Portuguese · Greetings & Essentials
"Without" in Portuguese: sem
sem
Without in Portuguese is sem. Put it before the thing you skip: sem gelo, sem cebola. Keep sem as its own word.
Café
Quero café sem leite e sem açúcar.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce sem
Say it
seng
/ˈsẽ/
seng
"Without" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| sem | without Default preposition. | Default preposition. |
| sem açúcar | without sugar Drinks. | Drinks. |
| sem cebola | without onion Food orders. | Food orders. |
| sem pressa | no rush Softener. | Softener. |
How to use sem in real life
- 1Café
Quero café sem leite e sem açúcar.
I want coffee without milk and without sugar.
Double skip.
- 2Burger
O sanduíche vem sem picles, por favor.
The sandwich comes without pickles, please.
Order.
- 3Schedule
Dá pra fazer isso sem pressa hoje?
Can we do this without rushing today?
Pace.
Mistakes English speakers make with sem
Incorrect: Café without açúcar.
Correct: Café sem açúcar.
Use sem, not English without.
Incorrect: Quero sin cebolla.
Correct: Quero sem cebola.
Portuguese is sem, not Spanish sin.
Good to know
Sem is the magic word on Brazilian menus—sem cebola, sem gelo, sem glúten. Pair with por favor. The opposite with is com.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering juice
ChatPal
Você toma suco com gelo ou sem gelo?
Do you take juice with ice or without ice?
You
Sem gelo, por favor.
Without ice, please.
ChatPal
E sem açúcar também?
And without sugar too?
You
Isso. Sem açúcar.
Yes. Without sugar.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Without" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Without" in Portuguese
Without?
Sem.
Without sugar?
Sem açúcar.
Without onion?
Sem cebola.
Opposite?
Com (with).
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
