Getting around
Estação
Próximo comboio.
The next train.
You hear this when the doors close or the next stop is called. It is written down too, so a missed word does not end the ride.
Coimbra
Portugal
Coimbra rises from the Mondego, under a hilltop university that has shaped the town for centuries.
How the language is used
Portuguese is official. Student fado and the black academic cape belong to this city’s sound.
In this city
- Language
- Portuguese
- Also heard
- Mostly Portuguese
- A local word
- Capa — The black academic cape.
- Writing
- the Latin alphabet
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
The counter
Café
Um café, se faz favor.
One coffee, please.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
The street
Rua
Obrigado.
Thank you.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
Food
Universidade
Bom dia.
Good morning.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The language through the day
Portuguese is official. Student songs and the black academic cape belong to this city's sound.
Around Alta, Baixa, Santa Clara, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Coimbra can run on four lines: “Próximo comboio.”, “Um café, se faz favor.”, “Obrigado.”, and “Bom dia.”. Each one is already a complete moment.
If you are new here
- Stops, prices, and shop signs are written in the Latin alphabet.
- A shop may use você, or a polite infinitive. Tu is warmer, with people you know.
- If a spoken line goes past you, read the screen or the board. In Coimbra, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Capa. It means The black academic cape..
Places you can see
- University of Coimbra — A hilltop university whose baroque library and courtyard sit in the old town.
- Mondego — The river below the university, crossed by bridges and lined with parks.
- Santa Cruz — A monastery church in the lower town, linked to Portugal’s first kings.
Food
Student taverns, plus regional leitão and chanfana from the country around the city.
Getting around
The climb to the university is on foot, and trains link the lower town with Lisbon and Porto.
Daily life
You hear academic Portuguese and Coimbra fado, sung by men and slower than Lisbon fado.
A few everyday phrases
Portuguese
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Olá | Hello |
| Obrigado | Thank you |
| Bom dia | Good morning |
| Chamo-me… | My name is… |
