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How to Say ‘What's the dish of the day?’ in Portuguese

Qual é o prato do dia?

kwahl eh oo PRAH-too doo DEE-ah

[kwahl eh oo PRAH-too doo DEE-ah]

🇵🇹 In Portugal: The prato do dia is the go-to lunch order. It's a cheap set dish, often bundled with soup, a drink and coffee as a menu "set lunch deal".

Phrase Breakdown

Qual é

kwahl eh

what is / which is

Link the two words: 'kwa-LÉ'. The 'é' is open and stressed.

Example

Qual é o teu nome?

What is your name?

Words in this phrase

Qual

[kwahl]

what / which

Question word; used before 'é' to ask 'what is' about a specific property.

Example

Qual é o teu nome?

What is your name?

[eh]

Form of the verb 'ser' used to identify or state something.

Example

É meu interesse conhecer melhor a empresa.

It is my interest to get to know the company better.

o prato do dia?

oo PRAH-too doo DEE-ah

the dish of the day?

This is the daily special at a restaurant. Let your voice fall at the end, as is usual for a 'qual' question.

Example

Gosto do prato do dia.

I like the dish of the day.

Words in this phrase

[oo]

the

A masculine singular definite article used before nouns.

Example

O prazer de participar foi grande.

The pleasure of taking part was great.

prato

[PRAH-too]

dish

A plate, or a dish of food on a menu.

Example

Este prato é delicioso.

This dish is delicious.

[doo]

of the

Contraction of 'de' + 'o'; 'precisar de' means to need.

Example

Gosto do metro.

I like the metro.

dia

[DEE-ah]

day

A common noun meaning 'day'; it can refer to a calendar day or daily life in expressions.

Example

No dia da feira de carreiras, perguntei sobre o ambiente de trabalho.

On the day of the careers fair, I asked about the work environment.

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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