How to Say ‘For starters, please.’ in Portuguese
Para começar, por favor.
PAH-ruh koh-meh-SAR poor fuh-VOR
[PAH-ruh koh-meh-SAR poor fuh-VOR]
🇵🇹 In Portugal: This is the kind of thing you say while ordering, meaning [as a starter]. On its own it's fine in context, often with a gesture to the menu item you want.
Phrase Breakdown
Para
[PAH-ruh]
to / for
Preposition used here to mean to, in the sense of to begin.
Para começar, por favor, queria uma sopa.
To start, please, I would like a soup.
começar
[koh-meh-SAR]
begin / start
Infinitive verb meaning to begin or start.
Para começar, por favor, traga pão e azeitonas.
To start, please, bring bread and olives.
por
[poor]
by / for
Part of por favor, the standard polite word for please.
Para começar, por favor, uma salada.
To start, please, a salad.
favor
[fuh-VOR]
favor / kindness
Used in por favor to make a request polite.
Para começar, por favor, quero partilhar uma entrada.
To start, please, I want to share a starter.
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