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How to Say ‘Have you worked in a hotel before?’ in Portuguese

Já trabalhou num hotel antes?

zhah trah-bah-LYOH noon oh-TEL AHN-tsh

[zhah trah-bah-LYOH noon oh-TEL AHN-tsh]

💬 Usage Tip: em + um becomes num: num hotel. Likewise em + uma becomes numa: numa loja "in a shop".

Phrase Breakdown

Já trabalhou

zhah trah-bah-LYOH

Have you ever worked

'Já' with the past tense means 'ever' or 'already'. 'Trabalhou' ends in 'oh': 'truh-buh-LYOH'.

Example

Já trabalhou em Lisboa?

Have you ever worked in Lisbon?

Words in this phrase

Já

[zhah]

already

Prior to a specified or implied time.

Example

Já comi meu almoço.

I have already eaten my lunch.

trabalhou

[trah-bah-LYOH]

you worked (formal)

Past tense of 'trabalhar' for 'você' or he/she.

Example

Ele trabalhou em Lisboa.

He worked in Lisbon.

num hotel antes?

noon oh-TEL AHN-tsh

in a hotel before?

'Num' is a contraction of 'em + um' (in a). 'Antes' means 'before'.

Example

Nunca fiquei num hotel antes.

I've never stayed in a hotel before.

Words in this phrase

num

[noon]

in a

Contraction of 'em' (in) + 'um' (a).

Example

Moro num apartamento.

I live in an apartment.

hotel

[oh-TEL]

hotel

A place where travellers pay to stay overnight.

Example

O hotel fica no centro.

The hotel is in the centre.

antes

[AHN-tsh]

before

Adverb/preposition of time meaning earlier than something.

Example

Chego antes das nove.

I arrive before nine.

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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