Portuguese · Everyday Verbs
"to stay" in Portuguese: ficar
ficar
To stay in Portuguese is ficar. Say eu fico or você fica for remaining somewhere—a hotel, a city, or simply staying put.
Hotel desk
Eu fico três noites neste hostel, por favor.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ficar
Say it
fee-KAR / FEE-koo / FEE-kah
/fi.ˈkaʁ/
fee-KAR. Eu fico is FEE-koo; você fica is FEE-kah
"to stay" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ficar | to stay / to remain Dictionary form. | Dictionary form. |
| eu fico | I stay / I'll stay First person. | First person. |
| você fica | you stay Questions and statements. | Questions and statements. |
| fiquei | I stayed Past. | Past. |
| vamos ficar | we're going to stay Plans. | Plans. |
How to use ficar in real life
- 1Hotel desk
Eu fico três noites neste hostel, por favor.
I'll stay three nights in this hostel, please.
Booking length.
- 2Party invitation
Você fica pra jantar com a gente?
Are you staying for dinner with us?
Fica pra = stay for.
- 3City trip
Ficamos em um Airbnb perto do centro.
We stayed in an Airbnb near downtown.
Ficamos = we stayed.
Mistakes English speakers make with ficar
Incorrect: Eu ficar no hotel.
Correct: Eu fico no hotel.
Conjugate: eu fico, not the bare infinitive.
Incorrect: Eu resto aqui (calque).
Correct: Eu fico aqui.
Ficar is the everyday stay verb in Brazil.
Good to know
Ficar is a Swiss-army verb in Brazil—stay, become, be located, and casually date. For lodging, eu fico / vamos ficar is the natural hotel and trip language.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing how long to keep a rental car
ChatPal
Você fica com o carro até sexta?
Are you keeping the car until Friday?
You
Fico até quinta só.
I'll only stay with it until Thursday.
ChatPal
Beleza. Devolvo na loja do aeroporto?
Okay. Return it at the airport shop?
You
Isso. Eu fico por aí mesmo.
Yes. I'll stay around there.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to stay" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to stay" in Portuguese
Ficar vs permanecer?
Ficar is everyday; permanecer is more formal.
Stay home?
Fico em casa.
Imperative?
Fique aqui (você).
Where are you staying?
Onde você está ficando?
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
