100 Most Common Portuguese Words for English Speakers
Master the 100 most essential Portuguese words. Build your foundation for communicating with your Portuguese-speaking partner.
Learning the most common words builds your foundation for real communication. Whether you are chatting with your partner's family or navigating daily life in Brazil or Portugal, these 100 essential Portuguese words will help you understand and be understood. Each cluster below groups words by theme so you can study them in context.
Basic Words (1-20)
These pronouns, articles, and connectors are the glue of every Portuguese sentence. Pay special attention to tu vs. você: in Portugal, tu is informal, while in Brazil, você is the everyday choice.
- eu (eh-oo) - I — Eu te amo. (I love you.)
- tu/você (too/voh-SEH) - you — Você é incrível. (You are amazing.)
- ele (EH-leh) - he
- ela (EH-lah) - she
- nós (nohsh) - we — Nós somos felizes. (We are happy.)
- sim (seem) - yes
- não (now) - no — also used to negate verbs: Não sei. (I don't know.)
- e (ee) - and
- de (deh) - of, from — contracts with articles: do, da, dos, das
- em (ehm) - in — contracts with articles: no, na, nos, nas
- que (keh) - that, what
- é (eh) - is (from ser)
- um/uma (oom/OO-mah) - a, an (masculine/feminine)
- o/a (oo/ah) - the (masculine/feminine)
- com (kohm) - with
- para (PAH-rah) - for
- por (pohr) - by, through
- mas (mahsh) - but
- como (KOH-moo) - how, like
- mais (mahysh) - more
Common Verbs (21-40)
Portuguese has two verbs for "to be": ser for permanent traits (Ele é brasileiro – He is Brazilian) and estar for temporary states (Ela está feliz – She is happy). Mixing them up is the most common beginner mistake.
- ser (sehr) - to be (permanent) — Ela é linda. (She is beautiful.)
- estar (esh-TAHR) - to be (temporary) — Estou cansado. (I am tired.)
- ter (tehr) - to have — Eu tenho saudades. (I miss you.)
- fazer (fah-ZEHR) - to do, make — O que vamos fazer? (What shall we do?)
- poder (poh-DEHR) - can — Posso te ajudar? (Can I help you?)
- dizer (dee-ZEHR) - to say
- ir (eer) - to go — Vamos! (Let's go!)
- ver (vehr) - to see
- dar (dahr) - to give
- saber (sah-BEHR) - to know (facts) — contrast with conhecer (to know people/places)
- querer (keh-REHR) - to want — Eu quero ficar com você. (I want to be with you.)
- vir (veer) - to come
- levar (leh-VAHR) - to take, carry
- dever (deh-VEHR) - must, should
- pôr (pohr) - to put
- encontrar (ehn-kohn-TRAHR) - to find, meet
- falar (fah-LAHR) - to speak — Você fala português? (Do you speak Portuguese?)
- amar (ah-MAHR) - to love
- ficar (fee-KAHR) - to stay — also means "to become" or, colloquially in Brazil, "to hook up"
- pensar (pehn-SAHR) - to think
Time & Place (41-55)
Knowing when and where things happen lets you make plans confidently. Try combining these: Onde vamos amanhã? (Where are we going tomorrow?)
- agora (ah-GOH-rah) - now — Quero te ver agora. (I want to see you now.)
- hoje (OH-zheh) - today
- amanhã (ah-mah-NYAH) - tomorrow
- ontem (OHN-tehm) - yesterday
- sempre (SEHM-preh) - always — Sempre te amarei. (I will always love you.)
- nunca (NOON-kah) - never
- aqui (ah-KEE) - here
- ali (ah-LEE) - there
- quando (KWAHN-doo) - when
- onde (OHN-deh) - where — Onde você mora? (Where do you live?)
- tempo (TEHM-poo) - time (general) / weather
- dia (DEE-ah) - day
- noite (NOY-teh) - night — Boa noite! (Good night!)
- ano (AH-noo) - year
- vez (vehsh) - time (instance) — outra vez (once more)
People & Things (56-70)
- homem (OH-mehm) - man
- mulher (moo-LYEHR) - woman
- criança (kree-AHN-sah) - child
- vida (VEE-dah) - life
- casa (KAH-zah) - house
- mundo (MOON-doo) - world
- país (pah-EESH) - country
- trabalho (trah-BAH-lyoo) - work
- parte (PAHR-teh) - part
- coisa (KOY-zah) - thing
- caso (KAH-zoo) - case
- olho (OH-lyoo) - eye
- mão (mow) - hand
- cabeça (kah-BEH-sah) - head
- coração (koh-rah-SOW) - heart
Descriptive Words (71-85)
- bom (bohm) - good
- mau (mow) - bad
- grande (GRAHN-deh) - big
- pequeno (peh-KEH-noo) - small
- novo (NOH-voo) - new
- velho (VEH-lyoo) - old
- mesmo (MEHSH-moo) - same
- outro (OH-troo) - other
- todo (TOH-doo) - all
- pouco (POH-koo) - little
- muito (MWEEN-too) - much
- melhor (meh-LYOHR) - better
- último (OOL-tee-moo) - last
- primeiro (pree-MAY-roo) - first
- bonito (boo-NEE-too) - beautiful
Essential Words (86-100)
- porque (pohr-KEH) - because
- então (ehn-TOW) - then
- também (tahm-BEHM) - also
- só (soh) - only
- bem (behm) - well
- já (zhah) - already
- muito (MWEEN-too) - very
- sem (sehm) - without
- sobre (SOH-breh) - about
- entre (EHN-treh) - between
- antes (AHN-tehsh) - before
- depois (deh-POYSH) - after
- cada (KAH-dah) - each
- menos (MEH-noosh) - less
- ainda (ah-EEN-dah) - still
Your Foundation
These 100 words cover roughly 50% of everyday spoken Portuguese. Start by learning one cluster per day, then practice combining words into short sentences with your partner. For example, try saying Eu quero ir com você hoje (I want to go with you today) using just the words above. Boa sorte! (Good luck!)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can I best memorize these 100 Portuguese words?
Use flashcards, spaced repetition apps, and try to incorporate the words into daily conversations. Write sentences using each word, and review them regularly. Couples can test each other on the vocabulary and create fun games to reinforce learning. Consistent practice is key to retention.
What's the difference between 'muito' and 'bastante'?
Both 'muito' and 'bastante' mean 'a lot' or 'much', but 'muito' is more common. 'Bastante' can also mean 'enough'. You'd say 'Eu gosto muito de você' (I like you a lot), but 'Eu tenho bastante tempo' (I have enough time). Understanding this nuance helps you express quantities more precisely.
How do I use 'por favor' and 'obrigado/a' correctly?
'Por favor' means 'please' and is used when making a request. 'Obrigado' is used by males to say 'thank you', while 'obrigada' is used by females. Always use these words to show politeness. Couples should practice using these phrases in everyday interactions to reinforce their usage.
How can I practice using these words in real conversations?
Find a language exchange partner, watch Portuguese movies and TV shows, and try to speak Portuguese with your partner for a set amount of time each day. Focus on using the new vocabulary in context. Even simple conversations can help solidify your understanding and improve fluency.
What are some common mistakes English speakers make when learning these basic Portuguese words?
One common mistake is confusing 'ser' and 'estar'. Another is misgendering nouns, which affects the articles and adjectives you use. Pay close attention to the gender of nouns and practice using the correct verb conjugations. Reviewing grammar rules regularly can help avoid these errors.
