Portuguese · Greetings & Essentials
"What?" in Portuguese: o quê? / o que?
o quê? / o que?
What in Portuguese is o que before a verb or clause, and o quê when it stands alone or at the end. Que? alone also works as a quick what?
Asking preference
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How to pronounce o quê? / o que?
Say it
oo KEH / oo KEH
/ˈo ˈke/, /ˈo ˈke/
oo KEH. Standalone o quê lengthens the final sound a bit.
"What?" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| o que | what (before a clause) O que você quer? | O que você quer? |
| o quê | what? (alone / at end) Standalone surprise or ask. | Standalone surprise or ask. |
| que? | what? Very quick reaction. | Very quick reaction. |
| o que foi? | what happened? / what is it? Checking on someone. | Checking on someone. |
How to use o quê? / o que? in real life
- 1Asking preference
O que você quer beber?
What do you want to drink?
O que before the clause.
- 2Didn't hear
O quê? Não ouvi a última palavra.
What? I didn't hear the last word.
Standalone o quê with accent.
- 3Checking a problem
O que foi? Você parece cansada.
What is it? You look tired.
O que foi? is caring and common.
Mistakes English speakers make with o quê? / o que?
Incorrect: O que? (alone, missing accent in careful writing)
Correct: O quê?
Use quê when what stands alone or ends the sentence.
Incorrect: What você disse?
Correct: O que você disse?
Use o que, not English what.
Good to know
Brazilian speech flips between que? and o quê? constantly in noisy places. Writing still likes the accent on standalone quê. Soften surprise with oi? if que? feels sharp.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Mishearing an address on the phone
ChatPal
O endereço é Rua das Flores, 120.
The address is Rua das Flores, 120.
You
O quê? A conexão falhou um segundo.
What? The connection failed for a second.
ChatPal
Eu repito. O que você anotou até agora?
I'll repeat. What have you written down so far?
You
Só Rua das. O que vem depois do número?
Only Rua das. What comes after the number?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"What?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "What?" in Portuguese
When do I write quê with an accent?
When it stands alone or comes at the end: O quê? / Não sei o quê.
How do I say what do you want?
O que você quer?
Is que? okay alone?
Yes in speech as a quick what?
How do I say what happened?
O que foi? or O que aconteceu?
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
