Eu não quero nem perfume nem cheiro forte no escritório.

Nem ... nem means neither ... nor.

So:

• nem perfume nem cheiro forte = neither perfume nor a strong smell

This is the normal Portuguese way to link two negative items. It is very common and natural.

Yes, but double negatives are normal in Portuguese. This is called negative concord.

In English, you usually say:

• I don’t want perfume or strong smells

or

• I want neither perfume nor strong smells

In Portuguese, it is very natural to say:

• Eu não quero nem perfume nem cheiro forte

Literally, it looks like I don’t want neither perfume nor strong smell, but in Portuguese that is correct grammar, not a mistake.

Yes. Portuguese often drops subject pronouns when the verb already makes the subject clear.

So these are both natural:

• Eu não quero nem perfume nem cheiro forte no escritório.
• Não quero nem perfume nem cheiro forte no escritório.

Including eu can add emphasis, contrast, or clarity. Without context, both are fine.

Quero is the 1st person singular present tense of querer.

• querer = to want
• eu quero = I want

So:

• Eu não quero = I don’t want

This is present tense, but like in English, it can express a current preference or rule.

They are related, but not identical.

• perfume = perfume / scented product specifically
• cheiro forte = strong smell / strong odor in general

So the sentence is broader than just saying no perfume. It also includes any other intense smell, such as:

• strong cologne
• heavily scented lotion
• strong cleaning products
• food smells, depending on context

In Portuguese, singular nouns are often used in a general sense.

So:

• cheiro forte = strong smell / strong odors in general

It does not necessarily refer to just one smell. It can mean the idea of anything with a strong smell.

You could also hear plural forms in other contexts, but the singular here sounds very natural.

Because Portuguese usually contracts em + o into no.

• em = in
• o escritório = the office
• em + o = no

So:

• no escritório = in the office

Other common contractions:

• em + a = na
• em + os = nos
• em + as = nas

Usually, yes: escritório means office.

Depending on context, it can refer to:

• an office room
• a workplace office
• a firm or professional office, like a law office or accounting office

In this sentence, no escritório most naturally means in the office / at the office.

Yes, that is also possible, but it changes the structure slightly.

• Eu não quero nem perfume nem cheiro forte = I want neither perfume nor strong smell
• Eu não quero perfume nem cheiro forte = I don’t want perfume or strong smell / I don’t want perfume, nor strong smell

Both are understandable and natural. Using nem ... nem gives a clearer neither ... nor pattern.

Cheiro often means simply smell and can be neutral or even pleasant, depending on context.

Examples:

• cheiro de café = smell of coffee
• cheiro bom = good smell
• cheiro forte = strong smell

If you specifically want bad smell, Portuguese often uses:

• mau cheiro = bad smell
• fedor = stink / strong bad odor

So cheiro forte does not automatically mean bad, but in this sentence it is clearly something unwanted.

A simple learner-friendly approximation:

• não sounds roughly like nowng with a nasal sound
• nem sounds roughly like neing or nem with a light nasal quality, depending on accent and speed

Important point: the vowel in não is nasal, not a plain English ow sound.

In connected speech:

• Eu não quero nem perfume...

the rhythm is smooth, and não quero often flows together naturally.

A rough approximation is:

• per-FU-mee

But more accurately in Brazilian Portuguese:

• the stress is on fu
• the final e is usually pronounced like ee

So it sounds closer to per-FU-mi than to English PER-fume.

Also, the Portuguese r and vowels are different from English, so try to imitate native audio if possible.

A rough approximation is:

• es-kree-TOH-ryoo

Key points:

• stress falls on tó
• the ending -rio is not pronounced exactly like English rio
• Brazilian pronunciation often makes it sound smooth and compressed

Listening to native speakers is especially helpful with this word.

No. Here forte means strong, because it describes cheiro.

• cheiro forte = strong smell

Portuguese forte can mean different things depending on the noun:

• som forte = loud sound
• café forte = strong coffee
• cheiro forte = strong smell

So the meaning depends on context.

It is basically neutral.

It sounds like normal, everyday Portuguese. It could be used:

• in conversation
• in a workplace discussion
• in a polite complaint
• as part of a rule or preference

If you wanted to sound more formal or softer, you might say something like:

• Eu prefiro que não haja nem perfume nem cheiro forte no escritório.
• Peço que não usem perfume nem deixem cheiro forte no escritório.

But the original sentence is perfectly natural and clear.

Yes. Nem has more than one common use.

1. Neither/nor

   • nem perfume nem cheiro forte

2. Not even

   • Eu nem sabia. = I didn’t even know.
   • Nem ele veio. = Not even he came.

So in your sentence, nem is clearly the neither/nor use.