Vocabulary · Brazilian Portuguese
Greetings in Brazilian Portuguese
The greetings in Portuguese that Brazilians actually use, from oi and e aí to tchau and falou, with audio, an example each, and how to reply.
23 phrases, each with audio · Quiz and flashcards
Greetings in Portuguese, with audio
Hello
| Listen | Portuguese | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| oi | hi | Oi, tudo bem?Hi, how are you? | |
| olá | helloSounds a little written or formal; in speech, oi. | Olá, sejam bem-vindos!Hello, and welcome, everyone! | |
| e aí | hey, what's up | E aí, beleza?Hey, all good? | |
| fala | hey (to a friend)Literally “speak”. | Fala, Pedro! Quanto tempo!Hey, Pedro! Long time no see! | |
| bom dia | good morning | Bom dia! Dormiu bem?Good morning! Did you sleep well? | |
| boa tarde | good afternoon | Boa tarde, eu queria marcar uma consulta.Good afternoon, I'd like to make an appointment. | |
| boa noite | good evening; good nightBoth hello and goodbye after dark. | Boa noite, gente, até amanhã!Good night, everyone, see you tomorrow! |
How are you?
| Listen | Portuguese | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| tudo bem | how are you?; all good | — Tudo bem? — Tudo, e você?“How are you?” “Good, and you?” | |
| tudo bom | all good?; all good | Oi, Ana, tudo bom com você?Hi, Ana, is everything good with you? | |
| beleza | cool, all goodAlso a question: E aí, beleza? | Beleza, a gente se vê às oito.Cool, see you at eight. | |
| como vai | how are you?; how's it going?A little more formal than tudo bem. | Como vai a sua mãe?How's your mother doing? | |
| quanto tempo | long time no see | Nossa, quanto tempo!Wow, long time no see! | |
| prazer | nice to meet youMuito prazer is a little more formal. | Prazer, eu sou a Júlia.Nice to meet you, I'm Júlia. | |
| bem-vindo, bem-vinda | welcome | Seja bem-vinda ao Brasil!Welcome to Brazil! |
Goodbye
| Listen | Portuguese | English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| tchau | bye | Tchau, até amanhã!Bye, see you tomorrow! | |
| até logo | see you later | Até logo, e obrigado pela ajuda.See you later, and thanks for the help. | |
| até mais | see you | Valeu, até mais!Thanks, see you! | |
| até amanhã | see you tomorrow | Até amanhã, bom descanso.See you tomorrow, get some rest. | |
| falou | see ya, laterCasual, between friends. | Falou, até sábado!Later, see you Saturday! | |
| valeu | thanks; byeCasual thanks, often the last word before leaving. | Valeu pela carona!Thanks for the ride! | |
| o beijo | love (signing off; literally “kiss”)Between friends and family, in person and in messages. | Beijo, até domingo!Love, see you Sunday! | |
| o abraço | take care (literally “hug”)The friendly sign-off, at the end of an email too. | Abraço, e boa viagem!Take care, and have a good trip! | |
| fica com Deus | God be with you, take care | Tchau, filho, fica com Deus.Bye, son, God bless. |
How Brazilians use them
How to reply to tudo bem
Tudo bem? is a greeting, not a question about your health, and the answer is Tudo! or Tudo bem, e você?, even on a bad day. The reply echoes the question: Tudo bom? Tudo bom. E aí, beleza? Beleza!
Casual or formal
Oi and e aí are for friends; bom dia, boa tarde and boa noite for strangers, shops and emails. Brazilians are informal, so you'll hear oi said to a boss, while older people are addressed as o senhor and a senhora: Como vai o senhor?
Bom dia until lunch
Bom dia lasts until about noon, boa tarde until it gets dark, and boa noite after that, both as hello and as goodbye.
The cheek kiss
Women, and men greeting women, usually kiss on the cheek: roughly one kiss in São Paulo, two in Rio, sometimes three in Minas Gerais. Men greet each other with a handshake or a hug and a pat on the back, and at work a handshake is safe.
Practise
Quick quiz · question 1 of 8
What does oi mean?
Questions
How do you say hello in Portuguese?
Oi is the everyday hello in Brazil. Olá is also correct but sounds a little more formal or written, and between friends you'll hear e aí or fala.
How do you reply to tudo bem?
Tudo, or Tudo bem, e você? It's a greeting more than a question, so the answer is almost always positive.
What does e aí mean?
“Hey, what's up?” It's the casual greeting between friends, often followed by beleza or tudo bem: E aí, beleza?
How do you say goodbye in Portuguese?
Tchau is the everyday goodbye. Até logo and até mais mean “see you”, até amanhã “see you tomorrow”, and friends say falou or valeu.
Do Brazilians kiss on the cheek?
Yes, when women greet each other and when men greet women: often one kiss in São Paulo and two in Rio. Men usually shake hands or hug.
More Portuguese words
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