Portuguese · Greetings & Essentials
"Please" in Portuguese: por favor
por favor
Please in Portuguese is por favor, placed before or after a request. Brazilians also soften asks with por gentileza or dá pra…? With você, a clear pattern is Você pode…, por favor?
Ordering coffee
Um café com leite, por favor.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce por favor
Say it
por fah-VOHR
/ˈpoʁ fa.ˈvoʁ/
por fah-VOHR. Keep por short, then stress favor on the last syllable.
"Please" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| por favor | please Neutral please for shops, emails, and everyday asks. | Neutral please for shops, emails, and everyday asks. |
| por gentileza | kindly, please A bit more formal and polite. | A bit more formal and polite. |
| faz favor | please (Portugal) Common PT-PT please; Brazilians still understand it. | Common PT-PT please; Brazilians still understand it. |
| se faz favor | if you please Portugal. Softer service language. | Portugal. Softer service language. |
| dá pra…? | can you…? / is it okay to…? Casual Brazilian way to ask without sounding bossy. | Casual Brazilian way to ask without sounding bossy. |
How to use por favor in real life
- 1Ordering coffee
Um café com leite, por favor.
A coffee with milk, please.
Por favor often sits at the end of short orders.
- 2Asking for help
Por favor, você pode me ajudar com esta mala?
Please, can you help me with this suitcase?
Você pode… keeps the request polite and clear.
- 3In an email
Por favor, envie o arquivo hoje.
Please send the file today.
Por favor is safe in workplace messages; por gentileza is a formal alternative.
Mistakes English speakers make with por favor
Incorrect: Por favore
Correct: Por favor
There is no e at the end. Favor is the full word.
Incorrect: Please, me dá água
Correct: Me dá água, por favor
Keep Portuguese in Portuguese. Drop the English please and use por favor.
Good to know
Brazilian requests often sound soft even without por favor, thanks to tone and tags like será que…? or dá pra…? Adding por favor still helps with strangers and service staff, and it never hurts in writing.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Asking a hotel receptionist for an extra towel
ChatPal
Boa tarde! Em que posso ajudar?
Good afternoon! How can I help?
You
Por favor, você tem mais uma toalha limpa?
Please, do you have another clean towel?
ChatPal
Claro. Eu mando para o quarto em cinco minutos.
Of course. I'll send it to the room in five minutes.
You
Perfeito, muito obrigado. Por favor, é o 412.
Perfect, thank you. Please, it's room 412.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Please" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Please" in Portuguese
Where do I put por favor in a sentence?
Either end works: Um chá, por favor or Por favor, um chá. Short orders usually put it last.
Is por favor enough with strangers?
Yes. Pair it with você pode… for clear polite requests in shops and hotels.
What do people say in Portugal?
Faz favor and se faz favor are everyday there. Brazilians still use por favor as the main form.
Can I use dá pra with a boss?
Better not. Dá pra is casual. Prefer por favor or por gentileza at work.
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
