4 Portuguese people are very proud of their culture, which is different from that of Spain!
5 To hire a car you often have to be at least 21, depending on the car hire company and on the vehicle. Often your driving licence must have been issued at least one year before, and if you are under 25 there may be an extra fee to pay.
6 Portuguese people have a sweet tooth; try some of their specialities such as Toucinho do Céu (heaven’s bacon) and Barriga de Freira (nun’s belly).
7 Most shopping centres are open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. or in some cases until midnight.
8 There are more than one thousand recipes to cook cod; one of the most famous is Bacalhau à Brás.
9 In restaurants, you have to ask for the bill; it’s considered impolite of the waiter to bring the bill if you haven’t asked for it.
10 Bars and restaurants tend to close on Sundays, except in busy areas such as Lisbon and the Algarve.
Talking to people (#ulink_fdc75984-1e7d-5035-bbff-ce3cf6712e0a)
Hello/goodbye, yes/no (#ulink_ccfcae2e-a6aa-526b-a9b6-fcc96a803b93)
You will find that Portuguese people are quite formal and will appreciate it if you take the same approach to them as they take towards you.
Key phrases (#ulink_f6ea2d33-7e2f-5f70-b8c7-12bed3e139e2)
The easiest way to ask for something is by naming what you want and adding por favor (poor fuh-vor).
Signs and notices (#ulink_d1a75534-5a4f-5723-948b-564e5a388e32)
Polite expressions (#ulink_2cf846d6-5318-594e-a21b-c448c700c7c3)
There are three forms of address in Portuguese: formal (o senhor/a senhora), semi-formal (você – for both sexes) and informal (tu – for both sexes). Always stick to the formal when addressing older people, or the semi-formal for people of your own age and status, until you are invited to use the informal tu.
Celebrations (#ulink_59135ddb-98b3-5ad2-b43e-8b070bf2f592)
Making friends (#ulink_2a7a2b1d-c6b6-56b8-964b-5a2d2d1788e1)
In this section we have used the familiar form tu for the questions. Tu is widely used between young people soon after being introduced, and between close friends and relatives of any age.
FACE TO FACE
Como te chamas?
koh-moo tuh shah-mush?
What’s your name?
Chamo-me…
shah-moo-muh…
My name is…
De onde és?
duh oñduh esh?
Where are you from?
Sou inglês/inglesa
soh eeñglaysh/eeñglayzuh
I’m English (masc./fem.)
Muito prazer
mweeñto pruh-zehr
Pleased to meet you
Work (#ulink_b7aea8c5-321b-57f3-ad8b-356c18b755ff)
Weather (#ulink_03a87721-7893-5057-a405-4dadf2323651)
Getting around (#ulink_380bf2ad-ee17-5e61-9742-b3416e5866c6)
Asking the way (#ulink_47a38c9b-4430-584c-9b13-20bf2fd2010a)
FACE TO FACE
Por favor, senhor/senhora! Como se vai à estação?
poor fuh-vor, sun-yor/sun-yoruh! koh-moo suh vy a shtuh-sowñ?
Excuse me, sir/madam! How do I/we get to the station?
Siga em frente até a igreja e depois vire à esquerda/direita
see-guh ayñ freñt uh-te uh ee-grehzhuh ee duh-
poysh veeree a eesh-kerduh/dee-raytuh
Keep straight on up to the church and then turn left/right
É longe?
e loñzh?
Is it far?
Não, duzentos metros/cinco minutos
