Useful Phrases to Talk on the Phone in Portuguese

Want to learn how to talk on the phone in Portuguese without freezing up? Picking up a call in another language makes anyone nervous, but here in Brazil we use pretty much the same phrases every time the phone rings. With these Portuguese phone phrases you'll be able to answer the phone in Portuguese, make a phone call, ask people to repeat themselves, take a message and say goodbye with total confidence. I'll give you each one with its English translation and the context for when to use it.

First you'll see how to say phone in Portuguese (telefone), how to say call in Portuguese (ligação or chamada) and the verb we use to call someone (ligar). Then come the phrases for every stage of a phone call in Portuguese: before you dial, when you pick up, when you don't catch what they said, when you take a message and when you hang up. It's everything you need for a real phone conversation in Portuguese, so next time your cell rings or you need to ligar pra alguém, you'll sound just like we do in Brazil.

I still remember how nervous I used to get on the phone when I was learning Spanish in Argentina.

Video: Phrases to Talk on the Phone in Portuguese

In this video I teach you, with my Brazilian pronunciation, the phrases we use the most to talk on the phone in Portuguese: how to answer, ask someone to repeat, take a message and hang up. Watch it first, then review each phrase in writing below.

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Portuguese Phone Vocabulary

Before the phrases, here's the basic vocabulary you'll need. Notice that "phone" in Portuguese is telefone, and almost every other word comes from there:

Before Making the Call

To make a phone call in Portuguese we almost always use the verb ligar: "ligar pra alguém" means to call someone, and the call itself is "uma ligação". Heads up: in Brazil, ligar has other meanings that have nothing to do with the phone, and I explain them all in the verb ligar in Portuguese.

These are the expressions we use to talk about the call before or while we're trying to get through:

• Vou ligar pra fulano → I'm going to call so-and-so.
• Dar uma ligada → To give someone a quick call / a ring.
• Só faz chamar → It just rings, but nobody picks up.
• Tá sem linha → There's no dial tone / no signal.
• Tá dando ocupado → It's busy (the line is busy).
• Atende e começa a chiar → Someone picks up and it starts crackling / there's static.

During the Call: How to Answer the Phone

To answer the phone in Brazil, the most common way to say hello on the phone in Portuguese is "Alô?" or just "Oi?", and at a company you'll hear "Pois não?". In Portugal it's different: people there usually answer with "Estou?" or "Sim?", so don't be surprised if you call Lisbon.

Here are the phrases for answering the phone and keeping the conversation going. You'll see we have several ways to pick up a call depending on how formal it is:

• Oi → Hi (informal, the most common way to answer).
• Alô → Hello? (the classic way to answer the phone).
• Diga → Go ahead (to invite the other person to talk).
• Sim? → Yes?
• Pois não? → How can I help you? (formal and very polite, typical in customer service).
• Quem gostaria? → Who's calling? / May I ask who's calling?
• Não entendi → I didn't get that.
• Oi? → Sorry? / Pardon? (when you didn't hear well).
• Como? → What was that? / Come again?
• Só um instante → Just a moment.
• Só um minuto / 1 minutinho → Just a minute / one sec.
• Ela não se encontra no momento → She's not available right now.
• Ele deu uma saidinha / saída → He just stepped out.
• Ele tá na rua → He's out right now.
• Posso anotar o recado? → Can I take a message?
• Quer / gostaria deixar algum recado? → Would you like to leave a message?

Ending the Call

To hang up in Portuguese is desligar, and in Brazil we almost never end a call without thanking the other person and saying a warm "tchau". And if the conversation moves to text afterwards, check out how to text in Portuguese with the abbreviations we use on WhatsApp.

And to say goodbye and hang up naturally, these are the phrases we use:

• Tchau → Bye.
• Muito obrigado (a) → Thank you very much (obrigado if you're a man, obrigada if you're a woman).
• Não tem de que / disponha → You're welcome / anytime.
• Até mais / até logo → See you later / talk soon.
• Tenha um bom dia / tarde / noite → Have a good day / afternoon / evening.

Learn Greetings and Farewells in Portuguese (from basic to advanced)

Portuguese on the Phone in Customer Service

If you work in a call center or deal with customers from Brazil, there are set phrases that come up on every call and sound much more professional than a word-for-word translation from English. These are the ones you'll hear and use the most:

• Pois não, em que posso ajudar? → How can I help you?
• Com quem eu falo? → Who am I speaking with?
• Só um momento, vou transferir a sua ligação → One moment, I'll transfer your call.
• Obrigado por aguardar → Thank you for holding.
• Posso ajudar em algo mais? → Is there anything else I can help you with?

Speaking Portuguese on the phone opens a lot of doors: in Colombia, Uruguay and Costa Rica, there are companies looking for exactly this bilingual profile. Take a look at which companies in Costa Rica hire Portuguese speakers and how much they can pay.

How to Spell in Portuguese

On the phone, you'll often have to spell words out to make sure they get written down correctly. For example, when you give your name or email and the person on the other end doesn't get it the first time. Learn how to spell in Portuguese in this video.

FAQ About Talking on the Phone in Portuguese