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How to Say ‘Can I ask you a question?’ in Portuguese

Posso fazer-te uma pergunta?

POH-soo fa-ZEHR-tuh OO-muh pehr-GOON-tah

[POH-soo fa-ZEHR-tuh OO-muh pehr-GOON-tah]

💬 Usage Tip: Portuguese says "make a question" (fazer uma pergunta), not "ask a question". The -te "to you" is the informal form. With someone you call você, say fazer-lhe instead.

Phrase Breakdown

Posso fazer-te

POH-soo fa-ZEHR-tuh

Can I ask you

'Posso' means 'I can / may'. 'Fazer-te' is 'to make/do for you' and is used informally (tu). In Portugal the 'e' in 'fazer-te' is nearly silent: 'fa-ZER-t'.

Example

Posso fazer-te um café?

Can I make you a coffee?

Words in this phrase

Posso

[POH-soo]

can I

First person of 'poder'; used to ask permission.

Example

Posso sentar-me aqui?

Can I sit here?

fazer-te

[fa-ZEHR-tuh]

to ask you / to do to you

Verb 'fazer' (to do/make) with the informal object pronoun 'te' attached; 'fazer uma pergunta' means to ask a question.

Example

Quero fazer-te um convite.

I want to give you an invitation.

uma pergunta?

OO-muh pehr-GOON-tah

a question?

'Pergunta' is 'question'. The stress falls on 'GUN'. Raise your voice at the end to make it a question.

Example

Tenho uma pergunta.

I have a question.

Words in this phrase

uma

[OO-muh]

Feminine singular indefinite article before 'família'.

Example

Uma empresa pode ter uma cultura muito acolhedora.

A company can have a very welcoming culture.

pergunta

[pehr-GOON-tah]

question

Feminine noun; 'fazer uma pergunta' means to ask a question.

Example

Tenho uma pergunta sobre o salário.

I have a question about the salary.

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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