🏞️😍

How to Say ‘They have a lovely terrace.’ in Portuguese

Têm uma esplanada gira.

tehm OO-muh shplah-NAH-dah ZHEE-rah

[tehm OO-muh shplah-NAH-dah ZHEE-rah]

💬 Usage Tip: Gira is everyday slang in Portugal for 'nice' or 'cute', with giro for masculine nouns. Têm (with the hat) means 'they have', while tem means 'he/she has'.

🇵🇹 In Portugal: An esplanada is the outdoor seating of a café or bar. On a warm evening, Portuguese colleagues will almost always pick a spot with one.

Phrase Breakdown

Têm uma esplanada

tehm OO-muh shplah-NAH-dah

They have an outdoor terrace

'Têm' (they have) is a nasal sound, like 'TAY-ang-ay'. 'Esplanada' is a café's outdoor seating area. The first 'e' is almost silent: 'shpla-NAH-da'.

Example

O café tem uma esplanada.

The café has a terrace.

Words in this phrase

Têm

[tehm]

have

Present tense of possession or relation.

Example

Eles têm um carro.

They have a car.

uma

[OO-muh]

Feminine singular indefinite article before 'família'.

Example

Uma empresa pode ter uma cultura muito acolhedora.

A company can have a very welcoming culture.

esplanada

[shplah-NAH-dah]

terrace / outdoor seating

The outdoor seating area of a café or restaurant.

Example

Jantamos na esplanada.

We dine on the terrace.

gira.

ZHEE-rah

nice / cute.

'Gira' is a very common informal word in Portugal for 'nice' or 'pretty'. The 'g' sounds like the 's' in 'measure': 'ZHEE-ra'.

Example

Que casa gira!

What a lovely house!

Words in this phrase

gira

[ZHEE-rah]

cute / cool (feminine)

Feminine form of 'giro', used with feminine nouns.

Example

A tua saia é muito gira.

Your skirt is really cute.

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.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lisbon with zero Portuguese and honestly thought I’d be pointing at menus forever. Three weeks in and I’m having real conversations with my landlord.”

Priya N., 35, Freelance Designer

“I tried five different apps before this one. The roleplay conversations are what finally made things click. I actually remember what I learn now.”

Sofia R., 31, Marketing Manager

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer