A Cidade: Portuguese Vocabulary for Cities and Towns

In this post we’re going to look at some basic Portuguese vocabulary for cities and towns. You’ll learn how to talk about common sights that you’ll see in towns and cities, including stores, public buildings, and other key vocabulary.

O Prédio, A Rua: A Building, A Street

Let’s start with some basic general vocabulary: a casa house; o prédio / o edifício building; o prédio de apartamentos apartment building o prédio de escritórios office building; a rua street; a estrada / a auto-estrada highway; a calçada sidewalk; o parque park; o estacionamento parking lot; a vaga (para estacionar) parking space; o hotel hotel; o carro car; a bicicleta bike.

• Onde é o hotel?
  Where’s the hotel?
• Há um parque aqui perto.
  There’s a park near here.
• Quantos apartamentos há neste prédio?
  How many apartments are in this building?

Uma Loja: A Store

Now let’s look at how to say various kinds of stores: a loja store; o supermercado supermarket; a loja de roupas clothing store; a loja de sapatos / de calçados shoe store; a joalheria jewelry store; a padaria bakery; a confeitaria pastry shop; o açougue butcher; a loja de ferragens hardware store; a livraria bookstore; a loja de eletrônicos electronics store; a farmácia pharmacy.

• Há muitas lojas nesta rua.
  There are a lot of stores on this street.
• Há um supermercado grande na minha cidade. 
  There is a big supermarket in my town.
• Há uma loja de sapatos / uma loja de roupas / uma livraria aqui perto?
  Is there a shoe store/ clothing store/ bookstore nearby?

A Escola: School

Now let’s look at vocabulary for other places around town: a escola school; o banco bank; a biblioteca library; a universidade university; o quartel de bombeiros firehouse; o correio post office; a estação de polícia police station; o hospital hospital; o posto de gasolina gas station; a igreja church; a sinagoga synagogue; o templo temple; a mesquita mosque.

• As crianças estão na escola.
  The kids are at school.
• Há uma universidade na minha cidade.
  There’s a university in my city.
• Vou à biblioteca.
  I’m going to the post office.
• Vou à biblioteca.
  I’m going to the library.

Um Bom Restaurante: A Good Restaurant

Now let’s look at vocabulary related to fun and entertainment: o restaurante restaurant; o café cafe; o bar bar; o museu museum; o cinema cinema/movie theater; o teatro theater; a galeria de arte art gallery.

• Há um bom restaurante?
  Is there a good restaurant?
• Vamos ao cinema.
  Let’s go to the movies.
• Gostaríamos de visitar uma galeria de artes.
  We would like to visit an art gallery.

A Ferroviária: The Train Station

Now let’s look at some vocabulary related to getting around town: a ferroviária / a estação de trens train station; a rodoviária / a estação de ônibus bus station; a parada de ônibus bus stop; o aeroporto airport; a estação de metrô subway station.

• A estação de trem fica no centro.
  The train station is downtown.
• Eu pego o trem para ir à cidade.
  I take the train to the city.
• Eu pego o ônibus para ir ao aeroporto.
   I take the bus to the airport.

Onde fica o metrô? Where is the subway?

Let’s end with a few expressions related to asking directions: aqui here; alí there, à direita to the right; à esquerda to the left; perto daqui nearby; longe far away.

• Onde fica o metrô?
  Where is the subway?
• Fica aqui.
  It’s here.
• Fica alí. 
  It’s there.
• Fica à direita. 
  It’s to the right.
• Fica à esquerda.
  It’s to the left.
• Fica perto daqui.
  It’s nearby.
• Fica longe.
  It’s far away.
• Fica ao lado do hotel.
  It’s next to the hotel.
• Fica do outro lado da rua.
  It’s across the street.
• Vá reto / Vá em frente.
  Go straight.
• Vire  à esquerda
  Turn left.
• Vire à direita.
  Turn right.

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