Pedir vs Perguntar | Portuguese (Portugal) Grammar

English uses the single verb to ask for two very different acts: requesting something (she asked for a glass of water) and inquiring about something (she asked what time it was). Portuguese splits them cleanly. Pedir is what you use when you want someone to do or give you something; perguntar is what you use when you want someone to tell you something. Confusing the two is one of the most reliable English-speaker slip-ups in PT-PT, and it can make you sound rude, because pedir implies expecting an action while perguntar implies only expecting a reply.

The core distinction in one sentence

Pedir = to request an object or an action (you want something done or handed over). Perguntar = to inquire, to ask a question (you want information verbally given back).

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If the answer is yes/no, a number, a name, a fact, or any other verbal piece of information, use perguntar. If the answer is someone doing something or giving something, use pedir.

Pedir — requesting a thing or an action

Pedir takes a direct object (the thing you are asking for), often followed by a + the person you are asking.

Pedi um café e um pastel de nata.

I ordered a coffee and a pastel de nata.

Ela pediu ajuda ao vizinho quando ficou sem gasolina.

She asked the neighbour for help when she ran out of petrol.

Peço desculpa pelo atraso — o comboio avariou-se.

I apologise for being late — the train broke down.

Podes pedir a conta ao empregado, por favor?

Could you ask the waiter for the bill, please?

Pedir + para + infinitive

To request that someone do something, PT-PT uses pedir para + infinitive or, more formally, pedir que + conjuntivo.

O miúdo pediu para ir à casa de banho.

The kid asked to go to the bathroom.

A professora pediu-nos para ficarmos em silêncio.

The teacher asked us to be quiet.

Peço-lhe que aguarde um momento.

(formal) I'd ask you to wait a moment.

Note the personal infinitive in the second example (ficarmos) — classic PT-PT, agreeing with nós.

Common pedir collocations

Expression	Meaning
pedir desculpa	to apologise
pedir ajuda	to ask for help
pedir um favor	to ask a favour
pedir emprestado	to borrow (lit. ask borrowed)
pedir a conta	to ask for the bill
pedir a palavra	to ask for the floor (in a meeting)
pedir a mão em casamento	to ask for someone's hand in marriage
pedir em casamento	to propose

Pedi o livro emprestado à Rita, mas esqueci-me de o devolver.

I borrowed the book from Rita, but I forgot to return it.

Perguntar — asking a question

Perguntar takes an indirect object (the person you are asking, introduced by a) and either a question word, a noun phrase, or a se-clause.

Perguntei ao empregado onde ficava a estação.

I asked the waiter where the station was.

Ela perguntou-me se eu queria boleia.

She asked me if I wanted a lift.

Não me perguntes porquê — não faço ideia.

Don't ask me why — I have no idea.

O Pedro perguntou as horas a um desconhecido na rua.

Pedro asked a stranger on the street what time it was.

Perguntar por — asking after someone

Perguntar por alguém means "to ask after someone" (to inquire about their well-being or whereabouts).

A tua avó perguntou por ti ontem — devias ligar-lhe.

Your grandmother asked after you yesterday — you should call her.

Passou aqui um senhor a perguntar pelo diretor.

A gentleman came by asking for the director.

Fazer uma pergunta — a common variant

PT-PT often uses fazer uma pergunta ("to ask a question" literally) as an alternative to perguntar, especially when the question itself is the focus.

Posso fazer-lhe uma pergunta pessoal?

Can I ask you a personal question?

Side-by-side contrast

Situation	Verb	Example
Request a coffee	pedir	Pedi um café.
Ask what time it is	perguntar	Perguntei as horas.
Request someone's help	pedir	Pedi ajuda à Joana.
Ask if someone is coming	perguntar	Perguntei se a Joana vem.
Ask for a favour	pedir	Pede-me um favor.
Ask a question	perguntar	Faz-me uma pergunta.
Apologise	pedir desculpa	Peço desculpa.
Ask for directions	perguntar	Perguntei o caminho.
Ask someone out	convidar (not pedir/perguntar)	Convidei-a para sair.
Propose (marriage)	pedir em casamento	Pediu-a em casamento.

Conjugation essentials

Pedir is irregular in the first person singular of the present indicative (peço, not pedo) and throughout the conjuntivo.

Pedir — present indicative

Pronoun	Present
eu	peço
tu	pedes
ele/ela/você	pede
nós	pedimos
eles/elas/vocês	pedem

Pedir — preterite (pretérito perfeito)

Pronoun	Preterite
eu	pedi
tu	pediste
ele/ela/você	pediu
nós	pedimos
eles/elas/vocês	pediram

Perguntar is completely regular (pergunto, perguntas, pergunta, perguntamos, perguntam; preterite perguntei, perguntaste, perguntou, perguntámos, perguntaram).

exigir — to demand (stronger than pedir; implies the right to expect compliance). A empresa exige que os trabalhadores usem fardamento. (formal)
requerer — to require / to apply for (very formal, bureaucratic). O cargo requer formação superior. / Requerer a cidadania portuguesa.
solicitar — to request (formal synonym of pedir). Solicito a V. Exa. o envio do documento. (official correspondence)
interrogar — to interrogate / to question (formal, used for suspects, witnesses, or in rhetorical senses). A polícia interrogou as testemunhas.
consultar — to consult, to seek advice from. Consultei o médico sobre o problema.
inquirir — to inquire (formal, used in investigations). O juiz inquiriu o réu.
indagar — to inquire / to probe (literary). Indagou sobre o paradeiro do filho.

O diretor exigiu uma explicação imediata.

The director demanded an immediate explanation.

Queria solicitar uma segunda via do cartão de cidadão.

(formal) I'd like to request a replacement citizen's card.

Common mistakes

❌ Perguntei-lhe um café.

You don't *ask for* with perguntar. Requests take pedir.

✅ Pedi-lhe um café.

I ordered/asked him for a coffee.

❌ Ela pediu-me onde ficava o hotel.

Seeking information takes perguntar, not pedir.

✅ Ela perguntou-me onde ficava o hotel.

She asked me where the hotel was.

❌ Pedi se ele vinha.

Asking whether something is the case takes perguntar + se.

✅ Perguntei se ele vinha.

I asked if he was coming.

❌ Ele perguntou-me para fechar a porta.

Requesting an action takes pedir + para, not perguntar.

✅ Ele pediu-me para fechar a porta.

He asked me to close the door.

❌ Peço-te uma pergunta.

You don't *pedir* a question — you *fazer* it, or you *perguntar*.

✅ Faço-te uma pergunta. / Pergunto-te uma coisa.

Let me ask you something.

❌ Perguntei por ajuda.

Requesting help takes pedir, not perguntar. *Perguntar por* means to ask after someone.

✅ Pedi ajuda.

I asked for help.

❌ O Pedro perguntou a mão dela em casamento.

Marriage proposals are pedir, not perguntar — it's a request, not a question.

✅ O Pedro pediu-a em casamento.

Pedro proposed to her.

❌ A professora perguntou-nos para ficar em silêncio.

Asking someone to do something is pedir + para + infinitive.

✅ A professora pediu-nos para ficarmos em silêncio.

The teacher asked us to be quiet. (note personal infinitive *ficarmos*)

Key takeaways

Pedir gets you an object or an action. Perguntar gets you a verbal answer.
Pedir takes a direct object (peço um favor); perguntar takes an indirect object and a se-clause or question word (pergunto-te se…).
Pedir para
- infinitive requests an action; pedir que
  - conjuntivo is its more formal cousin.
Perguntar por alguém ≠ asking for someone; it means asking after someone (about their well-being).
Pedir is irregular in the first person (peço); perguntar is fully regular.
Fixed expressions to memorise: pedir desculpa, pedir emprestado, pedir em casamento, fazer uma pergunta.