Portuguese · A2 (Elementary)
Shopping in Portuguese: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Portuguese words for shopping are o supermercado (the supermarket), a promoção (the special offer) and o desconto (the discount). The full Portuguese shopping phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Portuguese vocabulary for shopping, 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.
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Key shopping vocabulary
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| o supermercado | the supermarket |
| a promoção | the special offer |
| o desconto | the discount |
| o tamanho | the size (clothing) |
| trocar | to exchange / swap |
| o recibo | the receipt |
| a garantia | the warranty |
| a secção | the section / department |
| a marca | the brand |
| devolver | to return (an item) |
Example sentences
Está em promoção esta semana.
It is on offer this week.
Há um desconto de 20%.
There is a 20% discount.
Que tamanho veste?
What size do you wear?
Quero trocar esta camisa.
I want to exchange this shirt.
Tem o recibo?
Do you have the receipt?
Posso devolver isto?
Can I return this?
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.
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