Pois não
poys NOWNG
How to say itPart of: Please & sorry
“Certainly; go ahead; yes, how can I help?”
Pois não looks like “well, no” and means yes. It is the shopkeeper’s and waiter’s “yes, how can I help you?”, and the answer to com licença: go ahead, certainly. The logic is an old “why would I not?”. Its cousin pois é means “that’s right, indeed”, and pois sim, oddly, is a sarcastic “yeah, right”.
Looking for please, sorry and excuse me? Please and sorry in Portuguese: the guide
PoliteAll BrazilReply: Obrigado / obrigada.
How Brazilians use it
“— Com licença, posso entrar? — Pois não!”
““Excuse me, may I come in?” “Certainly!””
The reply to com licença.
“Pois não? O que o senhor deseja?”
“Yes? What would you like, sir?”
A shop or a counter.
“— Pode me ajudar? — Pois não.”
““Can you help me?” “Of course.””
Service; a polite yes.
“— Que calor. — Pois é.”
““So hot.” “Indeed.””
Pois é: agreeing with a statement.
In a real book
“— Pois não, minha senhora!, passam vinte das nove.”“— Pois não?”How to reply
- Obrigado / obrigada.Thanks, once they’ve helped.
Similar expressions
- ClaroOf course.
- Pois éThat’s right, indeed: agreement.
- Com certezaFor sure.
- Com licençaThe excuse me that pois não answers.
Brazil vs Portugal
Pois is everywhere in Portugal as “yes, right”, on its own; pois não as the shopkeeper’s yes is more Brazilian.
Common mistakes
- Don’t hear pois não as a refusal: it is a yes.
- Don’t use it to say no: no is não, or não, obrigado.
- Don’t confuse pois sim, which is sarcastic (“yeah, right”), with pois não, which is sincere.
Frequently asked questions
What does pois não mean?
Yes, certainly, go ahead. Shopkeepers and waiters say pois não? for “how can I help?”, and it answers com licença. Despite the não, it is never a no.
Why does pois não mean yes?
It is an old shortening of “why would I not?”: pois, não (haveria de…). The question collapsed into a polite yes and kept its odd shape.
What does pois é mean?
“That’s right”, “indeed”, “tell me about it”: agreeing with what someone just said, often with a sigh. Que calor. — Pois é.
What does pois sim mean?
The surprise: pois sim is sarcastic, “yeah, right”, “as if”. So pois não is a sincere yes and pois sim a doubtful one.