Portuguese · Food & Drink
"Coffee" in Portuguese: café
o café
Coffee in Portuguese is o café, a masculine noun. In Brazil a small strong cup is often um cafezinho. Order um café com leite if you want it milky, or um espresso for a short shot.
At a padaria
Um café com leite e um pão na chapa, por favor.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce café
Say it
kah-FEH
/ka.ˈfɛ/
kah-FEH. Stress the last syllable. The final e is open, not silent.
"Coffee" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| o café | coffee The drink and also a café shop. | The drink and also a café shop. |
| o cafezinho | a little coffee Affectionate Brazilian diminutive for a small strong cup. | Affectionate Brazilian diminutive for a small strong cup. |
| café com leite | coffee with milk Everyday milky coffee at breakfast. | Everyday milky coffee at breakfast. |
| café preto | black coffee No milk; common after lunch. | No milk; common after lunch. |
| pingado | coffee with a splash of milk Brazilian café order: mostly coffee, little milk. | Brazilian café order: mostly coffee, little milk. |
How to use café in real life
- 1At a padaria
Um café com leite e um pão na chapa, por favor.
A coffee with milk and grilled bread, please.
A classic quick Brazilian breakfast order.
- 2Offering a guest coffee
Você quer um cafezinho agora?
Do you want a little coffee now?
Cafezinho softens the offer and sounds welcoming.
- 3After lunch
Só um café preto, sem açúcar.
Just a black coffee, no sugar.
Café preto is the clear way to refuse milk.
Mistakes English speakers make with café
Incorrect: Uma café, por favor.
Correct: Um café, por favor.
Café is masculine: um café, o café.
Incorrect: Eu bebo coffee todo dia.
Correct: Eu bebo café todo dia.
Use the Portuguese word café, not English coffee.
Good to know
Offering a cafezinho is a Brazilian hospitality habit at homes, offices, and shops. Refusing once is fine; hosts may still offer again. Portugal also loves coffee, with names like bica in Lisbon for a short espresso-style cup.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering breakfast at a São Paulo bakery
ChatPal
Bom dia! O que você vai querer de beber?
Good morning! What would you like to drink?
You
Um café com leite bem quente, por favor.
A very hot coffee with milk, please.
ChatPal
Quer um pão de queijo com o café?
Do you want a cheese bread with the coffee?
You
Quero sim. Esse café cheira ótimo daqui.
Yes, I do. That coffee smells great from here.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Coffee" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Coffee" in Portuguese
What is a cafezinho?
A small, usually strong coffee, often served in a tiny cup. The -zinho ending makes it sound friendly.
How do I order black coffee?
Um café preto, por favor. Add sem açúcar if you do not want sugar.
Does café also mean a coffee shop?
Yes. Vamos ao café can mean "let's go to the café."
Is coffee culture the same in Portugal?
Both drink a lot of coffee, but order names differ. In Lisbon, bica is a common short coffee.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
