My name is…

Chamo-me…

Shamu-m^e… – lit. “I call myself…”

^oo mayu nome eh – lit. “the my name is…”

What is your name?

Komu s^e-shama? – lit. "How do you call yourself?"

Kwal eh ^oo sayu nome? – lit. “What is the your name?”

This is…

Este é…

Esht^e eh… (when introducing a male)

Esht^a eh… (when introducing a female)

my husband

o meu marido

^oo mayu mareedu – lit. “the my husband”

my wife

a minha esposa

a minya eshpoza – lit. “the my spouse”

a minha mulher

a minya mulyair – lit. “the my woman” – ‘mulher’ is usually used to refer to your own wife, whereas ‘esposa’ can be used for your own, or someone elses wife.

my boyfriend

o meu namorado

^oo mayu namorahdu – lit. “the my boyfriend”

my girlfriend

a minha namorada

a minya namorahda – lit. “the my girlfriend” –  when used by a male referring to his female partner

a minha amiga

a minya ameega – lit. “the my friend” – when used by a female referring to a female friend

a friend

um amigo

oom[ng] ameegu – a male friend

uma amiga

oom[ng]a ameega – a female friend

Do you speak English?

Fala Inglês?

Fahla Ingle[a]ysh? – Although the ‘ê’ sometimes sounds more open (‘ay’), the circumflex still denotes that it should be a close pronunciation.  Listen carefully to a native speaker – the sound is like a cross between the ‘ea’ of ‘ear’ and the ‘ai’ of ‘air’.  The same is true of the words ‘Inglesa’; ‘Português’; and ‘Portuguesa’.

I am learning to speak Portuguese

I am English

Sou Inglês

Soh Ingle[a]ysh – only said by males

Sou Inglesa

Soh Ingle[a]yza – only said by females

I am Portuguese

Sou Português

Soh Port^ooge[a]ysh – only said by males

Sou Portuguesa

Soh Port^ooge[a]yza – only said by females

I am from England

Soh da Inglaterrrra – lit. “I am from the England”

I am from Portugal

Soh de Portugal – they don’t say ‘from the Portugal’ (like they do with England), just ‘from Portugal’ (like we do).  Most other countries of the world require ‘from the’ (‘do’ or ‘da’ depending on the gender of the country – see section on nouns below)

Where are you from?

in England

na Inglaterrrra – lit. “in the England”

I am from London

Sou de Londres

Sorry!

Desculpe!

I am sorry

Lamento

Lamentu – lit. “I lament”.

Peço desculpas

Pessu Deshculp^ash – lit. “I ask for excuses”.

Com[ng] lissensa – lit. “with permission”.

I don't understand

não entendo

now[ng] entendu – lit. “not I understand”.

so then

então

entow[ng] – lit. “then”, but used frequently in places where English would say 'so', or 'right then'.

you (singlular)

você

vosseh – A formal way of addressing someone (in Brazil they use você informally as well).

o senhor

^oo senyor – lit. “the gentleman”

a senhora

a senyora – lit. “the lady”

Note, the Portuguese generally speak more formally than the English, so although referring to someone as 'the lady' or 'the gentleman' would sound rather pompous to us, it is quite common in Portuguese.  Senhor/Senhora can also mean sir/madam, Mr/Mrs (‘Miss’ would be ‘a menina’, or ‘Senhorita’), or Lord/Lady.

he

ele

ele - the first 'e' is very close, almost like an English 'i', whereas the second 'e' is barely audible (so it sounds almost like you are saying 'ill').

she

ela