| Good evening / good night | Boa noite | Evening greeting |
| Goodbye | Adeus / Até logo | Farewell / see you later |
| Thank you | Obrigado (man) / Obrigada (woman) | Thank someone |
| Please | Por favor | Make a polite request |
| Excuse me / sorry | Desculpe | Get attention politely or apologise |
| You’re welcome | De nada | Respond to thanks |
| Where is…? | Onde fica…? | Find a place |
| Where is the station? | Onde fica a estação? | Find a station |
| How much does it cost? | Quanto custa? | Ask a price |
| I would like… | Queria… | Order or request politely |
| I don’t understand | Não percebo | Explain confusion |
| Can you speak English? | Fala inglês? | Ask rather than assume |
| Please speak more slowly | Pode falar mais devagar? | Ask for slower speech |
| One ticket, please | Um bilhete, por favor | Begin a ticket purchase |
| Return ticket | Bilhete de ida e volta | Ask about an outward and return ticket |
| Train | Comboio | Rail travel |
| Bus / coach | Autocarro / expresso | Local bus or express coach |
| Restroom | Casa de banho | Find facilities |
| Pharmacy | Farmácia | Find a pharmacy |
Portuguese in Portugal is not identical to Portuguese in Brazil
The most important travel distinction is the vocabulary you will actually see. In Portugal, a train is a comboio, while in Brazil it is commonly called a trem. A bus is an autocarro in Portugal and an ônibus in Brazil. A bathroom or restroom is often casa de banho in Portugal, while banheiro is common in Brazil.
Pronunciation differs too. European Portuguese often reduces unstressed vowels more strongly than Brazilian Portuguese, which can make spoken words sound quite different to a learner who has studied Brazilian audio. Use Portugal-based audio when practising and keep the written Portuguese phrase on your phone.
The first greeting: bom dia, boa tarde and boa noite
Start with bom dia in the morning, boa tarde in the afternoon and boa noite in the evening. These simple greetings are useful when entering a small shop, café or visitor office. Use desculpe to approach a stranger politely, then ask your question. A courteous opening makes the conversation easier.
There is a gender distinction in the common thank-you form: a man says obrigado, and a woman says obrigada. Both mean thank you. If you are unsure, listen to local speakers and practise the form that applies to you.
Trains and buses: comboio, autocarro and bilhete
Portugal has intercity rail, regional trains, urban rail, buses and express coaches. The useful words are comboio (train), autocarro (bus), expresso (express coach), estação (station), horário (timetable) and bilhete (ticket). They help you understand the service, but the ticket still needs checking.
When purchasing a train ticket, confirm the departure station, destination, date, time, service and ticket conditions. In a city with several stations, do not rely only on the city name. For a bus, confirm the correct terminal and route number. A return ticket is called bilhete de ida e volta. Check whether the fare is flexible and which return conditions apply.
- Match the ticket to the exact station or bus terminal.
- Check the departure time and service number on the current display.
- Confirm whether a connection requires changing stations or terminals.
- Read the ticket’s date, route and refund conditions.
- Keep your ticket accessible for inspection.
Finding your way: onde fica and the basic direction words
Use onde fica…? to ask where a place is. To ask how to reach it, como se vai para…? is useful. Siga em frente means go straight ahead, vire à direita means turn right, and vire à esquerda means turn left. Combine the phrase with an exact place name or show the address on your phone.
The official Visit Portugal phrase list includes practical questions about finding a taxi rank, tourist office, hospital, pharmacy and bus to the centre. It also gives phrases for asking how long a journey takes and for requesting a return ticket. These are useful because they connect a word to an immediate action rather than leaving it as a vocabulary item to memorise.
At a café or restaurant: queria is a useful request
Use queria… as a polite way to say ‘I would like…’. For example: Queria um café, por favor. means ‘I would like a coffee, please.’ To ask for the bill, say a conta, por favor. If a menu item is unfamiliar, ask what it contains rather than relying only on a photograph or translation.
Portugal’s food culture varies by region. Fish, seafood, meat, vegetables, pastries and local specialities appear in different forms. If you have a serious allergy, prepare a complete Portuguese statement naming the specific allergen and any cross-contact concern. Ask staff to check with the kitchen; a phrase such as ‘I do not eat fish’ is not a substitute for an allergy explanation.
Shopping, prices and payment
Quanto custa? asks how much something costs. Ask about the unit if you are buying food by weight or purchasing several items. Posso pagar com cartão? means can I pay by card? Check the total displayed and any extra charges before confirming a transaction.
An ATM is commonly called a multibanco in Portugal. You may also see the word on banking and payment infrastructure. When withdrawing cash, use a reputable machine in a well-lit public location and read the screen carefully, especially if it offers currency conversion. Check your bank’s fees and the amount you are confirming.
Hotels, accommodation and local addresses
Show the full accommodation name and address, including the street number, locality and postcode. The name of a hotel chain is not enough if there are several branches. At check-in, display the booking name, date, guest count and confirmation reference. If the booking cannot be found, check the property and date first.
In older town centres, narrow streets, steep hills and pedestrian areas may make vehicle access difficult. Confirm the practical taxi drop-off point with the accommodation. Use the written address rather than asking a driver to find a broad neighbourhood or an attraction with a similar name.
A five-day Portugal vocabulary routine
- Day 1: practise bom dia, boa tarde, obrigado/obrigada, por favor and desculpe.
- Day 2: learn comboio, autocarro, estação, bilhete and horário.
- Day 3: save your hotel address and ask onde fica…? using the real destination.
- Day 4: practise ordering with queria and asking for a conta.
- Day 5: ask a fare, request a return ticket and check the final price and conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Should I learn Brazilian or European Portuguese for Portugal?
Learn European Portuguese for a visit to Portugal. The varieties are related, but some common words and pronunciation differ.
What is the Portuguese word for train in Portugal?
Comboio. The word trem is more commonly used in Brazil.
What is the word for bus in Portugal?
Autocarro. In Brazil, ônibus is the usual term.
How do I say thank you?
A man commonly says obrigado and a woman commonly says obrigada.
How do I ask for a return ticket?
Ask for um bilhete de ida e volta, then confirm the route, dates and ticket conditions.
Continue exploring Portugal
Read things to do when visiting Portugal and Portugal travel experiences. For more place-specific vocabulary, use the world travel vocabulary city directory.
Official references
- Visit Portugal: useful phrases — greetings, directions, transport, shopping and common visitor situations.
- Visit Portugal — official destination information and travel planning.
- Singapore MFA: travelling overseas — traveller preparation and consular guidance.
Language note: This guide uses European Portuguese. Pronunciation and usage vary, and Brazilian Portuguese may use different vocabulary. Check current rail, coach, attraction, border and payment information with the relevant official provider. Editorial review: 3 November 2026.