Talk Portuguese - Directions

How to ask for directions and find your way around

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions

Open/close
Key language: Finding your way around
  • Português
    English
  • Desculpe, onde fica ...?
    Excuse me, where is ...?
  • … aqui perto?
    … near here?
  • É longe? *
    Is it far?
  • Siga sempre em frente
    Go straight on
  • Volte à direita
    Turn right
  • Vire à esquerda
    Turn left
  • Tome a primeira rua à direita
    Take the first road on the right
  • Do lado direito
    On the right-hand side
  • Sempre em frente para cima
    Straight on to the top of the hill
  • Atravesse o largo de ...
    Cross the square of ...
  • Depois do hotel
    After the hotel
  • … fica lá
    … is there
  • É perto **
    It's close
  • Não é longe de aqui **
    It's not far from here
  • Há um/uma … *
    There is a …
  • Há um sinal *
    There is a sign
  • um banco
    a bank
  • um mercado
    a market
  • uma farmácia
    a pharmacy
  • um posto de turismo
    a tourist office
  • Mais devagar, por favor
    More slowly, please

* Pronunciation guide

  • É longe
    G followed by e or i sounds like the s in the English usual.
  • Há um/uma …, Há um sinal
    H is always silent and the á sounds like the u in the English upper.


** Grammar notes

  • É perto, não é longe de aqui
    Another use of the verb ser, to be is to talk about where things are located. For example É perto, It’s close and Não é longe de aqui, No, it's not far from here.
Open/close
Key language: Opening and closing times
  • Português
    English
  • O castelo está aberto?
    Is the castle open?
  • Sim, sim, está aberto
    Yes, it's open
  • hoje *
    today
  • todos os dias
    every day
  • claro
    of course
  • Sabe a que horas fecha? *
    Do you know what time it closes?
  • Fecha às oito horas *
    It closes at eight o’clock

* Pronunciation guide

  • Hoje, sabe a que horas fecha?, fecha às oito horas
    H is always silent in Portuguese.
Open/close
Listen and repeat essential phrases
Open/close
Practise the language and try a quiz

Open/close
Cultural notes - Surviving an earthquake

Buildings that survived the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 The Convento do Carmo or Carmelite monastery is one of very few medieval buildings to have survived the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. However, it was badly damaged. The chancel, the only part that remains intact, contains an archaeological museum.

Open/close

Step-by-Step guide

Follow this Step-by-Step guide

1. Watch the videos

2. Kick off with key language

3. Listen and repeat essential phrases

4. Practise the language and try a quiz

5. Check out the cultural notes

Open/close

Useful resources

Transcript:

Download transcriptSee the transcript of each video

For tutors on BBC Active: Unit 6

Talk Portuguese activities

Talk Portuguese worksheets

Open/close

More Videos from the Learning Zone

More than 3,000 clips from BBC programmes on Learning Zone Broadband ready to play in your classroom.

BBC © 2014The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.