Basic greetings: Common greetings

💬 In Portugal, the unstressed [o] in [Olá] is very weak, so it often sounds closer to (uh-LAH) than a full [o]. The stress is on the last part: [lá].

💬 [estás] is the [tu] form of [estar], so this is the informal way to ask one person how they are. Swap in the formal version with [Como está?].

🇵🇹 Use this with friends, family, children, or people you've already moved to [tu] with. With strangers in Portugal, [Como está?] is usually safer.

🇵🇹 In Portugal, [Adeus] can sound more final than English "bye," especially in everyday casual situations. Locals often use [tchau] or [até logo] instead.

💬 [te] shows this is the informal [tu] version: literally "how do you call yourself?" For formal speech, you'll hear [Como se chama?].

🇵🇹 This is normal with someone you'd address as [tu]. For a stranger, especially older adults or in service situations, [Como se chama?] is more polite.

💬 [meu] changes to match the thing owned: [o meu nome], but [a minha casa]. The little word before it changes too: [o]/[a].

💬 [em] + [o] becomes [no], so you'll also see [Prazer no conhecer]. Here, [conhecê-lo] means "to meet you," with [lo] attached to the verb.

🇵🇹 This is the standard greeting through the morning in Portugal. You can use it in both formal and informal situations.

🇵🇹 Use [Boa tarde] from after lunch until evening. It works with strangers, shops, offices, and friends alike.