Portuguese · Food & Drink

"Tea" in Portuguese: chá

o chá

Say it: shahmasculine · o chánoun/ʃa/

Tea in Portuguese is o chá, with an accent on á. Order with Um chá, por favor. Brazilians drink lots of herbal chá—hortelã, camomila—as well as black tea.

Café order

Para mim, um chá de camomila sem açúcar.
For me, a chamomile tea with no sugar.
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How to pronounce chá

Say it

shah

/ʃa/

shah. One short syllable; the accent marks the stress.

"Tea" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
o chátea

Default noun.

chá geladoiced tea

Hot-day drink.

chá de hortelãmint tea

Common herbal choice.

tomar cháto have tea

The usual verb pair.

How to use chá in real life

  1. 1Café order

    Para mim, um chá de camomila sem açúcar.

    For me, a chamomile tea with no sugar.

    Chá de + herb is a common pattern.

  2. 2Feeling sick

    Vou tomar um chá quente e dormir cedo.

    I'm going to have a hot tea and sleep early.

    Tomar chá is the verb pair.

  3. 3Afternoon visit

    Quer chá ou café enquanto a gente conversa?

    Want tea or coffee while we talk?

    Hospitality often offers chá.

Mistakes English speakers make with chá

Incorrect: a chá

Correct: o chá

Chá is masculine: o chá, um chá.

Incorrect: cha without accent

Correct: chá

Write the accent: chá.

Good to know

In Brazil, chá often means a soothing herbal drink as much as classic black tea. Offering chá to a guest is gentle hospitality, especially at night. Mate culture is another world again—chimarrão is not the same as a simple chá bag.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Ordering at a quiet café

  1. ChatPal

    Você prefere chá ou café da tarde?

    Do you prefer tea or afternoon coffee?

  2. You

    Eu quero chá de hortelã, bem quente.

    I want mint tea, nice and hot.

  3. ChatPal

    Ótimo. Eu também peço chá, mas gelado.

    Great. I'll order tea too, but iced.

  4. You

    Boa ideia nesse calor.

    Good idea in this heat.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"Tea" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Tea" in Portuguese

How do I order tea?

Um chá, por favor or Um chá de hortelã, por favor.

Is chá masculine?

Yes: o chá, um chá.

How do I say iced tea?

Chá gelado.

Is mate the same as chá?

Not really. Chimarrão and mate have their own words; chá usually means tea or herbal infusions.

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