more slangs !! and definitely you should cover some "whatsapp portuguese" , some abbreviations or slangs that are used like in english "why=y" "you=u" "idk"
@@TalktheStreets Or alternatively you could cover this aspect of Portuguese where one doesn't simply answer with a "sim" ou "não" but with the verb used in the question? Why is that done and when do we use it? When does one use Sim or Não. I hope I am making sense? 😅
Once again I’m loving these coincidental commonalities between Japanese and European Portuguese (in this case pro-dropping or using a person’s name as nominal subject to be polite). It would be weird coming at it just from English, but having learnt Japanese before it’s more intuitive!
"você" is the preferred use of 2nd person in Brasil. They do use "o senhor e a senhora" as a respectful way. I loved the use of 3rd person singular as in "a menina" to be respecful but less formal. That is not used in Brasil at all. Nice to know the differences. Next time I go to Portugal, I will put these to good use, thank!
Venho aqui tão somente para melhorar o meu inglês. Esta moça simpática deixa tudo mais fácil de entender. 😄 "Você" é INFORMAL no Brasil e usamos com muita frequência. "A menina" e "o menino" é um tanto engraçado. Coisa de gente idosa, que veio de Portugal... 😅
O seu domínio da nossa língua e dos nossos maneirismos, e de vários dos nossos aspetos culturais, é muitíssimo alto. É ao nível de um nativo, o que sinceramente eu nunca tinha visto num não-nativo. Muitos parabéns!
Sinceramente, não sabia que se usava "o senhor" e "a senhora" em Portugal. "O menino" e "a menina" nunca é usado no Brasil. Aliás, soa um tanto estranho. Se usa "você", no lugar, mesmo quando nos dirigimos a crianças...
@@fabiolimadasilva3398 Até podemos ser mais formais do que "o senhor" ou "a senhora", se a pessoa a quem nos dirigimos for um doutor, engenheiro, etc. Por exemplo, esta frase seria normal ao falar com um médico: "o que é que o senhor doutor pensa sobre isto?". Aproveito para dizer que nós nunca diríamos como o Fábio disse "se usa você" porque neste caso o "se" pareceria uma condição. Usaríamos "usa-se você". Usaríamos "se usa você" numa pergunta, como por exemplo "como se usa você numa frase?"
@@arturrosa3166 Boa noite, Artur. A colocação dos pronomes na frase, em português do Brasil, segue princípios ditados pela fonética. Para um brasileiro é estranho dizer "amo-te" porque o pronome objeto no Brasil é TÔNICO. Ao contrário do português europeu, que é ÁTONO. Por isso dizemos algo como "me dá isso, por favor." Quanto aos "ses" (pronome reflexivo e conjunção) já vi construções do tipo "gostaria de saber se se corta o cabelo aqui". Um abraço!
@@arturrosa3166 Já não se chamam de "doutores" os engenheiros no Brasil. Antigamente, sim. Tal pronome de tratamento é reservado a advogados (e juízes, promotores, etc.), médicos e no meio acadêmico. O "vosso" é equivalente ao "de vocês". Aliás, o pronome você não se declina. Existe uma tendência à simplificação mas o português brasileiro formal escrito é praticamente o mesmo do correspondente português. É como se a sociedade brasileira vivesse numa quase diglossia. Por isso muita gente aqui considera a língua portuguesa "difícil". Temos as nossas especificidades que dão riqueza à nossa (minha e sua) língua comum.
@@fabiolimadasilva3398 Boa noite Fábio. Nunca tinha compreendido porque no Brasil se invertem os pronomes em situações em que nós não inverteríamos. Obrigado pela explicação. A frase "gostaria de saber se se corta o cabelo aqui" também se diria aqui, exatamente igual. Aliás, esse tipo de construção é bastante comum aqui ("Se se vier a revelar isso, então...", "Se se tornar comum", etc, etc). É curioso que quando alguns brasileiros tentam imitar o sotaque de cá, um dos erros típicos é o colocar o pronome sempre a seguir ao verbo em situações em que nós não o faríamos, mas eles não sabem exatamente quando é que nós invertemos, ou não invertemos. Nós dizemos "amo-te" mas também dizemos "se eu te amo". Nunca diríamos "se eu amo-te", soa muito mal. Abraço!
I must say your videos are very practical and show information that are hard to find. I've been living in Portugal for a while now and there are parts of the language used in a cultural context that are easy to misunderstand or not use correctly. And they are basically impossible to find or check in the dictionary. So tips that you give us are very valuable :).
OBRIGADO! Finalmente encontrei exatamente o que estava buscando! Eu aprendi português brasileiro e não conseguia entender o uso de você em Portugal!!! Parabéns pelos conteúdos do canal Liz!
This is a very helpful information. Sou Indonesio, we also use other’s name too to be polite, but for older people we use words equivalent to o senhor / a senhora. Probably it started when portuguese was in our country
I was just asking my Tutor how to say "May I have . . ." and her response was - "We really don't have a polite way of asking that way." To which I was like WTFO?? So this vid was great to set me right on proper/polite way to approach things. Now I'm heading over to your swear words (palavrões) video.
Here in Portugal I am called Doutor by almost everyone, especially in supermarkets, banks or pharmacies. I even have it on my checks (remember them?) A lot of people have told me that it is impolite to use the person's name. I have special problems with this since my name Ray is not known here and some people are afraid to pronounce it. By using Doutor they avoid having to mispronounce my name or even taking the liberty of using my name. Brazilians are much more informal so they had no problems with my name. First, I was never called Doutor by anybody. People called me "Rei", which was the Brazilian pronunciation of my name. I liked it. Who wouldn't? One way the Portuguese show politeness is the use of the diminutive in words. For example, at the bank the cashier will ask "quer fazer um depósitozinho?" or vamos ver os chequezinhos. I once heard at the doctor's office, "pode fechar a portinha"? Or "pode por sua perninha na mesa"? Believe me, I don't have "perninhas". When people hang up the phone it is common for them to say "com licença" (excuse me) when they are leaving the conversation. At the bank the cashier will say, "com licença" when she takes the money to be deposited. At first I found all of this exaggerated politeness uncomfortable but today I don't even notice it.
@@rayvogensen2983 of course. Now everything makes sense, doctor. Btw, Brazilians are far more attached to those conventions than us. They even use Doutor and Engenheiro as given names.
Gosto muito com os seus vídeos. O português foi uma das minhas disciplinas na universidade de Liverpool entre os anos 1982 e 1986 (há quase un século) e agora estou a tentar lembrar-me un bocadinho. A maior dificultade que tenho é que moro em Madrid e falo espanhol todos os dias. A interferência é um problema constante. Parabéns para si. Somos a excepçao (sorry can't find the accent on my Spanish keyboard!) à regra que diz que os ingleses nao sabemos falar outras línguas!!
That's very impressive for someone who learned a bit of Portuguese in the Uni almost 40 years ago. just a couple of remarks, it's "um", not "un" (I know, it's "un" in Spanish), and it should be "... que os ingleses não sabem..." and not "sabemos", but really, that was very good.
@@TheMountainBeyondTheWoods thanks for the comments. Un instead of um is autocorrect I think! Interesting what you say about "os ingleses nao sabemos". In Spanish if I say "Los ingleses no saben" it means I'm not English myself. I have to say "Los ingleses no sabemos" which is like saying "we English don't know". Thanks and take care.
This is so useful and well explained. When speaking directly to someone in English, it would seem strange to use their name or refer to them in the third person, so it's great to be reassured and shown some options!
Best video so far to adress this issue. You can say "você" if you have a brazilian accent, people won't find it strange. But if you are going for the european accent, best not try to adress the person at all. In everyday chat you could just ask "Perdão, (VOCÊ) sabe me dizer a que horas chega o autocarro?" or you can add "Perdão, o senhor.../a senhora....". It's the ultimate "Pls do not adress to me" language. It sounds kind of country-like saying "você" or "vossemecê" (but the last one would be forgivable if you're an eldery person). It can be complicated to teach people native in english that they can just not say the pronouns yet sound super formal...but it's the best way to do it! You can also call an older lady "A Senhora Dona Maria da Conceição" ou "Sra D. Maria" shortened. It's the ultimate formal way. Or calling someone "doutor/a" even if they don't have a phd themselves but they are above you ahahaha its super common in some jobs and stuff. Some examples for non natives in very long and complicated sentences to really test your portuguese skills - Olá, boa tarde! Consegue me tirar um café, se faz favor? Muito grata! there are a LOT of ways to ask for a coffee/bica in portugal, just as "Boa tarde, era um café, por favor!" "Queria pedir um café" (the verbs in "condicional" sound like past tense I know) - Com licença, peço perdão por me intrometer, mas não pude deixar de ouvir que a senhora disse que o autocarro estava atrasado...sabe me dizer por quanto tempo? Obrigada! - Boa tarde! O senhor sabe me dizer as horas? - Olá! Perdão, sabe me dizer onde fica a Rua Nova da Trindade? Ah, certo! Já percebi. Obrigada! Continuação de boa tarde para o senhor Also, in some families people speak to older people in the formal way. And in some families (usually "betos") even to their children...that is the prime example of using someone's name in a formal way. This is not super common in Portugal, by the way. It would sound something like: - Eu já disse para a Maria párar quieta um bocado! Maria! Maria, volta aqui já! Imediatamente! Maria, vá ter com o seu irmão e pergunte se ele já tem fome para jantar. A Maria já fez os trabalhos de casa? The last thing is because in Brasil the 3rd person singular pronouns are used in a lot of places as the 2nd ones, they also call their mothers "senhora" all the time and stuff like that. In Portugal it's way more common to speak to your parents in the informal way, but in a lot of places in Brasil the "informal pronouns" don't exist, like in english. But in some state in Brasil they do use the "tu" pronoun. It's a larger country and very much complicated. But: In Portugal, you can call your parents in the informal way and in some families also the greatparents, but some families use the formal pronouns for every single member The "menina" can be used from children to young adults. for men its not so flaterring to be refered as "menino" when they are 20 something years old lol but for a women you can call them "a menina" until they look very much like a grown woman, like even past 30 in some cases. it can even be used as a compliment. if the woman looks married, has children etc then "senhora" might be a safe bet. But it has nothing to do with a woman's status as if she is married or not. In any document, you will be called "senhora" or "senhor" unless you are and engeneer or a phd. "Menina" is just for conversation sake.
These videos are so great, interesting and practical. I am really inspired by you as a fellow Englishwoman to improve my Portuguese! I Am at around an intermediate level in Brazilian Portuguese but sometimes wish I had learnt the European variant as I love the accent and the Portuguese culture. Hope you continue making these wonderful videos as finding your channel today really cheered me up
Glad you said that , some foreigners learn Portuguese from Brazil and then make videos where they mock the original Portuguese , it makes me mad . ❤️🇵🇹
oooooh great idea. I worry that people would find a video on conjugation too boring. But I could share my tips for making them easy to guess, I guess? Any verbs in particular you struggle with? xxxx
If you have accent and (we Portuguese know that Portuguese is not your first language) we dont care any mistake you do using wrong você/menino/menina/senhor/senhora, we forgive any wrong that you make in Portuguese. One big advice that i do (because this youtuber is completely correct about what she is teaching) to put a big smile in a women is to call her menina always, but never use menina (if the women is your boss, or your mother or grandmother), but i even call menina to my neighbor she was always give-me homemade cake and homemade jams. She smile when i call her menina, i even use her name with menina. "A Menina Sofia está muito bonita hoje" (She is 10 years old than me and the correct is call her Senhora or only her name Sofia, but because she is so nice give me cakes and jams and she receive my mail packages, of course i need to make her smile, the best way to make women smile is to use always menina even she is a lot older than you (because it's like we saying that she looks a lot younger than her real age) but never use this to women that have a higher rank in office/work.
@@arturjcrebelo3275 Thank you so much for sharing, and it’s always nice to hear feedback from locals. I know in Portugal we are not suppose to say “ você “ and it’s only used in Brazil . But I still don’t understand why the Portuguese object to it ? By the way , loved the story of your neighbor 😊
I love your videos. Very well done and helpful. You seem to speak Portuguese very well. The part about “ A menina vai para onde?” Is true but I wonder if you ever noticed that it is common for an older person to say this to a woman but not so much for a young man. Just a cultural thing.
Inicialmente o português tinha dois distancionamentos e consequentemente duas formas de tratamento . Mas posteriormente houve também uma fase em que nós , em Portugal , passámos a ter três formas de tratamento ... O " Tu " informal , " tu queres " , o " Vós " formal , " vós quereis " e ainda o tratamento Majestático ou de deferência , que distancia ainda mais , como se fosse uma terceira entidade , como um Rei ou um grande Senhor , daí o uso da terceira pessoa , como em " o Senhor quer " ... De início , usava-se " Vossa Majestade quereis " , " Vossa Mercê quereis " ... Nesta fase anterior , usavam-se ainda as duas formas clássicas de tratamento , idênticas nas línguas latinas ... Depois o " Vossa Mercê " grosso modo , passou a " Vossemecê " e a " Você " . Entretanto o " Você " vulgarizou-se !... Para um tratamento mais respeitoso , passou então a dizer-se " Sua Alteza " , " Sua Excelência " , " O Senhor " , como se fosse uma terceira pessoa ... O " Vós " , que incluía tanto o tratamento de deferência para uma só pessoa , como o tratamento da 2.a pessoa do plural , passou então a cair em desuso ... Ou seja , o " Vós quereis " , que ainda é usado no Norte de Portugal , englobava o " Vossa Mercê quereis " e o " Vossas Mercês quereis " . Era mais simples , creio eu ... Mas como o povo gosta de imitar a Realeza , passou a dizer o " Você " com a terceira pessoa do singular !... E generalizou-se entre a população como forma de tratamento formal ... E com tanto impacto , que alterou também o plural , passando também a dizer-se " Vocês querem " com a terceira pessoa do plural !... Mesmo sendo do Centro de Portugal , pessoalmente eu preferia o " Vós " , pois incluía o " Você " e o " Vocês " , à semelhança do francês , como em " Vous voulez " . Mas as coisas são como são ... De modo que actualmente , o " Você " usa-se para o tratamento formal normal , do dia a dia entre pessoas conhecidas . Porém , para um tratamento mais respeitoso , com pessoas desconhecidas , usa-se o Senhor , a Senhora , o menino , a menina , com a 3.a pessoa verbal . Já o " Tu " usa-se com familiares , amigos e crianças . Isto em português lusitano . Porque os brasileiros não fazem essa diferenciação , ou melhor , usam o " Tu " e o " Você " reproduzindo o mesmo distanciamento ... O que por vezes dá problemas , ao dirigirem-se por " Tu " a pessoas que não conhecem !... ( em Portugal , claro ). Isso em Portugal , soa muito mal e é mal visto . O português do Brasil , de modo geral , parece que reduziu as formas de tratamento práticamente ao uso do " Você " ... Pois o uso do " Tu " não é generalizado em todo o país ... ( Para além de não reproduzir o mesmo distanciamento que lhe é atribuído no português lusitano , como já disse atrás ). Já em outros países lusófonos , creio que grosso modo , têm formas de tratamento similares às do português lusitano ... Contudo , em alguns países , como em Angola , verifica-se uma tendência para uma ampliação do tratamento por " Tu " , a mais situações , em detrimento do " Você " ... Usando-o também com desconhecidos ... O que em Portugal é considerado como intromissão em espaço privado ou um forçar de intimidade , ou falta de educação ... Portanto , tem algumas nuances diferentes ... Que são importantes a ter em conta para não se observarem mal-entendidos !... De certa forma ocorre uma tendência contrária à do Brasil , pois no Brasil o " tu " é preterido , enquanto que em Angola isso ocorre antes com o " você " ... Ao fim e ao cabo , parece que só o português lusitano faz questão de marcar com mais rigor os diferentes distanciamentos no tratamento ... Todas estas pequenas divergências fazem-me supôr que dois distanciamentos seriam suficientes ... Mas as coisas são como são ... Nem que o Presidente da República passasse a utilizar o " Vós " , creio que agora é impossível voltar às duas formas clássicas de tratamento das línguas latinas ... A evolução da língua tem destas coisas ... O Rei era uma entidade à parte , muito venerado e toda a gente queria ser como ele ... 😇 Qual Imperador romano , qual quê !... Nada como um Rei ou Imperador Português !... 😁 Saudações para todos os lusófonos !... 💕
Chicago Mike, It's not wrong or unpolite to call anybody by 'você' in Portugal if you are a stranger. A portuguese native will accept your treatment fairly well. Have no doubt.
The senhor form used to be used in English, the odd (to us now!) form: 'would sir like to sit here? I've seen it and even heard it - usually from posh service staff.
When going up to a stranger in Portugal to ask them something would starting off with “Com licença Sr./Sra...” be ok? Like saying “Excuse me sir/ma’am...”
Yes it's definitely ok, you can also add the good morning/afternoon/evening greeting, for example: "Com licença, boa tarde, podia dizer-me onde fica..."
@@pally326 Imo "Com licença Sr./Sra..." sounds bookish and in most contexts it would come across a bit affected. Just simply replacing it with a standard "Desculpe, ..." (Excuse me) or a polite greeting like "Bom dia/tarde/noite, ..." followed by the request, will do. "Com licença Sr./Sra., boa tarde, ..." won't be impolite but sounds convoluted if you fear being a bother. Either way, you don't really need the vocative (which involves passing some kind of judgement on the status/age of the person you're addressing) so I'd cut that out (and stick to the formal 3rd person singular) if you want to sound more neutral and natural.
Here in mozambique many people use "3rd person singular" forms of verbs even in daily talks. My teacher told me they are sometimes feel too lazy to keep all conjugations in mind, so they go with 3rd p singular, no matter formal and informal :):)
To me it makes sense! The Brazilian do this too - every type of "you" is "você" and even "we" is "a gente" which is also 3rd person singular. Makes verbs a lot easier to conjugate - this was one of the hardest things to get used to when I moved back to Portugal from Brazil.
@@TalktheStreets I'm trying to figure out when "we" became "a gente" in Brazil. When I learned Brazilian Portuguese some 35 years ago, that was not the case. You have excellent videos, though as I try to re-learn my Portuguese I'm having a very hard time with the Portuguese accent. Brazilian Portuguese is so much easier to my ears, even with the "a gente" being used all of the time.
Your videos are massively helpful Liz! One question I've had for a while on politeness is whether there's a difference between "se faz favor" and "por favor?" Is there any reason to choose one over the other?
Hi Alistair, Frankly, the nuance between "por favor" and "se faz favor" is minimal. In most day-to-day situations you may use them interchangeably. However, in a formal situation, I would rather use "se faz favor", and if pleading for something (which I guess isn't an usual situation) "por favor" would be the natural choice. I believe you can think about it as "por favor"="please" and "se faz favor"="if you may".
We have learned to use " você "as a polite way. In our language "flamingo" we have the same. Ik heb = eu tenho, jij hebt = tu tens, hij of zij heeft = ele/ela tem, u hebt (polite)= você tem. So você, for everyone you do not know. Tu is for friends. A Senhora ou o senhor for everyone at on office or public establishments.
Menina is also used for single women no matter how old they are, although many people prefer to use senhora. Btw, there isn't as well a Ms. equivalent.
I noticed that as a translation for the English word ‘place’, Brazilians tend to use ‘lugar’ all the time, while Portuguese seem to use ‘sitio’ for a place which could be a location on a map, but ‘lugar’ when talking about one’s personal space, such as when standing in a queue or sitting on a bus. I can find no explanation of this in any books, dictionaries included. Just how does it work?
How do you address someone on email/text if you've never met them? For example, if they have 4 names, starting with Dra. then the first name and multiple last names?? Thanks!
Hi, How do you say the plural "you" in Portuguese and what verb form do you use with it? Vocés+3rd person plural? or nós+ 2nd person plural? Thank you.
Plural 2nd person (vós) is really not widely used anymore (some areas might still use it in the north or rural areas). So always go for 3rd person. Vocês. You can also drop it but you can use it to be more emphatic. Replacing it with senhores or senhoras is ok ONLY if everyone in the group is the same gender.
Seria interessante reforçar o uso (típico) de artigo na frente do nome próprio, coisa que praticamente não acontece em outros idiomas, inglês incluso. Exemplo: "A Maria fala inglês" = "Does Maria speak english?"
@@joserabelo6007 Concordo. Não é obrigatório, é opcional. Porém é característico do Português empregar assim, com o artigo, embora não seja errado não usar. Já falar o artigo diante de nomes em outros idiomas é completamente errado.
You say that being polite is very much part of the language. It makes me wonder how this equates to English. Is it not the case there? Or not so much. Secondly, is this manner of speaking used for friends aswell?
No, not for friends. Friends always talk in a more informal and crazy way. It doesn't matter if they are classy people or not, or rich or poor, friends always talk informal and sometimes with bad words.
May I add: the "menina" vs "senhora" not only applies taking into consideration the age/looking younger but also whether or not she is married. Say you look at a very young girl but at the same time you know she is married, then she " fast track graduates" to "senhora" :D Also, this does not apply to men - it would always be o "senhor" despite the person being young or single.
Hey guys if you want to learn portuguese, let me know here I'm learning english and we can help each other! I'm waiting for you! Deus abençoe sua vida!
"Voçe fala inglês" is actually a correct way of saying it (even tho overly polite)... but usually we short it to "Fala inglês" similar to what americans and english do with the ' (contractions) example: "We are" and "we're" but if you really want a tip: dont worry too much... portuguese language is so weird even we cant understand it sometimes... trust me i had plenty of times where my own teachers were doubting themselves a couple of times... (and wasnt because they were bad... is just the language is complex when you start looking at details)
Just one remark, the "cedilha" is not used with "e" or "i", so it's just "você" and not "voçê". I'm not sure of the cause but it's a mistake I've been noticing a lot for the past few years.
Hi! I have two listed in the description - one with info on my online course (talkthestreets.com/pro/) and one with a free download to help with your pronunciation: bit.ly/7-sounds-pdf - hope that helps! Are you learning Portuguese?
@Talk the Streets I think I am about to blow your mind. Using "a/o senhor/senhora" or the name of a person in that way can be impolite as well, depending on your tone of voice. This impolite way is mostly only used by people of authority towards younger people like a teacher to a young student. For example "o senhor não fez os TPC"? Is a stern way a teacher would talk to a student who didn't do their homework. Some people also use this way of speaking towards older people whom they are on friendly terms with, for example a son being stern with an older parent that isn't taking their medication: "A senhora agora não toma os medicamentos, é?"
Great video! From the title I was wondering how you would pull this off since Portuguese language is not so "polite" when compared to English, but I think you did a great job 😊
Actually, it is the other way around. English only has "you". Portuguese is the one where you need to make a change when you switch from informal to formal. It drove me crazy when I was learning english. How can I be polite if I use "you" with everyone?
2:00 quando eu era criança, eu me dirigia aos meus pais dizendo: "O pai" me chamou ? ◙ "A mãe" me deixa jogar bola depois da escola ? ◙◙◙ mas o curioso é que na cidadezinha do interior paulista onde nasci e me criei, eu nunca ouvi uma criança usar o mesmo "tratamento". ◙◙◙ Depois de muito tempo eu observei que nalgumas famílias do interior paranaense que imigraram pra cá, algumas crianças faziam o mesmo.
@@SarahJewelofficial I'm Portuguese too and I'm vouching for him. :P Voce is definitely used more in Brazil, but it is still a Portuguese word and is still used in some formal circumstances. For example if you are making a professional public announcement, you would never use "tu"
This sounds similar to hyper polite English as well? An example could be from the parliament where they are not even allowed to refer to their colleagues in the first person...or perhaps even how to address royals? Seems like there are parrallels
It is common tu use the 'menina' word to address to older ladies as a meaning of respect and kindness, like 'O que deseja a menina?' too. In north Portugal is still common to address politely to people using the expression starting with 'Vós' and the corresponding verb conj, like: 'Vós quereis tomar algo?' instead of 'Quer tomar algo?' that is polite, but too colloquial. Nowadays people knows less and less of how to speak properly their own linguage, unfortunately
Glad it helped! It varies across Portugal, I have come to understand it is just a bit too aggressive or in your face - maybe a bit like we don't like being called "she" in English (who is she, the cat's mother?)
Portuguese people are generally very friendly and welcoming. "Você" is not used among friends like it is in Brazil, it is strictly for when you want to remain formal. When you use você you are purposefully creating distance between you and the person you are talking to, as if you are trying to keep them at "arm's length" so as not to get too close to them. So in that way it can come off as unfriendly, especially if the person you are talking to is a similar age to you. When Brazilians say "você" to me it doesn't bother me at all, but when another Portuguese says "você" to me it never quite sits right with me. So it'd probably just be best to omit it all together, unless you're in a region where it is more commonly used.
It's not a matter of being impolite. 1st it depends on the region and country. For example, brazilians use it impolitely. The pronoun "tu" in european portuguese isn't used in Brazil. Instead, they use "Você" impolitely. So, when talking to a friend, a protuguese would say "Tu vais comer isso?" and as for most of brazilians, they'd say "Você vai comer isso?". Both examples are impolite. Considering only Portugal, Você is polite, but it's kind of mixed between polite and impolite. For example, I use "Você" to my grandparents. "Avó, você não acha que está frio?" (Grandma, Don't you think it's cold?) If I said the same to my mom, I'd use "Mãe, tu não achas que está frio?" So that's the difference. Tu is friendly. Você is polite for close people. "Senhor(a)/Menino(a)" would be politely used for someone I don't even know, or that I'm not acquainted with
Hi! It's an online program - the best way to find out more is to take the taster class! You can sign up here (its free!) www.talkthestreets.com/speak-portuguese-like-a-pro
Hahaha I'm sure you don't... but sophisticated like a lady. I don't think I'll get "senhora" til I have a baby on my hip... although in English I have definitely graduated to being referred to as "the lady"
Depending on the region of the country, the word "menina" can be used even when it's quite obvious the person isn't young, as a sales tactic. :-) One typical example (very common in northern Portugal) is sales people in street markets, fish markets, etc, who will use it to make the customer feel younger and establish a more intimate connection seller-customer (and hopefully attract the customer for a repeat later). On the other hand, the same sales person may not use "menina" if the customer's attitude inspires respect and distance (for example, if you act or seem cold and distant) because they may feel the customer wouldn't like it to be called "menina". This is a cultural aspect that will vary depending on the region of the country.
@@arturrosa3166 In my region, we say " Meninas, meninos" when you want to be friendly. We only use meninos and meninas in an informational situation. Meninos/as is also very ironic. For instance, "Zé, es un menino muito mau." I am no longer a kid. In a formal situation, we say senhores/as- also você. In my region, we still use " Vocemesse" At times, we avoid senhores, vocês by using the third person singular. Sabe cantar, Já fez as tarefas de casa etc? I suppose in your region is the same. Which part of Portugal are you? I live in Berlin, however, I was born in Viseu, well, close to Viseu.
Overkill! Use senhora or use dona. Best to use senhora, it is the more polite form. Both words mean more or less the same, so it makes no sense to refer to anyone as senhora dona. You won't use in english mister sir, right? A Senhora Dona Maria... it sounds really old fashioned. It was indeed used, but like Dinis Mantas said, it has fallen out of use.
In English, (cultural more than linguistic) if you don't know someone's age, it is polite to guess low. "Really? You can't possibly be 50!" Is it the same with "Menina" and "A Senhora"? Is a middle-aged woman likely to be insulted by being called "A menina"? Is a woman in her early 30s likely to be insulted by being called, "A Senhora." "Don't Ma'am, me."
Trrruuuuee I had an American friend say this to me because she doesn't like being called mam... maybe i am weird for wanting to be a senhora and not a menina!!
@@TalktheStreets I asked my Portuguese friend if I should stop refering to her as uma menina now that she was married and getting well through her 20s? "No! I'm still a menina!!" ;-) Some other polite variations that came to mind - Professional titles, O Doutor, A Proffesora, O Eingineiro. Then "a dona " which I presume is more polite than just the name, but then maybe brings the age issue in again? ;)
Se alguém me perguntasse no ônibus "O menino vai pra onde?" ; eu automaticamente perguntaria "que menino?" hahaha Ou então, talvez eu ignoraria, porque não entenderia que, naquele caso, eu era o receptor.
@@TalktheStreets Menina is a little girl, while rapariga is more like young girl. Menina/Menino is used more when a someone is close to you or sometimes being sarcastic or trying to be sweet, while rapariga when you talking about a girl that you don't know well.
The old folks in Portugal also use 'você' in their conversations, although nowadays people probally do not use that to avoid the relation to Portuguese from Brazil.
@ML8593wy "Você" is considered the standard form of address in most of Brazil, most Brazilians exclusively use você for the majority of their interactions. Whereas in Portugal the form of address can vary quite a lot, as seen in this video. Using "você" in a casual way is more associated with Brazilians, not to say that this is the reason why it is not used as much in Portugal, but people definitely do relate it to Brazilian Portuguese.
We use the titles names to avoid hierarchies. It is polite to use você, but I dislike it. what it is really impolite is to use tu with strangers, especially old people.
I burst out laughing when you said the bus 🚌 driver used “a menina.” Translating that into English it sounds so rude! Do you find that Portuguese people use more “politically incorrect” language than English speakers?
Interesting question! I wouldn't say its politically incorrect, its just different! I find languages fascinating in that way. It does take a while to get used to these things, this polite stuff especially, it feels very unnatural to us which is funny because the British are notoriously polite haha
Hey, I am Portuguese. Menina is a girl- It's not impolite. We also say this to old people. Calling someone old man, old lady it's quite rude. Actually, we use a synonym word for old people. We say " Idosos" or third-generation" Pessoas da terceira idade. When we want to be ironic, we use " Menino/a/os/as. Just use it in informal situations. Sir is fine for formal situations. We tend to be informal, also friendly. We dislike being formal. At times, we avoid sir and você by using the 3 person singular of a verb. We don't need to use all the time I, you, he etc. We use more informal language than you " English native speakers". I lived for a year in London. I noticed British people are distant and cold. It's not bad what I am writing here. For us, it's quite normal to use the informal you, telling jokes, asking questions like " Where are you from? Do you like our countries, don't you? It's easy to make friends with strangers. We are very opened-mind. In our language, we use a lot of diminutives to show friendliness.
@@Theyoutuberpolyglot Don't ever use this informal way in Australia, people will think you are condescending and will shoot you down - unless on friendly basis with said person
This is a case where you can't translate exactly to the letter. For example "it's raining cats and dogs" just sounds silly if you translate it to portuguese. What you need to do is switch to the similar expression in portuguese "chove a potes".
![European Portuguese | How to Be Polite [Você FINALLY Explained!]](/img/n.gif)
Does this video make you feel more confident engaging in polite conversation? What should I cover next?
how to pronounce the different tildes on portuguese
more slangs !! and definitely you should cover some "whatsapp portuguese" , some abbreviations or slangs that are used like in english "why=y" "you=u" "idk"
@@berkgunduz9321 Yesssss I had actually been thinking about this!! On it
@@TalktheStreets
I know you covered a few prepositions in one of your live classes. But maybe a little more on that?
@@TalktheStreets
Or alternatively you could cover this aspect of Portuguese where one doesn't simply answer with a "sim" ou "não" but with the verb used in the question?
Why is that done and when do we use it? When does one use Sim or Não.
I hope I am making sense? 😅
Once again I’m loving these coincidental commonalities between Japanese and European Portuguese (in this case pro-dropping or using a person’s name as nominal subject to be polite). It would be weird coming at it just from English, but having learnt Japanese before it’s more intuitive!
When I started learning Japanese I was mind blown at some of the similarities, especially "ne" meaning pretty much the same thing in both languages.
@@jpmf8050 Yes! This struck me as such a funny coincidence
"você" is the preferred use of 2nd person in Brasil. They do use "o senhor e a senhora" as a respectful way. I loved the use of 3rd person singular as in "a menina" to be respecful but less formal. That is not used in Brasil at all. Nice to know the differences. Next time I go to Portugal, I will put these to good use, thank!
Venho aqui tão somente para melhorar o meu inglês. Esta moça simpática deixa tudo mais fácil de entender. 😄 "Você" é INFORMAL no Brasil e usamos com muita frequência. "A menina" e "o menino" é um tanto engraçado. Coisa de gente idosa, que veio de Portugal... 😅
Voce e’ a menina e tambem uma fofa...smiles
O seu domínio da nossa língua e dos nossos maneirismos, e de vários dos nossos aspetos culturais, é muitíssimo alto. É ao nível de um nativo, o que sinceramente eu nunca tinha visto num não-nativo. Muitos parabéns!
Sinceramente, não sabia que se usava "o senhor" e "a senhora" em Portugal. "O menino" e "a menina" nunca é usado no Brasil. Aliás, soa um tanto estranho. Se usa "você", no lugar, mesmo quando nos dirigimos a crianças...
@@fabiolimadasilva3398 Até podemos ser mais formais do que "o senhor" ou "a senhora", se a pessoa a quem nos dirigimos for um doutor, engenheiro, etc. Por exemplo, esta frase seria normal ao falar com um médico: "o que é que o senhor doutor pensa sobre isto?".
Aproveito para dizer que nós nunca diríamos como o Fábio disse "se usa você" porque neste caso o "se" pareceria uma condição. Usaríamos "usa-se você". Usaríamos "se usa você" numa pergunta, como por exemplo "como se usa você numa frase?"
@@arturrosa3166 Boa noite, Artur. A colocação dos pronomes na frase, em português do Brasil, segue princípios ditados pela fonética. Para um brasileiro é estranho dizer "amo-te" porque o pronome objeto no Brasil é TÔNICO. Ao contrário do português europeu, que é ÁTONO. Por isso dizemos algo como "me dá isso, por favor." Quanto aos "ses" (pronome reflexivo e conjunção) já vi construções do tipo "gostaria de saber se se corta o cabelo aqui". Um abraço!
@@arturrosa3166 Já não se chamam de "doutores" os engenheiros no Brasil. Antigamente, sim. Tal pronome de tratamento é reservado a advogados (e juízes, promotores, etc.), médicos e no meio acadêmico. O "vosso" é equivalente ao "de vocês". Aliás, o pronome você não se declina. Existe uma tendência à simplificação mas o português brasileiro formal escrito é praticamente o mesmo do correspondente português. É como se a sociedade brasileira vivesse numa quase diglossia. Por isso muita gente aqui considera a língua portuguesa "difícil". Temos as nossas especificidades que dão riqueza à nossa (minha e sua) língua comum.
@@fabiolimadasilva3398 Boa noite Fábio. Nunca tinha compreendido porque no Brasil se invertem os pronomes em situações em que nós não inverteríamos. Obrigado pela explicação. A frase "gostaria de saber se se corta o cabelo aqui" também se diria aqui, exatamente igual. Aliás, esse tipo de construção é bastante comum aqui ("Se se vier a revelar isso, então...", "Se se tornar comum", etc, etc).
É curioso que quando alguns brasileiros tentam imitar o sotaque de cá, um dos erros típicos é o colocar o pronome sempre a seguir ao verbo em situações em que nós não o faríamos, mas eles não sabem exatamente quando é que nós invertemos, ou não invertemos. Nós dizemos "amo-te" mas também dizemos "se eu te amo". Nunca diríamos "se eu amo-te", soa muito mal.
Abraço!
Interesting about the voce, Portuguese is such a pretty language!
MegsRx4Life and you are so awesome. Thanks for choosing my native language.
💋
I moved to Portugal months ago, I definitively needed this video! Obrigado!
You're so welcome!
I must say your videos are very practical and show information that are hard to find. I've been living in Portugal for a while now and there are parts of the language used in a cultural context that are easy to misunderstand or not use correctly. And they are basically impossible to find or check in the dictionary. So tips that you give us are very valuable :).
I'm so glad!
OBRIGADO! Finalmente encontrei exatamente o que estava buscando! Eu aprendi português brasileiro e não conseguia entender o uso de você em Portugal!!! Parabéns pelos conteúdos do canal Liz!
IM FROM PORTUGAL, U SPEAK SO WELL! I’m gonna cryyyy😭😭❤️
Hahaha please don't cry my videos are supposed to make people happy hahahaha! Thanks for your comment!
Talk the Streets OF JOY MY DARLING 😭❤️😂💖💖
@@skyalle1929 OK thanks good then!!!
Amazing smile
This is a very helpful information. Sou Indonesio, we also use other’s name too to be polite, but for older people we use words equivalent to o senhor / a senhora. Probably it started when portuguese was in our country
I love your videos. Que saudades!
I was just asking my Tutor how to say "May I have . . ." and her response was - "We really don't have a polite way of asking that way." To which I was like WTFO?? So this vid was great to set me right on proper/polite way to approach things. Now I'm heading over to your swear words (palavrões) video.
You are clearing up so many grey areas for me thanks Liz. Have an awesome day
Here in Portugal I am called Doutor by almost everyone, especially in supermarkets, banks or pharmacies. I even have it on my checks (remember them?) A lot of people have told me that it is impolite to use the person's name. I have special problems with this since my name Ray is not known here and some people are afraid to pronounce it. By using Doutor they avoid having to mispronounce my name or even taking the liberty of using my name. Brazilians are much more informal so they had no problems with my name. First, I was never called Doutor by anybody. People called me "Rei", which was the Brazilian pronunciation of my name. I liked it. Who wouldn't? One way the Portuguese show politeness is the use of the diminutive in words. For example, at the bank the cashier will ask "quer fazer um depósitozinho?" or vamos ver os chequezinhos. I once heard at the doctor's office, "pode fechar a portinha"? Or "pode por sua perninha na mesa"? Believe me, I don't have "perninhas". When people hang up the phone it is common for them to say "com licença" (excuse me) when they are leaving the conversation. At the bank the cashier will say, "com licença" when she takes the money to be deposited. At first I found all of this exaggerated politeness uncomfortable but today I don't even notice it.
' Believe me, I don't have "perninhas". ' :D :D :D Awesome comment, everything 100% on point.
Ray, watch out the cashier...😅
Doutor in the supermarket? How come? Do you wear a white coat?
@@miguellemos4669 Yes, I do and I always carry a stethoscope and a thermometer. If they don't call me doctor, I check their temperature.
@@rayvogensen2983 of course. Now everything makes sense, doctor.
Btw, Brazilians are far more attached to those conventions than us. They even use Doutor and Engenheiro as given names.
Gosto muito com os seus vídeos. O português foi uma das minhas disciplinas na universidade de Liverpool entre os anos 1982 e 1986 (há quase un século) e agora estou a tentar lembrar-me un bocadinho. A maior dificultade que tenho é que moro em Madrid e falo espanhol todos os dias. A interferência é um problema constante. Parabéns para si. Somos a excepçao (sorry can't find the accent on my Spanish keyboard!) à regra que diz que os ingleses nao sabemos falar outras línguas!!
That's very impressive for someone who learned a bit of Portuguese in the Uni almost 40 years ago. just a couple of remarks, it's "um", not "un" (I know, it's "un" in Spanish), and it should be "... que os ingleses não sabem..." and not "sabemos", but really, that was very good.
@@TheMountainBeyondTheWoods thanks for the comments. Un instead of um is autocorrect I think! Interesting what you say about "os ingleses nao sabemos". In Spanish if I say "Los ingleses no saben" it means I'm not English myself. I have to say "Los ingleses no sabemos" which is like saying "we English don't know". Thanks and take care.
Very useful para me
This is so useful and well explained. When speaking directly to someone in English, it would seem strange to use their name or refer to them in the third person, so it's great to be reassured and shown some options!
Best video so far to adress this issue.
You can say "você" if you have a brazilian accent, people won't find it strange. But if you are going for the european accent, best not try to adress the person at all. In everyday chat you could just ask "Perdão, (VOCÊ) sabe me dizer a que horas chega o autocarro?" or you can add "Perdão, o senhor.../a senhora....". It's the ultimate "Pls do not adress to me" language. It sounds kind of country-like saying "você" or "vossemecê" (but the last one would be forgivable if you're an eldery person). It can be complicated to teach people native in english that they can just not say the pronouns yet sound super formal...but it's the best way to do it! You can also call an older lady "A Senhora Dona Maria da Conceição" ou "Sra D. Maria" shortened. It's the ultimate formal way. Or calling someone "doutor/a" even if they don't have a phd themselves but they are above you ahahaha its super common in some jobs and stuff. Some examples for non natives in very long and complicated sentences to really test your portuguese skills
- Olá, boa tarde! Consegue me tirar um café, se faz favor? Muito grata!
there are a LOT of ways to ask for a coffee/bica in portugal, just as "Boa tarde, era um café, por favor!" "Queria pedir um café" (the verbs in "condicional" sound like past tense I know)
- Com licença, peço perdão por me intrometer, mas não pude deixar de ouvir que a senhora disse que o autocarro estava atrasado...sabe me dizer por quanto tempo? Obrigada!
- Boa tarde! O senhor sabe me dizer as horas?
- Olá! Perdão, sabe me dizer onde fica a Rua Nova da Trindade? Ah, certo! Já percebi. Obrigada! Continuação de boa tarde para o senhor
Also, in some families people speak to older people in the formal way. And in some families (usually "betos") even to their children...that is the prime example of using someone's name in a formal way. This is not super common in Portugal, by the way. It would sound something like:
- Eu já disse para a Maria párar quieta um bocado! Maria! Maria, volta aqui já! Imediatamente! Maria, vá ter com o seu irmão e pergunte se ele já tem fome para jantar. A Maria já fez os trabalhos de casa?
The last thing is because in Brasil the 3rd person singular pronouns are used in a lot of places as the 2nd ones, they also call their mothers "senhora" all the time and stuff like that. In Portugal it's way more common to speak to your parents in the informal way, but in a lot of places in Brasil the "informal pronouns" don't exist, like in english. But in some state in Brasil they do use the "tu" pronoun. It's a larger country and very much complicated. But:
In Portugal, you can call your parents in the informal way and in some families also the greatparents, but some families use the formal pronouns for every single member
The "menina" can be used from children to young adults. for men its not so flaterring to be refered as "menino" when they are 20 something years old lol but for a women you can call them "a menina" until they look very much like a grown woman, like even past 30 in some cases. it can even be used as a compliment. if the woman looks married, has children etc then "senhora" might be a safe bet. But it has nothing to do with a woman's status as if she is married or not. In any document, you will be called "senhora" or "senhor" unless you are and engeneer or a phd. "Menina" is just for conversation sake.
These videos are so great, interesting and practical. I am really inspired by you as a fellow Englishwoman to improve my Portuguese! I Am at around an intermediate level in Brazilian Portuguese but sometimes wish I had learnt the European variant as I love the accent and the Portuguese culture. Hope you continue making these wonderful videos as finding your channel today really cheered me up
Thank you for such a lovely comment, it has made my day!
Glad you said that , some foreigners learn Portuguese from Brazil and then make videos where they mock the original Portuguese , it makes me mad . ❤️🇵🇹
OMG this is so useful - I have been saying voce, I had no idea I was supposed to drop it, thank you for this!! More, please
oooooh great idea. I worry that people would find a video on conjugation too boring. But I could share my tips for making them easy to guess, I guess? Any verbs in particular you struggle with? xxxx
If you have accent and (we Portuguese know that Portuguese is not your first language) we dont care any mistake you do using wrong você/menino/menina/senhor/senhora, we forgive any wrong that you make in Portuguese.
One big advice that i do (because this youtuber is completely correct about what she is teaching) to put a big smile in a women is to call her menina always, but never use menina (if the women is your boss, or your mother or grandmother), but i even call menina to my neighbor she was always give-me homemade cake and homemade jams. She smile when i call her menina, i even use her name with menina.
"A Menina Sofia está muito bonita hoje" (She is 10 years old than me and the correct is call her Senhora or only her name Sofia, but because she is so nice give me cakes and jams and she receive my mail packages, of course i need to make her smile, the best way to make women smile is to use always menina even she is a lot older than you (because it's like we saying that she looks a lot younger than her real age) but never use this to women that have a higher rank in office/work.
@@arturjcrebelo3275 hahaha you really think most women won't pick up the subtlety of calling them young when there are not!
Yeah I was doing the você thing until yesterday, but frankly nobody looked at me funny! Was using a brazilian portuguese application BTW
@@arturjcrebelo3275 Thank you so much for sharing, and it’s always nice to hear feedback from locals.
I know in Portugal we are not suppose to say “ você “ and it’s only used in Brazil . But I still don’t understand why the Portuguese object to it ?
By the way , loved the story of your neighbor 😊
never knew these! going to be awesome!
Well it's on my list of places to go so thanks for sharing!
I love your videos. Very well done and helpful. You seem to speak Portuguese very well. The part about “ A menina vai para onde?” Is true but I wonder if you ever noticed that it is common for an older person to say this to a woman but not so much for a young man. Just a cultural thing.
This is soooo helpful!! I love you and your videos! ❤️
I love you back!
This was super helpful. Thanks a lot!
You are welcome!!
Thank you, Liz ! Great channel ! Please keep up ))
Thank you!! :)
Inicialmente o português tinha dois distancionamentos e consequentemente duas formas de tratamento . Mas posteriormente houve também uma fase em que nós , em Portugal , passámos a ter três formas de tratamento ...
O " Tu " informal , " tu queres " , o " Vós " formal , " vós quereis " e ainda o tratamento Majestático ou de deferência , que distancia ainda mais , como se fosse uma terceira entidade , como um Rei ou um grande Senhor , daí o uso da terceira pessoa , como em " o Senhor quer " ...
De início , usava-se " Vossa Majestade quereis " , " Vossa Mercê quereis " ...
Nesta fase anterior , usavam-se ainda as duas formas clássicas de tratamento , idênticas nas línguas latinas ...
Depois o " Vossa Mercê " grosso modo , passou a " Vossemecê " e a " Você " . Entretanto o " Você " vulgarizou-se !...
Para um tratamento mais respeitoso , passou então a dizer-se " Sua Alteza " , " Sua Excelência " , " O Senhor " , como se fosse uma terceira pessoa ...
O " Vós " , que incluía tanto o tratamento de deferência para uma só pessoa , como o tratamento da 2.a pessoa do plural , passou então a cair em desuso ...
Ou seja , o " Vós quereis " , que ainda é usado no Norte de Portugal , englobava o " Vossa Mercê quereis " e o " Vossas Mercês quereis " .
Era mais simples , creio eu ...
Mas como o povo gosta de imitar a Realeza , passou a dizer o " Você " com a terceira pessoa do singular !...
E generalizou-se entre a população como forma de tratamento formal ...
E com tanto impacto , que alterou também o plural , passando também a dizer-se " Vocês querem " com a terceira pessoa do plural !...
Mesmo sendo do Centro de Portugal , pessoalmente eu preferia o " Vós " , pois incluía o " Você " e o " Vocês " , à semelhança do francês , como em " Vous voulez " .
Mas as coisas são como são ...
De modo que actualmente , o " Você " usa-se para o tratamento formal normal , do dia a dia entre pessoas conhecidas . Porém , para um tratamento mais respeitoso , com pessoas desconhecidas , usa-se o Senhor , a Senhora , o menino , a menina , com a 3.a pessoa verbal .
Já o " Tu " usa-se com familiares , amigos e crianças .
Isto em português lusitano . Porque os brasileiros não fazem essa diferenciação , ou melhor , usam o " Tu " e o " Você " reproduzindo o mesmo distanciamento ... O que por vezes dá problemas , ao dirigirem-se por " Tu " a pessoas que não conhecem !... ( em Portugal , claro ). Isso em Portugal , soa muito mal e é mal visto .
O português do Brasil , de modo geral , parece que reduziu as formas de tratamento práticamente ao uso do " Você " ...
Pois o uso do " Tu " não é generalizado em todo o país ... ( Para além de não reproduzir o mesmo distanciamento que lhe é atribuído no português lusitano , como já disse atrás ).
Já em outros países lusófonos , creio que grosso modo , têm formas de tratamento similares às do português lusitano ... Contudo , em alguns países , como em Angola , verifica-se uma tendência para uma ampliação do tratamento por " Tu " , a mais situações , em detrimento do " Você " ... Usando-o também com desconhecidos ... O que em Portugal é considerado como intromissão em espaço privado ou um forçar de intimidade , ou falta de educação ... Portanto , tem algumas nuances diferentes ... Que são importantes a ter em conta para não se observarem mal-entendidos !...
De certa forma ocorre uma tendência contrária à do Brasil , pois no Brasil o " tu " é preterido , enquanto que em Angola isso ocorre antes com o " você " ...
Ao fim e ao cabo , parece que só o português lusitano faz questão de marcar com mais rigor os diferentes distanciamentos no tratamento ...
Todas estas pequenas divergências fazem-me supôr que dois distanciamentos seriam suficientes ...
Mas as coisas são como são ...
Nem que o Presidente da República passasse a utilizar o " Vós " , creio que agora é impossível voltar às duas formas clássicas de tratamento das línguas latinas ... A evolução da língua tem destas coisas ...
O Rei era uma entidade à parte , muito venerado e toda a gente queria ser como ele ... 😇
Qual Imperador romano , qual quê !... Nada como um Rei ou Imperador Português !... 😁
Saudações para todos os lusófonos !... 💕
love your videos I think I will be taking your beginner class
It would be great to have you! Sign up at www.talkthestreets.com/pro
What omg I never knew that about voce. I use it all the time since I use the Brazilian Portuguese version. Oml. Thanks
Chicago Mike, It's not wrong or unpolite to call anybody by 'você' in Portugal if you are a stranger. A portuguese native will accept your treatment fairly well. Have no doubt.
The senhor form used to be used in English, the odd (to us now!) form: 'would sir like to sit here? I've seen it and even heard it - usually from posh service staff.
When going up to a stranger in Portugal to ask them something would starting off with “Com licença Sr./Sra...” be ok? Like saying “Excuse me sir/ma’am...”
Yes it's definitely ok, you can also add the good morning/afternoon/evening greeting, for example: "Com licença, boa tarde, podia dizer-me onde fica..."
@@jpmf8050 Obrigado!
@@pally326 De nada
@@pally326 Imo "Com licença Sr./Sra..." sounds bookish and in most contexts it would come across a bit affected. Just simply replacing it with a standard "Desculpe, ..." (Excuse me) or a polite greeting like "Bom dia/tarde/noite, ..." followed by the request, will do.
"Com licença Sr./Sra., boa tarde, ..." won't be impolite but sounds convoluted if you fear being a bother. Either way, you don't really need the vocative (which involves passing some kind of judgement on the status/age of the person you're addressing) so I'd cut that out (and stick to the formal 3rd person singular) if you want to sound more neutral and natural.
Love your channel! It is hard to find video about Portuguese from Portugal! Greetings from Spain
Here in mozambique many people use "3rd person singular" forms of verbs even in daily talks.
My teacher told me they are sometimes feel too lazy to keep all conjugations in mind, so they go with 3rd p singular, no matter formal and informal :):)
To me it makes sense! The Brazilian do this too - every type of "you" is "você" and even "we" is "a gente" which is also 3rd person singular. Makes verbs a lot easier to conjugate - this was one of the hardest things to get used to when I moved back to Portugal from Brazil.
@@TalktheStreets I'm trying to figure out when "we" became "a gente" in Brazil. When I learned Brazilian Portuguese some 35 years ago, that was not the case.
You have excellent videos, though as I try to re-learn my Portuguese I'm having a very hard time with the Portuguese accent. Brazilian Portuguese is so much easier to my ears, even with the "a gente" being used all of the time.
Obrigado!
It' nice to be "Sweet Sixteen" all the time.
Your videos are massively helpful Liz! One question I've had for a while on politeness is whether there's a difference between "se faz favor" and "por favor?" Is there any reason to choose one over the other?
I would love to know his too
Hi Alistair,
Frankly, the nuance between "por favor" and "se faz favor" is minimal.
In most day-to-day situations you may use them interchangeably. However, in a formal situation, I would rather use "se faz favor", and if pleading for something (which I guess isn't an usual situation) "por favor" would be the natural choice.
I believe you can think about it as "por favor"="please" and "se faz favor"="if you may".
@@marcoresende438 thanks that's really helpful!
'Why' do you not use você? Everything I read and my online lessons say to use this. What is the reason for now using it?
We have learned to use " você "as a polite way. In our language "flamingo" we have the same. Ik heb = eu tenho, jij hebt = tu tens, hij of zij heeft = ele/ela tem, u hebt (polite)= você tem. So você, for everyone you do not know. Tu is for friends. A Senhora ou o senhor for everyone at on office or public establishments.
I believe “ você “ is only used in Brazil 🇧🇷.
@@hellophoenix No ! It's used in Portugal all the time .
A menina !!!!!! I was addressed as a menina today 🥀
Is senhorita a thing in Portugal? You mentioned that you are called menina. So is there no Portuguese equivalent for the Spanish “Señorita” (miss)?
Nop, there isn't
Menina is also used for single women no matter how old they are, although many people prefer to use senhora. Btw, there isn't as well a Ms. equivalent.
Discoverd this video today!very well done videos.Beautiful accent and oleasant vibes.Do you have portugeuse or latin ethnicity?
I noticed that as a translation for the English word ‘place’, Brazilians tend to use ‘lugar’ all the time, while Portuguese seem to use ‘sitio’ for a place which could be a location on a map, but ‘lugar’ when talking about one’s personal space, such as when standing in a queue or sitting on a bus. I can find no explanation of this in any books, dictionaries included. Just how does it work?
In portugal both lugar and sitio are used. It's like in english i went to that place vs I went to that location.
That's because "sitio" in Brazil just means "farm".
How do you address someone on email/text if you've never met them? For example, if they have 4 names, starting with Dra. then the first name and multiple last names?? Thanks!
Ola senhora
Hi, How do you say the plural "you" in Portuguese and what verb form do you use with it? Vocés+3rd person plural? or nós+ 2nd person plural? Thank you.
Plural 2nd person (vós) is really not widely used anymore (some areas might still use it in the north or rural areas).
So always go for 3rd person. Vocês. You can also drop it but you can use it to be more emphatic. Replacing it with senhores or senhoras is ok ONLY if everyone in the group is the same gender.
Seria interessante reforçar o uso (típico) de artigo na frente do nome próprio, coisa que praticamente não acontece em outros idiomas, inglês incluso. Exemplo: "A Maria fala inglês" = "Does Maria speak english?"
Neste caso, artigos em língua portuguesa são facultativos. Não é obrigatório usá-lo antes de nomes de pessoas.
@@joserabelo6007 Concordo. Não é obrigatório, é opcional. Porém é característico do Português empregar assim, com o artigo, embora não seja errado não usar.
Já falar o artigo diante de nomes em outros idiomas é completamente errado.
I want to apply
The Portuguese do not use Señorita?
No they don’t!
hello! "a manina vai para onde?" is present indefinite? why did you translate it in continuous? a manina esta ir para onde isn't correct? thank you
You can use the present in this way - only use the present continuous to describe wha you are doing right now.
A senhora fala português?
You say that being polite is very much part of the language. It makes me wonder how this equates to English. Is it not the case there? Or not so much.
Secondly, is this manner of speaking used for friends aswell?
No, not for friends. Friends always talk in a more informal and crazy way. It doesn't matter if they are classy people or not, or rich or poor, friends always talk informal and sometimes with bad words.
May I add: the "menina" vs "senhora" not only applies taking into consideration the age/looking younger but also whether or not she is married. Say you look at a very young girl but at the same time you know she is married, then she " fast track graduates" to "senhora" :D Also, this does not apply to men - it would always be o "senhor" despite the person being young or single.
Older women do call young men "menino".
Hey guys if you want to learn portuguese, let me know here I'm learning english and we can help each other! I'm waiting for you! Deus abençoe sua vida!
"Voçe fala inglês" is actually a correct way of saying it (even tho overly polite)... but usually we short it to "Fala inglês" similar to what americans and english do with the ' (contractions) example: "We are" and "we're"
but if you really want a tip: dont worry too much... portuguese language is so weird even we cant understand it sometimes... trust me i had plenty of times where my own teachers were doubting themselves a couple of times... (and wasnt because they were bad... is just the language is complex when you start looking at details)
Thank you, this is a nice thing for learners to read!
Just one remark, the "cedilha" is not used with "e" or "i", so it's just "você" and not "voçê". I'm not sure of the cause but it's a mistake I've been noticing a lot for the past few years.
@@TheMountainBeyondTheWoods
You are absolutely correct. Some language 'experts' down here are a laugh 😳
Not voçê but você
@@TheMountainBeyondTheWoods it was a typo... But the thing i was pointing out wasnt even about "você" xD plus me messing it up just proves my point 😁
Where is your online link
Hi! I have two listed in the description - one with info on my online course (talkthestreets.com/pro/) and one with a free download to help with your pronunciation: bit.ly/7-sounds-pdf - hope that helps! Are you learning Portuguese?
@Talk the Streets I think I am about to blow your mind.
Using "a/o senhor/senhora" or the name of a person in that way can be impolite as well, depending on your tone of voice. This impolite way is mostly only used by people of authority towards younger people like a teacher to a young student. For example "o senhor não fez os TPC"? Is a stern way a teacher would talk to a student who didn't do their homework.
Some people also use this way of speaking towards older people whom they are on friendly terms with, for example a son being stern with an older parent that isn't taking their medication: "A senhora agora não toma os medicamentos, é?"
Great video! From the title I was wondering how you would pull this off since Portuguese language is not so "polite" when compared to English, but I think you did a great job 😊
Actually, it is the other way around. English only has "you". Portuguese is the one where you need to make a change when you switch from informal to formal. It drove me crazy when I was learning english. How can I be polite if I use "you" with everyone?
2:00 quando eu era criança, eu me dirigia aos meus pais dizendo: "O pai" me chamou ? ◙ "A mãe" me deixa jogar bola depois da escola ? ◙◙◙ mas o curioso é que na cidadezinha do interior paulista onde nasci e me criei, eu nunca ouvi uma criança usar o mesmo "tratamento". ◙◙◙ Depois de muito tempo eu observei que nalgumas famílias do interior paranaense que imigraram pra cá, algumas crianças faziam o mesmo.
Isso é brasileiro. Em PT usa-se chamou-me.
🖐️
Hi, just wanted to ask why you are using Você instead of Tu, isnt Você more for Brazilians?
No! Você=formal tu=informal..
João Teixeira I heard this is not true
@@SarahJewelofficial You might wanna trust the Portuguese guy!
lucas5665 I would but Portuguese people are the ones telling me that’s incorrect 😂
@@SarahJewelofficial I'm Portuguese too and I'm vouching for him. :P Voce is definitely used more in Brazil, but it is still a Portuguese word and is still used in some formal circumstances. For example if you are making a professional public announcement, you would never use "tu"
This sounds similar to hyper polite English as well? An example could be from the parliament where they are not even allowed to refer to their colleagues in the first person...or perhaps even how to address royals? Seems like there are parrallels
It is common tu use the 'menina' word to address to older ladies as a meaning of respect and kindness, like 'O que deseja a menina?' too. In north Portugal is still common to address politely to people using the expression starting with 'Vós' and the corresponding verb conj, like: 'Vós quereis tomar algo?' instead of 'Quer tomar algo?' that is polite, but too colloquial. Nowadays people knows less and less of how to speak properly their own linguage, unfortunately
This has been super helpful, obrigadissima! But please explain again--WHY is 'você' considered impolite? I still don't quite get the nuance.
Glad it helped! It varies across Portugal, I have come to understand it is just a bit too aggressive or in your face - maybe a bit like we don't like being called "she" in English (who is she, the cat's mother?)
I believe it can also suggest someone is inferior to you.
Portuguese people are generally very friendly and welcoming. "Você" is not used among friends like it is in Brazil, it is strictly for when you want to remain formal. When you use você you are purposefully creating distance between you and the person you are talking to, as if you are trying to keep them at "arm's length" so as not to get too close to them. So in that way it can come off as unfriendly, especially if the person you are talking to is a similar age to you. When Brazilians say "você" to me it doesn't bother me at all, but when another Portuguese says "você" to me it never quite sits right with me. So it'd probably just be best to omit it all together, unless you're in a region where it is more commonly used.
It's not a matter of being impolite. 1st it depends on the region and country. For example, brazilians use it impolitely. The pronoun "tu" in european portuguese isn't used in Brazil. Instead, they use "Você" impolitely. So, when talking to a friend, a protuguese would say "Tu vais comer isso?" and as for most of brazilians, they'd say "Você vai comer isso?". Both examples are impolite.
Considering only Portugal, Você is polite, but it's kind of mixed between polite and impolite. For example, I use "Você" to my grandparents. "Avó, você não acha que está frio?" (Grandma, Don't you think it's cold?) If I said the same to my mom, I'd use "Mãe, tu não achas que está frio?"
So that's the difference. Tu is friendly. Você is polite for close people. "Senhor(a)/Menino(a)" would be politely used for someone I don't even know, or that I'm not acquainted with
Hello, I am interested in your online course. Is it free and how long is it (one day? A few hours, a few weeks?). Thank you in advance :)
Hi! It's an online program - the best way to find out more is to take the taster class! You can sign up here (its free!) www.talkthestreets.com/speak-portuguese-like-a-pro
I don't think I've ever heard "a menina" used this way. I guess I look old, LOL!
Hahaha I'm sure you don't... but sophisticated like a lady. I don't think I'll get "senhora" til I have a baby on my hip... although in English I have definitely graduated to being referred to as "the lady"
Nomadic Vegan Yeah, it is ironic. Meninas e meninos.
I was called a dona the other day...I am 70!
Depending on the region of the country, the word "menina" can be used even when it's quite obvious the person isn't young, as a sales tactic. :-) One typical example (very common in northern Portugal) is sales people in street markets, fish markets, etc, who will use it to make the customer feel younger and establish a more intimate connection seller-customer (and hopefully attract the customer for a repeat later).
On the other hand, the same sales person may not use "menina" if the customer's attitude inspires respect and distance (for example, if you act or seem cold and distant) because they may feel the customer wouldn't like it to be called "menina".
This is a cultural aspect that will vary depending on the region of the country.
@@arturrosa3166 In my region, we say " Meninas, meninos" when you want to be friendly. We only use meninos and meninas in an informational situation.
Meninos/as is also very ironic. For instance, "Zé, es un menino muito mau."
I am no longer a kid.
In a formal situation, we say senhores/as- also você. In my region, we still use " Vocemesse"
At times, we avoid senhores, vocês by using the third person singular.
Sabe cantar, Já fez as tarefas de casa etc?
I suppose in your region is the same. Which part of Portugal are you?
I live in Berlin, however, I was born in Viseu, well, close to Viseu.
It's the same in Hungarian
🤲🙋♂️💓
"Senhora Dona" it's the polite way when addressing an older woman
Kind of falling in disuse. Personally, I may still use it with very old Ladies in very formal situations.
Overkill! Use senhora or use dona. Best to use senhora, it is the more polite form.
Both words mean more or less the same, so it makes no sense to refer to anyone as senhora dona. You won't use in english mister sir, right?
A Senhora Dona Maria... it sounds really old fashioned. It was indeed used, but like Dinis Mantas said, it has fallen out of use.
@@mffmoniz2948 maybe overkill and old fashion, but still used a lot ;)
Sodona, fachavor😂
@@jpmf8050 true, most people would use the compressed version :)))
How come using "você" is not being polite? Could you just explain a little more, please!
Because voce seems agreesive to us.
Hello medam my is Sandeep Singh in Lisbon 1month please nopor favor, senhora, eu não sei o idioma purtgesse lauguege
Fuming I get called o senhor not o menino when I’m there 😉
hahahaha
Is "jovem" used as "menino/a" might be used....i.e. for a teenager, perhaps?
In English, (cultural more than linguistic) if you don't know someone's age, it is polite to guess low. "Really? You can't possibly be 50!" Is it the same with "Menina" and "A Senhora"? Is a middle-aged woman likely to be insulted by being called "A menina"? Is a woman in her early 30s likely to be insulted by being called, "A Senhora." "Don't Ma'am, me."
Trrruuuuee I had an American friend say this to me because she doesn't like being called mam... maybe i am weird for wanting to be a senhora and not a menina!!
@@TalktheStreets I asked my Portuguese friend if I should stop refering to her as uma menina now that she was married and getting well through her 20s? "No! I'm still a menina!!" ;-)
Some other polite variations that came to mind - Professional titles, O Doutor, A Proffesora, O Eingineiro. Then "a dona " which I presume is more polite than just the name, but then maybe brings the age issue in again? ;)
Se alguém me perguntasse no ônibus "O menino vai pra onde?" ; eu automaticamente perguntaria "que menino?" hahaha Ou então, talvez eu ignoraria, porque não entenderia que, naquele caso, eu era o receptor.
Rabelo,
Tanta diferença, né?!! Estavam mandando o menino àquela parte... ahahah
Isn't the Portuguese word for girl, 'rapariga'?
Yes, but in this situation, when being polite we use menina.
@@TalktheStreets Menina is a little girl, while rapariga is more like young girl. Menina/Menino is used more when a someone is close to you or sometimes being sarcastic or trying to be sweet, while rapariga when you talking about a girl that you don't know well.
How is Voce not being polite and why do yo suggest we shouldn’t use it?
The old folks in Portugal also use 'você' in their conversations, although nowadays people probally do not use that to avoid the relation to Portuguese from Brazil.
Yes, I hear it said too. But there is so much nuance around the use of você in Portugal I think its best for learners to just leave it out!
@ML8593wy "Você" is considered the standard form of address in most of Brazil, most Brazilians exclusively use você for the majority of their interactions. Whereas in Portugal the form of address can vary quite a lot, as seen in this video. Using "você" in a casual way is more associated with Brazilians, not to say that this is the reason why it is not used as much in Portugal, but people definitely do relate it to Brazilian Portuguese.
Você tem que aprender o português brasileiro, é mais fácil que o português europeu!
Mais fácil onde..?
Ninguem TEM que fazer nada
We use the titles names to avoid hierarchies. It is polite to use você, but I dislike it. what it is really impolite is to use tu with strangers, especially old people.
It's so creepy to say "a menina" instead of pronoun. Like Buffalo Bill fromt the `Silence of the lambs` saying "It puts the lotion on it's skin...".
I burst out laughing when you said the bus 🚌 driver used “a menina.” Translating that into English it sounds so rude! Do you find that Portuguese people use more “politically incorrect” language than English speakers?
Interesting question! I wouldn't say its politically incorrect, its just different! I find languages fascinating in that way. It does take a while to get used to these things, this polite stuff especially, it feels very unnatural to us which is funny because the British are notoriously polite haha
Hey, I am Portuguese.
Menina is a girl- It's not impolite. We also say this to old people. Calling someone old man, old lady it's quite rude. Actually, we use a synonym word for old people. We say " Idosos" or third-generation" Pessoas da terceira idade.
When we want to be ironic, we use " Menino/a/os/as.
Just use it in informal situations. Sir is fine for formal situations.
We tend to be informal, also friendly.
We dislike being formal. At times, we avoid sir and você by using the 3 person singular of a verb. We don't need to use all the time I, you, he etc.
We use more informal language than you " English native speakers".
I lived for a year in London. I noticed British people are distant and cold. It's not bad what I am writing here.
For us, it's quite normal to use the informal you, telling jokes, asking questions like " Where are you from? Do you like our countries, don't you?
It's easy to make friends with strangers. We are very opened-mind.
In our language, we use a lot of diminutives to show friendliness.
@@Theyoutuberpolyglot Don't ever use this informal way in Australia, people will think you are condescending and will shoot you down - unless on friendly basis with said person
This is a case where you can't translate exactly to the letter. For example "it's raining cats and dogs" just sounds silly if you translate it to portuguese. What you need to do is switch to the similar expression in portuguese "chove a potes".