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How to Say ‘Could you possibly put a candle on the dessert?’ in Portuguese

Será que podiam pôr uma vela na sobremesa?

seh-RAH kuh poo-DEE-ow pohr OO-muh VEH-lah nah soo-breh-MEH-zah

[seh-RAH kuh poo-DEE-ow pohr OO-muh VEH-lah nah soo-breh-MEH-zah]

Phrase Breakdown

Será que podiam

seh-RAH kuh poo-DEE-ow

Could you possibly

This polite opener is common in requests. Say it in one breath.

Example

Será que podiam trazer água?

Could you possibly bring water?

Words in this phrase

Será

[seh-RAH]

(I wonder)

'Será que' introduces a polite or wondering question.

Example

Será que há mesa livre?

Is there perhaps a free table?

que

[kuh]

that

Often used in expressions like claro que sim to reinforce the statement.

Example

Acho que podemos colaborar bem.

I think that we can collaborate well.

podiam

[poo-DEE-ow]

you could

Third-person plural of 'poder' (conditional use), polite 'could you'.

Example

Podiam trazer a conta?

Could you bring the bill?

pôr uma vela

pohr OO-muh VEH-lah

put a candle

'Pôr' means 'to put', with a closed 'ô'. 'Vela' means 'candle'.

Example

Vou pôr uma vela na mesa.

I'll put a candle on the table.

Words in this phrase

pôr

[pohr]

to put

Verb meaning to put or place.

Example

Pode pôr o prato aqui.

You can put the plate here.

uma

[OO-muh]

a

Feminine singular indefinite article before 'família'.

Example

Uma empresa pode ter uma cultura muito acolhedora.

A company can have a very welcoming culture.

vela

[VEH-lah]

candle

Feminine noun for a candle.

Example

Acendi uma vela.

I lit a candle.

na sobremesa?

nah soo-breh-MEH-zah

on the dessert?

'Na' is 'em' + 'a', meaning 'on the' or 'in the'. Say 'su-bre-ME-za'.

Example

Há fruta na sobremesa?

Is there fruit in the dessert?

Words in this phrase

na

[nah]

in the; on the (feminine singular)

Contraction of “em” + “a” = “na”. Used for locations: “na máquina”, “na estação”.

Example

Na estação, tens uma máquina para comprar bilhetes.

At the station, you have a machine to buy tickets.

sobremesa

[soo-breh-MEH-zah]

dessert

Feminine noun for dessert.

Example

Queria ver a sobremesa.

I'd like to see the dessert.

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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