🙏🪑

How to Say ‘Please have a seat.’ in Portuguese

Faça favor de se sentar.

FAH-sa fah-VOR deh suh sen-TAR

[FAH-sa fah-VOR deh suh sen-TAR]

💬 Usage Tip: Faça favor de plus an action is a polite way to say "please do this". Swap the end: Faça favor de esperar "Please wait".

🇵🇹 In Portugal: This is a very Portuguese courtesy formula, polite without being stiff. Interviewers, receptionists and shop staff say it all the time.

Phrase Breakdown

Faça favor

FAH-sa fah-VOR

Please

This is a polite expression. Here it is followed by 'de' and an infinitive.

Example

Faça favor de esperar.

Please wait.

Words in this phrase

Faça

[FAH-sa]

do / make (polite command)

Formal command form of 'fazer'; with 'favor' it means 'here you go' or 'please go ahead'.

Example

Faça o favor de entrar.

Please come in.

favor

[fah-VOR]

favour

Noun meaning favour; used in polite phrases for 'please'.

Example

Faz-me um favor?

Can you do me a favour?

de se sentar.

deh suh sen-TAR

sit down.

'Sentar-se' is reflexive. After 'de', the pronoun 'se' goes before the verb. Say 'duh suh sen-TAR'.

Example

Pode se sentar ali.

You can sit over there.

Words in this phrase

[deh]

(no direct translation)

Preposition linking 'importar-se' to the following verb.

Example

Importa-se de esperar?

Do you mind waiting?

[suh]

(reflexive) yourself

Reflexive pronoun in 'importar-se' (to mind).

Example

Importa-se de esperar?

Do you mind waiting?

sentar

[sen-TAR]

to sit

Infinitive verb; with 'se' it means to sit down.

Example

Vou sentar-me aqui.

I'm going to sit here.

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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