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Order in a café in Portugal: a complete Portuguese dialogue

Ordering does not always end with “a coffee, please”. A follow-up question may ask whether you are staying or taking it away. Prepare a small conversation rather than one isolated phrase. These examples practise an order, a reply and the final payment question.

Libraski

1. Make a polite request

Queria … is a common polite way to express what you would like now. Although the verb form is an imperfect tense, it does not mean here that you only wanted the drink in the past. Por favor adds “please”.

Bom dia! Queria um café, por favor.: Good morning! I would like a coffee, please.
E uma água sem gás, por favor.: And a still water, please.

Further reading: Ciberdúvidas · O valor modal do imperfeito

2. Prepare for a follow-up question

Learn the question with two possible answers. Para levar means to take away. If you miss a word, pointing or asking for repetition is more useful than guessing. Answer the question first, then add anything else to your order.

É para tomar aqui ou para levar?: Is that to have here or to take away?
É para tomar aqui.: It is to have here.
É para levar, por favor.: To take away, please.
Desculpe, pode repetir?: Sorry, could you repeat that?

3. Check the price and ask to pay

Ask again if you do not understand the amount. Prices in this practice dialogue are fictional examples, not quotes from a particular café. Ask whether you can pay by card rather than assuming it is possible.

Quanto é?: How much is it?
São três euros.: That is three euros.A fictional amount for practice.
Posso pagar com cartão?: Can I pay by card?

4. Practise the whole exchange

Play the customer and server using the phrases above. Begin with a greeting, order, answer the follow-up question and ask for the price. On your second round, change only “here” to “take away”.

Then cover the Portuguese text. Can you still express your request? The exercise below gives one possible answer, not the only permitted wording. A short Para levar, por favor can also work in the right context.

Try it yourself

Politely order a coffee. The server asks “É para tomar aqui ou para levar?” You want it to take away. Give your order and your reply.

Show the answer and explanation

Queria um café, por favor. É para levar, por favor.

Queria makes the request polite; para levar answers the follow-up with “to take away”. Para levar, por favor is also a suitable short reply in conversation. Posso pagar com cartão? would be a later step.