Expressions · Brazilian Portuguese
How to say yes, no and OK in Portuguese (Brazil)
“Yes” is sim (seeng) and “no” is não (nowng). But Brazilians usually answer a question by repeating its verb: Você quer? — Quero. (“Do you want? — I want.”)
58 phrases with audio · Questions
The phrases everyone needs
| Listen | Portuguese | English | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| sim | yes | correct everywhere; a little short on its own | |
| não | no; not | nasal; shrinks to num before a verb | |
| isso | that’s it, exactly | agreeing with a statement | |
| é | yeah | casual agreement | |
| aham / uhum | mm-hm | very common; listening and agreeing | |
| claro | of course | an easy, warm yes | |
| com certeza | for sure | a firm yes | |
| pode ser | could be; sure | a soft yes to a suggestion | |
| tá / tá bom | OK, fine | the everyday OK | |
| beleza | cool, sure | friends; also “all good?” | |
| fechou | deal, done | closing a plan | |
| não, não | no, no | a firm no, said twice | |
| nem | not even; no way | informal; the Brazilian shrug | |
| de jeito nenhum | no way | a flat refusal | |
| nada | nothing; no | “not at all”, as an answer |
Yes in Portuguese
Sim (seeng, nasal; not si, which is Spanish). It is correct everywhere, but on its own it sounds a little short. Brazilians prefer to answer with the verb: Você fala inglês? — Falo. Gostou? — Gostei. Vai? — Vou. This is the single most useful habit for sounding natural. To agree with a statement: isso (that’s it), é (yeah), exato, aham / uhum (mm-hm, very common), claro (of course), com certeza (for sure), pode ser (could be / sure), pois não (in a shop: “yes, how can I help?”, and it is a yes).
Answer with the verb
The question carries a verb; the answer gives it back, in the same person. Quer? — Quero. Pode? — Posso. Tem? — Tem. Foi? — Fui. For no, put não in front: Não quero. Não posso. Brazilians often add sim or não after the verb for warmth or weight: Quero, sim. Não posso, não. The verb tenses guide has the forms; the table under “How to answer” below has the questions you will actually hear.
To a woman, to a man
Yes and no don’t change with gender, and neither do tá bom, beleza or claro. What changes is the polite address: sim, senhor to a man, sim, senhora to a woman, and the thanks in a polite no: não, obrigado if you are a man, não, obrigada if you are a woman.
Pronunciation
sim seeng · não nowng · tá bom tah BONG · beleza beh-LEH-zah · claro KLAH-roo · com certeza kong sehr-TEH-zah · fechou feh-SHOH · nem neng. Sim and não are nasal: the air goes through the nose and there is no hard n or m at the end. Não is the hardest sound for learners; the pronunciation guide has the nasal vowels. Press play on any row above to hear each one.
All the ways to say it
Saying yes: isso, é, aham, claro
In conversation, Brazilians agree with short words more than with sim. Isso confirms a statement (that’s right), é is a casual yeah, aham and uhum keep a conversation going, claro and com certeza say yes with warmth, pode ser says yes to a plan without committing, and pois não is the shopkeeper’s yes.
simyes
correct anywhere; warmer after the verb: quero, sim
— Você é a Ana? — Sim, sou eu.“Are you Ana?” “Yes, that’s me.”
issothat’s it, exactly
confirming what somebody said
— Então é na próxima rua? — Isso, à direita.“So it’s the next street?” “That’s it, on the right.”
éyeah
casual agreement; literally “it is”
— Que calor hoje. — É, demais.“So hot today.” “Yeah, way too much.”
ahammm-hm
listening, agreeing; also uhum
— Você pegou as chaves? — Aham, tão aqui.“Did you get the keys?” “Mm-hm, they’re here.”
claroof course
an easy, warm yes
— Posso te ligar mais tarde? — Claro!“Can I call you later?” “Of course!”
com certezafor sure, definitely
a firm, confident yes
— Você vem na festa? — Com certeza!“Are you coming to the party?” “Definitely!”
pode sercould be; sure, why not
a soft yes to a suggestion
— Pizza hoje? — Pode ser.“Pizza tonight?” “Sure, why not.”
pois nãocertainly; yes, how can I help?
shops and service; it is a yes
— Com licença, posso entrar? — Pois não!“Excuse me, may I come in?” “Certainly!”
No in Portuguese
Não (nowng: nasal, the hardest sound for learners). In speech it often shrinks to num before a verb: num sei (I don’t know). Softer noes: não, obrigado / obrigada (no, thank you), acho que não (I don’t think so), hoje não (not today), melhor não (better not), não dá (it can’t be done / I can’t), não rola (slang, “it won’t happen”). Firm noes: não, não, nem (not even / no way), nem pensar, de jeito nenhum (no way), nada, negativo (joking-military).
num seidunno (não sei, said fast)
how não sounds before a verb in speech; don’t write it
Num sei, acho que ele saiu.Dunno, I think he left.
não, obrigado / obrigadano, thank you
the polite no; obrigada if you are a woman
— Mais um pouco? — Não, obrigada, estou satisfeita.“A bit more?” “No, thank you, I’m full.”
acho que nãoI don’t think so
a soft no
— Vai chover? — Acho que não.“Is it going to rain?” “I don’t think so.”
hoje nãonot today
declining without closing the door
Hoje não, tô cansado. Amanhã a gente vê.Not today, I’m tired. We’ll see tomorrow.
melhor nãobetter not
a gentle refusal
Melhor não, já está tarde.Better not, it’s late already.
não dáI can’t; it can’t be done
very common; not rude
Sábado não dá, tenho prova.Saturday doesn’t work, I have an exam.
não rolanot happening
slang; friends
Emprestar o carro? Não rola.Lend you the car? Not happening.
nemnot even; no way
informal; a shrug in one syllable
— Você gostou do filme? — Nem.“Did you like the film?” “Not really.”
nem pensardon’t even think about it
a firm no
Dirigir depois de beber? Nem pensar.Drive after drinking? Don’t even think about it.
de jeito nenhumno way, absolutely not
flat refusal
De jeito nenhum, eu pago.Absolutely not, I’m paying.
negativonegative
joking, military-style
— Sobrou bolo? — Negativo.“Any cake left?” “Negative.”
Double negatives are normal
Não vi nada (I didn’t see nothing = anything), não tem ninguém. Brazilians also repeat não at the end: não sei, não. Not a mistake; copy it.
não vi nadaI didn’t see anything
nada after a negative verb, always
Não vi nada de estranho.I didn’t see anything strange.
não tem ninguémthere’s nobody
ninguém after a negative verb
Não tem ninguém em casa.There’s nobody home.
não sei, nãoI really don’t know
não at both ends; the second one softens or stresses
Não sei, não, acho melhor perguntar.I really don’t know, better ask.
OK, alright, fine
Tá / tá bom / tá bem (from está: “it’s fine”, said “tah BONG”), ok (said “oh-KAY”, very common), beleza (cool, sure), fechou (deal, done), combinado (agreed), certo (right), tranquilo / de boa (no worries). “I’m okay”: tô bem, tô de boa. “It’s okay”: tá tudo bem, tudo certo.
tá bomOK, fine, alright
the everyday OK; also tá bem
— Me espera cinco minutos? — Tá bom.“Wait five minutes for me?” “OK.”
táOK (short)
quick agreement; also “OK?” at the end of a request
Tá, te encontro lá. Chega cedo, tá?OK, I’ll meet you there. Come early, OK?
belezacool, sure
friends; also the question beleza?
— A gente se vê às oito. — Beleza!“See you at eight.” “Cool!”
fechoudeal, done
closing a plan or a price
— Cinquenta reais? — Fechou.“Fifty reais?” “Deal.”
combinadoagreed
confirming a plan, a little more careful
Combinado, então: sexta às sete.Agreed, then: Friday at seven.
certoright, OK
neutral; also “correct”
Certo, entendi. Vou resolver.Right, got it. I’ll sort it out.
tranquilo / de boano worries, all good
friends; de boa is slang
— Desculpa o atraso! — Tranquilo, de boa.“Sorry I’m late!” “No worries, all good.”
tá tudo bemit’s OK, everything’s fine
reassuring somebody
Tá tudo bem, não foi culpa sua.It’s OK, it wasn’t your fault.
Yes please, no thank you
Sim, por favor. Não, obrigado / obrigada. With the verb: Quer café? — Quero, por favor. / Não, obrigada.
sim, por favoryes, please
accepting an offer
— Aceita um café? — Sim, por favor.“Would you like a coffee?” “Yes, please.”
quero, por favoryes please (I want, please)
the verb answer, the most natural
— Quer açúcar? — Quero, por favor.“Do you want sugar?” “Yes, please.”
não, obrigadono, thank you (a man)
obrigada if you are a woman
— Mais vinho? — Não, obrigado, estou dirigindo.“More wine?” “No, thank you, I’m driving.”
How to answer: the verb comes back
The questions you will hear most, and the answer Brazilians give: the question’s verb, in the first person, with não in front for no.
| Situation | Listen | Reply | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Você quer? (do you want?) | Quero. / Não quero. | I want / I don’t want | |
| Você fala inglês? (do you speak English?) | Falo. / Não falo. | I speak / I don’t | |
| Gostou? (did you like it?) | Gostei. / Não gostei. | I liked it / I didn’t | |
| Você vai? (are you going?) | Vou. / Não vou. | I’m going / I’m not | |
| Pode? (can you?) | Posso. / Não posso. | I can / I can’t | |
| Tem? (is there? do you have?) | Tem. / Não tem. | there is / there isn’t; same form | |
| Tudo bem? (how are you?) | Tudo. | the greeting’s own answer | |
| Quer café? (want coffee?) | Quero, por favor. / Não, obrigada. | yes please / no thank you (a woman) |
Formal vs informal at a glance
| Situation | Listen | Say | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formal, older people, service | sim, senhor / não, senhora | aham, nem | |
| Neutral | sim / não, with the verb | sim on its own, over and over | |
| Friends | isso, é, aham, tá, beleza, nem | negativo, unless you’re joking | |
| Declining an offer | não, obrigado / obrigada | a bare não: it sounds curt |
Brazil vs Portugal
Portugal answers with the verb too, but also uses sim more, says pois and está bem where Brazil says tá bom, and does not shrink não to num. Beleza, fechou, de boa, não rola are Brazilian.
Common mistakes
- Si for yes: Spanish. Portuguese is sim, with a nasal ending.
- No for não. In Portuguese, no means “in the” (no Brasil).
- Saying only sim when a verb answer is expected. Quer? — Quero.
- Hearing pois não and thinking it is a no. It means “certainly”.
- Not nasalising não. Said like English “now”, it is a different word, or no word.
In real Brazilian books
“— Estou, sim, senhor; não parece, mas estou.”“— Pois não, minha senhora!, passam vinte das nove.”“— Não.”Questions
Does Portuguese have a word for yes?
Yes: sim. But Brazilians often answer by repeating the question’s verb (Quer? — Quero.), and in casual speech é, isso and aham do the job of “yeah”.
Does sim mean yes or no?
Yes. Sim is yes and não is no. The mix-up comes from pois não, which looks like “well, no” but means “certainly”.
Is si yes in Portuguese?
No. Si is Spanish and Italian. Portuguese is sim, with a nasal ending.
What is yes in Portuguese “siuu” (Ronaldo)?
Cristiano Ronaldo’s siuuu is a shout, not a word; it comes from Spanish sí (he played in Spain). In Portuguese, yes is sim.
How do Brazilians say no?
Não, pronounced through the nose, and often shortened to num before a verb. For a firm no: de jeito nenhum or nem pensar. For a polite no: não, obrigada.
Does não mean no?
Yes. Não is “no” and “not”. Don’t confuse it with no, which in Portuguese means “in the” (no Brasil).
How do you pronounce não?
“Nowng”, with the air going through the nose and no hard n at the end. The pronunciation guide has the nasal vowels.
How do we say okay in Portuguese?
Tá bom, tá, beleza, or simply ok. “Alright, deal” is fechou or combinado.
What is Portuguese for yes and no?
Sim and não. Yes please: sim, por favor. No thank you: não, obrigado (a man) / não, obrigada (a woman).
Entries in this group
- Claro / com certeza
Claro (“clear”) is of course: the warm, easy yes to a request or a question.
- Beleza
Beleza means beauty, and in Brazilian speech it means cool, sure, all good.
- Tá bom
Tá bom is the everyday OK in Brazil: agreeing to a plan, accepting an answer, closing a request (chega cedo, tá bom?).
- Sim / não
Sim is yes; não is no and also not before a verb.
- Pois não
Pois não looks like “well, no” and means yes.
Next
- Please, sorry and excuse me in Portuguese
Por favor, desculpa, com licença: and pois não, the yes that sounds like no.
- Thank you in Portuguese
Obrigado or obrigada, for the polite no and everything else.
- How to pronounce Brazilian Portuguese
The nasal vowels of sim and não.
- Portuguese verb tenses
The forms you answer with: quero, posso, vou, fui.
- Every group of expressions
Greetings, thanks, goodbyes, please and sorry, yes and no, celebrations, affection and slang.
Meet these phrases in real Brazilian stories
A guide gets you started; a story makes the phrases stick. Read Brazilian books and stories at your level, tap any word for its meaning in that sentence, and it becomes a card you review later.
Start reading for free