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How to Say ‘What will it be?’ in Portuguese

O que vai ser?

oh keh vye sehr

[oh keh vye sehr]

💬 Usage Tip: vai ser "is going to be" works like English "going to": a form of ir plus a plain verb. Swap in others: vai beber "going to drink".

Phrase Breakdown

O que

oh keh

What

'O que' means 'what'. Say it as one unit: 'oo keh'.

Example

O que é isto?

What is this?

Words in this phrase

[oh]

what

Used to refer to a thing or things previously mentioned or easily identified.

Example

O que é isso?

What is this?

que

[keh]

what (a)

Used in exclamations to express emphasis.

Example

Que jogo!

What a game!

vai ser?

vye sehr

will it be?

'Vai ser' means 'is going to be'. Waiters use 'O que vai ser?' to ask what you'd like to order.

Example

Vai ser difícil.

It's going to be difficult.

Words in this phrase

vai

[vye]

is going to / will

Form of 'ir' used with an infinitive to talk about the future.

Example

Ela vai beber água.

She is going to drink water.

ser

[sehr]

Existence or state of being.

Example

Isso pode ser verdade.

That might be true.

Guides for Portuguese learners

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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