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At the cafe in Portuguese you say:

"Queria um cafezinho".

Olá!

Dealing at the cafe in Portuguese is not big deal at all.

Although many waiters and waitresses in Portugal speak good English, it's quite likely that many others will only speak Portuguese with you.

So, what do you have to do? Of course, you must learn how to deal with it, and here I'll tell you how. So please read on.

I have to admit Portuguese coffee is among the best in the world. I'm saying that, not because I'm Portuguese but mainly because, when I travelled the world, there were only very few places where I had real pleasure in having a coffee, and Portugal is among them.

Portuguese coffee is quite strong without being bitter.

Portuguese coffee is usually drunk as the Italian espresso which in Portugal you'll call "uma bica", "um café" or "um cimbalino" (this last name used more in the north of Portugal).

It can also be drunk with milk in the morning - um galão served in a tall glass or "uma meia de leite" served in a white cup - or it can also be drunk black, more likely during the day.

At the cafe in Portuguese the way you say "Can I have..." or "I'd like..." is "Queria..." [kreeah], or simply "Era..." [ay-rah], and then choose the things you want to learn from the list below:

So, as you are reading this, why don't you practise your role at the cafe in Portuguese? Come on! Say it aloud! Drill the same sentence many times with different foods (e.g. "Queria um café e uma sandes de queijo").

Por favor, queria...

Foods Pronunciation Meaning
Um café
Uma bica
Um cimbalino
oong café
oomah bee-ka
oong seem-ba-leenoo
An espresso
Um café cheio oong café shay-oo Full shot of espresso
Um garoto oong ga-ro-tto An espresso with a dash of milk
Um galão oong ga-laoong A café-latte
Um bolo de arroz oong bolo d'arrosh A rice cake
Um pastel de nata oong pash-tail de nutter A custard tart (Hmm delicious!)
Um pastel de bacalhau oong pashtel de ba-ca-lyiaoo Deep-fried cod fish pastry
Um croquete oong crokette A meat croquette
Um rissol de carne oong reesol de carne Deep-fried pastry with mince meat inside
Um rissol de carne oong reesol de carne Deep-fried pastry with mince meat inside
Uma sandes oomah sandesh A sandwich
Uma sandes de queijo oomah sandesh de kay-djoo A cheese sandwich
Uma sandes de fiambre oomah sandesh de fee-ambray A ham sandwich
Uma sandes mista oomah sandesh meesh-tah A ham and cheese sandwich
Uma torrada oomah too-rah-dah A large and tall piece of toast cut in 6 parts

Go to top of the page.

I hope you have enjoyed this explanation about how to be at the cafe in Portuguese.

If you want to learn about Portuguese breakfast, click here.


Go Back From At The Cafe In Portuguese To European Portuguese

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