How do you ask how much in Portuguese?
Ask Quanto custa? about a price, and Quanto é? or Quanto deu? when it's time to pay.
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Quanto custa? | How much is it? (one thing) | Unit 3 |
| Quanto é? | How much is it? How much do I owe? | Unit 3 |
| Quanto deu? | What does it come to? | Unit 4 |
| Quanto tá o quilo? | How much is a kilo? | Unit 8 |
| Quanto fica tudo? | How much is it all together? | Unit 20 |
What is the difference between quanto custa and quanto é?
Quanto custa? asks the price of something ("how much does it cost?"); Quanto é? is the everyday "how much is it?" and also "how much do I owe?" at the counter.
How do you pay in Portuguese?
Ask Aceita cartão? ("Do you take cards?") and A conta, por favor ("The check, please") at a restaurant. More in Brazilian Portuguese phrases for travel.
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Aceita cartão? | Do you take cards? | Unit 4 |
| A conta, por favor. | The check, please. | Unit 4 |
How do you say it's too expensive in Portuguese?
Say Está muito caro ("It's too expensive"); É caro is just "it's expensive". At a market, a polite way out is Vou pensar, obrigado ("I'll think about it, thanks").
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Está muito caro. | It's too expensive. (about a price) | Unit 8 |
| É caro. | It's expensive. | Unit 1 |
| Vou pensar, obrigada. | I'll think about it, thanks. | Unit 8 |
| Só estou olhando, obrigado. | I'm just looking, thanks. | Unit 8 |
What mistakes do English speakers make when asking prices?
The common mistakes are Quanto custo? (that's "how much do I cost?") and quantos for a price.
- Quanto custo? means "how much do I cost?". It's Quanto custa?.
- Quantos custa?. For a price, it's quanto; quantos is "how many".
- Forgetting cara for feminine things: A bolsa está cara ("The bag is expensive").
How can you practice saying it out loud?
Say it to someone who answers. In CiaoSpeak's Brazilian Portuguese course, the lessons teach Quanto custa? and Quanto é? with a recording in a Brazilian accent, and in the Speak tab a character in a real scene (a São Paulo baker, a Rio ride-app driver, your language-exchange partner Ana) talks to you and you answer out loud. The app tells you whether a Brazilian would understand you, with one gentle fix if not. Lessons are free; in the Speak tab, today's questions (up to five a day) are free too, and CiaoSpeak+ adds practice in any scene whenever you like. More phrases: how to say everyday things in Portuguese.