Portuguese · Greetings & Essentials
"Where?" in Portuguese: onde?
onde?
Where in Portuguese is onde. Ask Onde fica…? for locations and De onde você é? for origin. Aonde appears with motion for some speakers, but onde covers most Brazilian needs.
Street directions
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How to pronounce onde?
Say it
OHN-jee
/ˈõ.dʒi/
OHN-jee. Stress OHN; final de soft.
"Where?" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| onde | where Default question word. | Default question word. |
| Onde fica…? | Where is… located? Asking for places. | Asking for places. |
| De onde…? | From where…? Origin. | Origin. |
| onde está | where is (temporary) With estar for people/things. | With estar for people/things. |
| não sei onde | I don't know where Embedded clause. | Embedded clause. |
How to use onde? in real life
- 1Street directions
Onde fica o banheiro, por favor?
Where is the bathroom, please?
Onde fica…? is the classic ask.
- 2Meeting a stranger
De onde você é originalmente?
Where are you from originally?
De onde marks origin.
- 3Lost keys
Não sei onde deixei as chaves.
I don't know where I left the keys.
Onde introduces an embedded clause.
Mistakes English speakers make with onde?
Incorrect: Donde fica o metro?
Correct: Onde fica o metrô?
Portuguese uses onde, not Spanish dónde.
Incorrect: Where fica a praia?
Correct: Onde fica a praia?
Use onde, not English where.
Good to know
Onde fica…? works for shops, stations, and bathrooms. Brazilians also ask Cadê…? for where is it when something should already be nearby. De onde você é? opens friendly small talk across Brazil.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Finding a café
ChatPal
Onde você quer sentar?
Where do you want to sit?
You
Onde tiver sombra, por favor.
Wherever there's shade, please.
ChatPal
Ali. Onde fica o cardápio?
Over there. Where is the menu?
You
Não sei onde está. Vou perguntar.
I don't know where it is. I'll ask.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Where?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Where?" in Portuguese
Onde or aonde?
Onde is enough for most learners; aonde appears with motion for some speakers.
How do I ask where is…?
Onde fica…? or Onde está…?
Where from?
De onde…?
Cadê vs onde?
Cadê is casual for where is (it/he/she) when expected nearby.
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
