Talk Portuguese - Directions
How to ask for directions and find your way around
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Directions 1
Asking for directions on foot from the lower town of Lisbon to the Carmelite Monastery (Convento do Carmo).

Directions 2
Asking for directions by car to one of the famous palaces in Sintra: Palácio da Pena.

Directions 3
Directions to the castles of Elvas and Marvao, and asking about opening and closing times.
- PortuguêsEnglish
- Desculpe, onde fica ...?Excuse me, where is ...?
- … aqui perto?… near here?
- É longe? *Is it far?
- Siga sempre em frenteGo straight on
- Volte à direitaTurn right
- Vire à esquerdaTurn left
- Tome a primeira rua à direitaTake the first road on the right
- Do lado direitoOn the right-hand side
- Sempre em frente para cimaStraight on to the top of the hill
- Atravesse o largo de ...Cross the square of ...
- Depois do hotelAfter 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 bancoa bank
- um mercadoa market
- uma farmáciaa pharmacy
- um posto de turismoa tourist office
- Mais devagar, por favorMore 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.
- PortuguêsEnglish
- O castelo está aberto?Is the castle open?
- Sim, sim, está abertoYes, it's open
- hoje *today
- todos os diasevery day
- claroof 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.
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.
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Transcript:
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BBC Languages links
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