Portuguese · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 7 of 12
Clothes and shopping
Roupas e compras
Exchange clothes and buy a shirt in a Brazilian shop: sizes and trying on, este, esse and aquele, and how to say “it” and “them”.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Exchange something and ask for another size
- Point things out with esse and aquele
- Say “it” and “them” the way Brazilians do in speech and in writing
- Understand paying in instalments
Listen
Eduardo, in his fifties, goes back to a clothes shop in a shopping centre in Londrina. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Shop assistant
Boa tarde. Posso ajudar?
Good afternoon. Can I help you?
Eduardo
Boa tarde. Eu comprei essa calça aqui ontem, mas ficou apertada. Eu queria trocar.
Good afternoon. I bought these trousers here yesterday, but they're too tight. I'd like to exchange them.
Shop assistant
Claro. O senhor tem a nota fiscal?
Of course. Do you have the receipt?
Eduardo
Tenho, sim. Aqui está.
Yes, I do. Here it is.
Shop assistant
Essa é tamanho 40. O senhor quer experimentar a 42?
These are a size 40. Would you like to try on the 42?
Eduardo
Quero, sim. Onde fica o provador?
Yes, please. Where's the fitting room?
Shop assistant
Ali, à direita.
Over there, on the right.
Eduardo
Essa ficou ótima. Vou levar. E aquela camisa azul ali? Tem no tamanho M?
These fit really well. I'll take them. And that blue shirt over there? Do you have it in a medium?
Shop assistant
Tem, sim. Aqui está. O senhor quer experimentar?
Yes, we do. Here you are. Would you like to try it on?
Eduardo
Não precisa. Quanto custa?
No need. How much is it?
Shop assistant
Cento e vinte reais. O senhor pode parcelar em três vezes sem juros.
A hundred and twenty reais. You can pay in three instalments, interest-free.
Eduardo
Ótimo. Então vou levar ela também.
Great. Then I'll take it as well.
Understand
This and that: este, esse, aquele
Portuguese has three words: (this, near me), (that, near you) and (that, over there). In everyday Brazilian speech, is also used for “this”, so you'll hear for “these trousers” when someone is holding them. is always for things further away.
The same three distances work for places: (here, near me), (there, near you) and or (over there): (that shirt over there).
For things you don't name, use , and : (How much is this / that?). After and , they join together: (in that), (of that), (in that one over there), (of that one over there).
| Where | Masculine | Feminine | Thing not named |
|---|---|---|---|
| this (near me) | , | , | |
| that (near you); in speech also this | , | , | |
| that (over there) | , | , |
Saying “it” and “them”
In careful speech and in writing, “it” and “them” are , , , . After an infinitive, the -r drops and they become -lo, -la: (I'll take it). This sounds formal in conversation.
In everyday Brazilian speech people usually leave “it” out: (I'll take it), (Do you want to try it on?). Or they use , , , : , (I saw him yesterday; is the preterite of ).
(me), (you) and (us) go before the verb: , (I'll help you).
| English | Careful / written | Everyday speech |
|---|---|---|
| I'll take it (the shirt). | / | |
| I bought them (the shirts). | / | |
| I saw him. |
Clothes, sizes and ficar
Clothes sizes in Brazil are letters for tops (, , , and for extra large) and numbers for trousers and jeans (38, 40, 42). Ask (Do you have it in a medium?) or (Do you have a bigger size?).
(trousers) is singular in Brazil: is one pair. To say how something fits, use : (The trousers were too tight), (This shirt fits really well), (it's too loose).
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| shirt | |
| T-shirt | |
| trousers | |
| skirt | |
| dress | |
| trainers | |
| coat, jacket |
More in the grammar: Possessives and demonstratives · Object pronouns and where they go
New words
- posso ajudar?can I help you?
- a calçatrousers · feminine; singular in Brazil: is one pair
- ficarto fit, to look (on someone) · : it was too tight; : it fits well
- apertado / apertadatight · opposite: largo / larga (loose)
- trocarto exchange, to change
- a nota fiscalreceipt · feminine
- o tamanhosize · , , : small, medium, large; trousers in numbers: 40, 42
- experimentarto try on; to try
- o provadorfitting room · masculine
- vou levarI'll take it · the object is usually left out in speech
- aquele / aquelathat (over there)
- a camisashirt · feminine; a T-shirt is
- parcelarto pay in instalments
- sem jurosinterest-free · : interest
Practise
1.You point at a dress far away, across the shop. What do you say?
2.In careful Portuguese: “I'll take it (the shirt).”
I'll take it.
3.Complete with + .
Do you have this shirt in this size?
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I'd like to exchange these trousers.
5.Match the Portuguese with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.A friend asks Which answer sounds most natural in everyday Brazilian speech?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Eu queria trocar essa calça.
I'd like to exchange these trousers.
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.