Essential Food Vocabulary
Master the basics - every meal starts here
Listen carefully: in Brazil, we say "FRAN-go" for chicken, not "fran-GO". These twenty foods appear on every menu. Practice them until they're automatic!
Proteins & Main Dishes
o
frango
chicken
↻
"Frango grelhado"
Grilled chicken
a
carne
beef/meat
↻
"Carne assada"
Roast beef
o
peixe
fish
↻
"Peixe frito"
Fried fish
o
porco
pork
↻
"Carne de porco"
Pork meat
o
camarão
shrimp
↻
"Camarão na moranga"
Famous dish
o
arroz
rice
↻
"Arroz branco"
White rice
o
feijão
beans
↻
"Feijão preto"
Black beans
a
salada
salad
↻
"Salada verde"
Green salad
a
batata
potato
↻
"Batata frita"
French fries
o
ovo
egg
↻
"Ovo frito"
Fried egg
o
pão
bread
↻
"Pão francês"
French bread
o
queijo
cheese
↻
"Pão de queijo"
Cheese bread!
a
sopa
soup
↻
"Sopa do dia"
Soup of the day
a
massa
pasta
↻
"Massa ao molho"
Pasta with sauce
a
pizza
pizza
↻
"Pizza de calabresa"
Pepperoni pizza
a
feijoada
bean stew
↻
"Saturday special"
Brazil's national dish
o
açaí
açaí berry
↻
"Açaí na tigela"
Açaí bowl
a
farofa
toasted flour
↻
"Side dish"
Sprinkle on food
a
mandioca
cassava
↻
"Mandioca frita"
Fried cassava
o
lanche
snack
↻
"Afternoon snack"
Light meal
Carolina's Tip:
Rice and beans (arroz e feijão) come with almost every meal in Brazil. If you see "PF" on a menu, it means "prato feito" - a complete meal with rice, beans, meat, and salad.
Brazilian Drinks
From cafezinho to caipirinha
Coffee is essential in Brazil! We say "cafezinho" for our small, strong, sweet coffee. Learn these drinks - you'll order them every day.
Essential Beverages
o
café
coffee
↻
"Café preto"
Black coffee
o
cafezinho
small coffee
↻
"Free after meals!"
Brazilian tradition
o
café com leite
coffee with milk
↻
"Breakfast favorite"
Half and half
o
suco
juice
↻
"Suco natural"
Fresh juice
o
suco de laranja
orange juice
↻
"Most popular"
Fresh squeezed
a
água
water
↻
"Água gelada"
Ice water
a
água de coco
coconut water
↻
"Beach essential"
Natural hydration
a
cerveja
beer
↻
"Cerveja gelada"
Cold beer
a
caipirinha
caipirinha
↻
"Cachaça cocktail"
National drink
o
refrigerante
soda
↻
"Guaraná is popular"
Soft drink
Expressing Preferences
Say what you like and don't like
"Eu gosto" means I like, "Eu não gosto" means I don't like. Simple but powerful! Practice these until they're automatic.
Likes and Dislikes
Eu gosto de...
I like...
↻
"Eu gosto de café"
I like coffee
Eu não gosto de...
I don't like...
↻
"Eu não gosto de peixe"
I don't like fish
Eu prefiro...
I prefer...
↻
"Eu prefiro frango"
I prefer chicken
Eu adoro...
I love...
↻
"Eu adoro feijoada"
I love feijoada
Está delicioso
It's delicious
↻
"Compliment the chef!"
Very tasty
Está bom
It's good
↻
"Positive feedback"
Tastes good
Está ruim
It's bad
↻
"Be careful!"
Not good
Sou vegetariano
I'm vegetarian
↻
"Vegetariana if female"
No meat
Ordering Phrases
From wanting to paying
"Eu quero" is direct - I want. "Eu gostaria" is polite - I would like. Both work, but "gostaria" shows respect. Practice both!
Essential Ordering Language
Eu quero...
I want...
↻
"Eu quero café"
Direct request
Eu gostaria de...
I would like...
↻
"Eu gostaria de água"
Polite form
Você tem...?
Do you have...?
↻
"Você tem suco?"
Asking availability
Quanto custa?
How much?
↻
"Price please"
Cost inquiry
A conta, por favor
The check, please
↻
"Time to pay"
Bill request
Para mim...
For me...
↻
"Para mim, frango"
My order
Sem...
Without...
↻
"Sem cebola"
Without onion
Com...
With...
↻
"Com arroz"
With rice
Complete Restaurant Interactions
From arrival to payment
In Brazil, service is warm and personal. We say "Seja bem-vindo" - be welcome. The waiter becomes your friend for the meal!
Full Restaurant Experience
Mesa para dois
Table for two
↻
"Arrival phrase"
Getting seated
O cardápio
The menu
↻
"Cardápio, por favor"
Menu please
Já escolheu?
Have you chosen?
↻
"Waiter asks this"
Ready to order?
Mais alguma coisa?
Anything else?
↻
"Common question"
More items?
Está incluído o serviço?
Is service included?
↻
"10% usually added"
Tip question
Cartão ou dinheiro?
Card or cash?
↻
"Payment method"
How to pay
Obrigado/Obrigada
Thank you
↻
"Men say obrigado"
Women say obrigada
Estava ótimo!
It was great!
↻
"Compliment"
Show appreciation
Brazil Tip:
Service charge (10%) is usually included in the bill as "serviço." You can ask "Está incluído o serviço?" If yes, no additional tip is expected, though rounding up is appreciated.
Ready to Order in Any Brazilian Restaurant?
You now have all the Portuguese you need to eat well in Brazil! Remember: everyone needs to eat, so food vocabulary is your foundation. Practice with me until ordering feels natural!