Portuguese · Beginner (A1) · Chapter 4 of 12
Getting around
Pela cidade
Ask where places are in a Brazilian city, ask if there's a pharmacy nearby and understand simple directions: straight on, left and right.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Ask where a place is
- Ask if there's something nearby
- Understand simple directions
- Say that something isn't so with não
Listen
In the centre of Recife, Fernanda stops an older man in the street to ask the way. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Fernanda
Com licença, senhor. Onde fica a estação de metrô?
Excuse me, sir. Where's the metro station?
Man
A estação? Não é longe. Siga reto duas quadras e vire à direita.
The station? It isn't far. Go straight on for two blocks and turn right.
Fernanda
Duas quadras e à direita?
Two blocks and then right?
Man
Isso. A estação fica na praça, perto do banco.
That's right. The station is on the square, near the bank.
Fernanda
Muito obrigada. E tem uma farmácia aqui perto?
Thank you very much. And is there a pharmacy near here?
Man
Tem, sim. Fica na primeira rua à esquerda.
Yes, there is. It's on the first street on the left.
Fernanda
A primeira rua à esquerda. Obrigada, senhor.
The first street on the left. Thank you, sir.
Man
De nada.
You're welcome.
Understand
Onde fica…? and Tem… aqui perto?
To ask where a building or a place is, say …? (Where is…?): The answer often uses too: (It's on the square).
To ask if there is one of something nearby, Brazilians say … (Is there… near here?), with or : Answer (Yes, there is) or (No, there isn't). In writing you'll also see for “there is”:
- Onde fica o banco?Where's the bank?
- Tem um banco aqui perto?Is there a bank near here?
- Tem, sim. Fica na praça.Yes, there is. It's on the square.
Directions
Learn these directions as fixed phrases for now. (go, keep going) and (turn) are polite instructions; you'll learn how they're formed in A2.
Notice the little words: is (in, on) + (the), is (of) + (the), and is (to) + (the). The grave accent in shows that two as have joined. Chapter 6 has the full table. For “first, second, third” with (street), say .
Say (literally “with permission”) to get someone's attention or to get past. Say (sorry) when you've done something wrong, for example if you bump into someone. To thank someone warmly, say or .
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| Go straight on. | |
| Turn right. | |
| Turn left. | |
| on the first street | |
| on the second street on the right | |
| on the third street on the left | |
| two blocks |
Saying no: não
To make a sentence negative, put (not) just before the verb: (It's far.) → (It isn't far.) (There's no pharmacy here.) There is no extra word like English “don't”.
To answer “no” to a question, you often hear twice: The first means “no”, the second “not”. In everyday speech Brazilians also add a at the end of the sentence, which sounds natural and friendly: (No, there isn't.)
- A estação não é longe.The station isn't far.
- Não, não tem farmácia aqui perto.No, there's no pharmacy near here.
- Não é na praça, não.It's not on the square.
More in the grammar: Articles and contractions: o, a, no, do, pelo · Questions and negation · Ser, estar and ficar · Ter and haver: have, there is, ago · The imperative
New words
- com licençaexcuse me (to get attention or get past)
- Onde fica…?Where is…? (buildings and places)
- a estação de metrômetro station · feminine; in Portugal
- longefar
- siga retogo straight on
- a quadrablock (of houses between two streets) · feminine; also
- vire à direita / à esquerdaturn right / left
- issothat's right · literally “that”
- a praçasquare · feminine
- o bancobank · masculine
- muito obrigado / muito obrigadathank you very much
- Tem… aqui perto?Is there… near here? · = near here
- a farmáciapharmacy, chemist's · feminine
- a ruastreet · feminine; = the first street
Practise
1.You want to ask a stranger the way. How do you start?
2.Ask if there is a pharmacy near here.
Is there a pharmacy near here?
3.Make the sentence negative: “The pharmacy isn't far.”
The pharmacy isn't far.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Where's the metro station?
5.You ask where the station is. The man says What does he mean?
6.Match the directions.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Com licença. Onde fica a estação de metrô?
Excuse me. Where's the metro station?
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.