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.