How to Say ‘Please’ in Portuguese
Se faz favor
s(uh) faz fah-VOR
[s(uh) faz fah-VOR]
🇵🇹 In Portugal: In Portugal, [se faz favor] is a very natural polite [please], especially in shops, cafés, and restaurants. [Por favor] is also fine, but [se faz favor] often sounds especially local.
Phrase Breakdown
Se
[s(uh)]
if
A conjunction meaning 'if'; in this polite expression it is part of 'please'.
Em Portugal, usa-se Se faz favor ao pedir uma reserva.
In Portugal, Se faz favor is used when asking for a reservation.
faz
[faz]
does / makes
From the verb 'fazer'; in this fixed polite phrase it helps form 'please'.
A expressão Se faz favor soa educada ao falar com o restaurante.
The expression Se faz favor sounds polite when speaking with the restaurant.
favor
[fah-VOR]
favor
A noun meaning 'favor'; in the fixed phrase 'se faz favor' it means 'please'.
Dizer Se faz favor torna o pedido mais cortês.
Saying Se faz favor makes the request more polite.
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