The airport and the first taxi are where travel nerves peak, so these Portuguese travel phrases are built for exactly those moments. From immigration to grabbing a ride to finding your way around, here is the practical language to move through Brazil with confidence, even if it is your first time and your Portuguese is brand new.
At the airport and immigration
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| Onde fica o portão de embarque…? | Where is the boarding gate…? |
| Onde fica a esteira de bagagem? | Where is the baggage claim? |
| Estou aqui a turismo | I’m here for tourism |
| Vou ficar duas semanas | I’m staying two weeks |
| Perdi minha conexão | I missed my connection |
| Minha mala não chegou | My bag didn’t arrive |
Taxis and ride apps
Apps like Uber and 99 are widely used and take the language pressure off, since the address is typed in. For a street taxi, these help. Always agree the ride is on the meter (no taxímetro) or by app price.
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| Pode me levar para este endereço? | Can you take me to this address? |
| Quanto custa até o centro? | How much to downtown? |
| É no taxímetro? | Is it on the meter? |
| Pode parar aqui, por favor | You can stop here, please |
Buses, metro and directions
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| Qual ônibus vai para…? | Which bus goes to…? |
| Onde fica a estação de metrô? | Where is the metro station? |
| Este ônibus passa no centro? | Does this bus go downtown? |
| Onde eu compro a passagem? | Where do I buy the ticket? |
| Vira à direita / à esquerda | Turn right / left |
| É longe daqui? | Is it far from here? |
| Estou perdido / perdida | I’m lost (man / woman) |
One tip that saves you
Pair it with pode repetir mais devagar? (can you repeat more slowly?) and you can navigate almost anything. Once you are settled, the restaurant phrases get you fed.
The airport and the first ride are the scariest ten minutes of any trip. A few phrases make them smooth.
The takeaway
Learn onde fica…? and keep your address handy, and print the free 101-phrase travel guide to carry through the terminal. When you are ready to move past phrases and actually speak, the Survival Kit below builds your everyday spoken Portuguese with audio.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Portuguese to get around Brazil?
English is limited outside big tourist areas, so a few phrases go a long way. Ride apps help a lot, and onde fica...? plus your hotel address written down covers most situations.
Are taxis or ride apps better in Brazil?
Ride apps (Uber, 99) are popular, cashless and take the language stress off since you type the address. Street taxis are fine too, just confirm the meter (no taxímetro).
How do I ask for directions in Portuguese?
Onde fica...? (where is...?) is the key phrase, plus à direita (right) and à esquerda (left). More in the travel phrases guide.
Written by Rafael
Rafael has helped hundreds of learners drop the textbook stiffness and speak the way Brazilians actually do. Say oi →
Written by Rafael, Brazilian Portuguese teacher. Questions or a phrase you want covered?Say oi →
Written to help you sound like yourself, not a textbook. See the method behind the blog.
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