Portuguese · A2 (Elementary)
Food in Portuguese: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Portuguese words for food are o restaurante (the restaurant), pedir (to order (food)) and a ementa (EU) / o cardápio (BR) (the menu). The full Portuguese food phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Portuguese vocabulary for food, with example sentences and English translations. This is A2 (Elementary) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning Portuguese to live, work, or settle abroad.
Source: Language Lab's Portuguese curriculum (vocabulary & example sentences). · Join the beta →
Key food vocabulary
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| o restaurante | the restaurant |
| pedir | to order (food) |
| a ementa (EU) / o cardápio (BR) | the menu |
| vegetariano/a | vegetarian |
| a conta | the bill |
| a gorjeta | the tip |
| o prato do dia | the dish of the day |
| a entrada | the starter |
| a sobremesa | the dessert |
| o prato principal | the main course |
Example sentences
Jantamos no restaurante esta noite.
We are dining at the restaurant tonight.
Quero pedir, por favor.
I would like to order, please.
Tem pratos vegetarianos?
Do you have vegetarian dishes?
A conta, por favor!
The bill, please!
Qual é o prato do dia?
What is the dish of the day?
Deixo uma gorjeta.
I leave a tip.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
Practice Portuguese that actually sticks.
Language Lab teaches the Portuguese you need to live abroad — with a live AI tutor. Coming soon.
Join the beta →