Portuguese · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 11 of 12
Phone calls and messages
Telefonemas e mensagens
Make a phone call in Portuguese: ask for someone, leave a message, spell your name and book an appointment. With me, te, lhe and pra ela.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Ask for someone and leave a message on the phone
- Spell your name with the Portuguese alphabet
- Book an appointment
- Say “to me, to you, to her” in speech and in formal Portuguese
Listen
Priscila Vasconcelos phones a dental clinic in Vitória. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Receptionist
Clínica Sorriso, bom dia.
Sorriso Clinic, good morning.
Priscila
Bom dia. Eu gostaria de falar com a dentista, a doutora Renata.
Good morning. I'd like to speak to the dentist, Dr Renata.
Receptionist
Ela está atendendo agora. Da parte de quem?
She's with a patient at the moment. Who's calling?
Priscila
Priscila Vasconcelos. Posso deixar um recado pra ela?
Priscila Vasconcelos. Can I leave a message for her?
Receptionist
Pode, sim. Como se escreve o seu sobrenome?
Yes, of course. How do you spell your surname?
Priscila
Vê, á, esse, cê, ó, ene, cê, é, ele, ó, esse.
V, A, S, C, O, N, C, E, L, O, S.
Receptionist
Obrigada. E qual é o recado?
Thank you. And what's the message?
Priscila
É que um dente está doendo muito desde ontem. Ela pode me ligar?
It's just that a tooth has been hurting a lot since yesterday. Could she call me?
Receptionist
Eu passo o recado pra ela, e ela retorna a ligação. Mas a senhora quer marcar uma consulta? Tem um horário amanhã às nove.
I'll give her the message, and she'll call you back. But would you like to book an appointment? There's a slot tomorrow at nine.
Priscila
Quero, sim. Amanhã às nove está ótimo.
Yes, please. Tomorrow at nine is great.
Receptionist
Então está marcado. Vou mandar uma mensagem para a senhora com o endereço.
Then it's booked. I'll send you a message with the address.
Priscila
Ótimo. Muito obrigada.
Great. Thank you very much.
Understand
To me, to you, to her
(to me), (to you) and (to us) go before the verb: (Could she call me?). In speech Brazilians use with : (I'll send you a message).
For “to him, to her, to them”, everyday speech uses , , , usually said : Formal Portuguese uses (to him, to her, to you) and (to them):
is the spoken form of , and + becomes . You'll see both in text messages, but write in anything formal.
| English | Everyday speech | Formal |
|---|---|---|
| I'll give her the message. | ||
| I sent them a message. | ||
| I'll call you back. |
Spelling: the alphabet
Ask (How do you spell it?). For a double letter, say (with two s's) or . Say for ç. The letters k, w and y are only used in foreign words and names.
| Letters | Names |
|---|---|
| a b c d e | , , , , |
| f g h i j | , , , , |
| k l m n o | , , , , |
| p q r s t | , , , , |
| u v w x | , , , |
| y z | , |
On the phone
Brazilians answer their own phone with . Businesses give their name. To ask who is calling, say or, more politely, . If someone asks for you, answer or (Speaking).
Eu gostaria de… (I would like to…) is a very polite set phrase, useful on the phone:
- Alô? Quem fala?Hello? Who's speaking?
- A Priscila está? — É ela.Is Priscila there? — Speaking.
- Eu gostaria de marcar uma consulta.I'd like to book an appointment.
More in the grammar: The alphabet and pronunciation · Object pronouns and where they go · Por and para
New words
- o / a dentistadentist
- eu gostaria de…I would like to… · very polite
- da parte de quem?who's calling?
- deixar um recadoto leave a message · : message (spoken, for someone)
- prafor, to · spoken form of ; =
- como se escreve?how do you spell it?, how is it written?
- o sobrenomesurname · masculine
- o dentetooth · masculine
- passar o recadoto give someone the message
- retornar a ligaçãoto call back · : phone call
- marcar uma consultato book an appointment (with a doctor or dentist) · : appointment
- o horáriotime slot; timetable · masculine
- está marcadoit's booked, it's arranged
- mandar uma mensagemto send a message · a text or WhatsApp message; = address
Practise
1.Someone phones and asks for you. How do you say “Speaking” (you're a woman)?
2.Complete the everyday way: “Can I leave a message for him?”
Can I leave a message for him?
3.Complete the polite phrase: “I'd like to book an appointment.”
I'd like to book an appointment.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.How do you spell your surname?
5.Match the letters with their Portuguese names.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.Which sentence is formal Portuguese for “I'll give him the message”?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Eu gostaria de falar com a doutora Renata.
I'd like to speak to Dr Renata.
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.