Getting around
Metro
Próxima paragem.
Next stop.
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.
Lisbon
Portugal
Lisbon stacks tiled lanes and lookouts over the Tagus, the river its ships once left by.
How the language is used
Portuguese is official on shop signs, the metro, and in fado houses, with a European sound unlike Brazil.
In this city
- Language
- Portuguese
- Also heard
- Mostly Portuguese
- A local word
- Pastel de nata — A custard tart.
- Writing
- the Latin alphabet
What people say
Ordinary lines from this city: the ride, the counter, the food, and the greeting.
Food
Pastelaria
Um pastel de nata, se faz favor.
A custard tart.
The order is built in short pieces like this one.
The counter
Eléctrico
Sai na próxima.
Getting off.
This line is a whole order. You do not need a longer sentence.
The street
Rua
Bom dia.
Good morning.
People keep this line short. It is enough for the moment.
The language through the day
This is European Portuguese, more closed than Brazilian speech. You hear it on the metro and at the counter.
Around Alfama, Bairro Alto, Mouraria, this is the ordinary sound of the day.
A first day in Lisbon can run on four lines: “Próxima paragem.”, “Um pastel de nata, se faz favor.”, “Sai na próxima.”, 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 Lisbon, the stop and the price are written down.
One local word: Pastel de nata. It means A custard tart..
Places you can see
- Belém Tower — A Manueline stone tower on the riverbank, built to watch ships leaving the Tagus.
- Alfama — The old hillside quarter of lanes, churches, and small fado houses.
- Tram 28 — A yellow tram line that climbs through Alfama and the hills.
Food
Bakeries sell pastel de nata, and tascas serve grilled sardines and bacalhau.
Getting around
Trams and the metro climb the hills, and ferries cross the Tagus. Stops are in Portuguese.
Daily life
You read Portuguese on menus and neighbourhood signs, and a café order stays short.
A few everyday phrases
Portuguese
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Olá | Hello |
| Obrigado | Thank you |
| Bom dia | Good morning |
| Chamo-me… | My name is… |
