How do you ask where the bathroom is in Portuguese?
Say Onde fica o banheiro?, ideally after com licença ("excuse me").
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Onde fica o banheiro? | Where's the bathroom? | Not in the course |
| o banheiro | restroom, bathroom | Unit 5 |
| com licença | excuse me | Unit 2 |
| Com licença, onde fica o banheiro? | Excuse me, where's the bathroom? | Not in the course |
| Onde é o banheiro? | Where's the bathroom? (just as common) | Not in the course |
What answers will you hear?
You'll usually hear O banheiro fica ali ("It's over there") or a short direction: lá em cima ("upstairs"), no fundo ("at the back"), à direita ("on the right").
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| O banheiro fica ali. | The bathroom is over there. | Not in the course |
| O banheiro fica lá em cima. | The bathroom is upstairs. | Not in the course |
| Fica lá no fundo, à direita. | It's at the back, on the right. | Not in the course |
What do the signs on bathroom doors say in Brazil?
In Brazil, bathroom doors usually say Masculino (men) and Feminino (women), sometimes Homens and Mulheres, and signs say Banheiro or Sanitários.
| Sign | What it means |
|---|---|
| Masculino / Homens | Men |
| Feminino / Mulheres | Women |
| Banheiro / Sanitários | Restroom(s) |
What mistakes do English speakers make when asking for the bathroom?
The common mistakes are translating "restroom" word for word and using the word from Portugal, casa de banho.
- Translating "restroom" as sala de descanso. In Brazil it's just o banheiro.
- Saying casa de banho. That's Portugal; in Brazil it's o banheiro.
How can you practice saying it out loud?
Say it to someone who answers. In CiaoSpeak's Brazilian Portuguese course, the lessons teach Onde fica…? 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.