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Questions & Answers about Tu falas português?
Do I need to say the pronoun tu, or can I just say Falas português?
You can drop tu. Portuguese often omits subject pronouns because the verb ending shows who the subject is. So:
- Falas português? = perfectly natural
- Tu falas português? = also fine, but adds emphasis on “you”
What’s the difference between tu and você in Portugal?
In Portugal:
- tu = informal, used with friends, family, people your age or younger
- você = distant and can sound brusque or borderline rude; use with care For polite/formal address, prefer o senhor / a senhora.
How can I ask this more politely to a stranger?
Use:
- Desculpe, fala português? (neutral–polite)
- O senhor / A senhora fala português? (formal) If you’re asking someone to speak in Portuguese, use a request:
- Pode falar em português, por favor?
Is Fala português? correct without any pronoun?
Yes. It’s common and sounds neutral–polite in Portugal. Context makes it clear you mean “you.”
Do I need an auxiliary (like English “do”) to form the question?
No. Portuguese yes/no questions use normal word order plus question intonation:
- Statement: Tu falas português.
- Question: Tu falas português? / Falas português?
Can I invert and say Falas tu português?
It’s possible but sounds formal/literary or emphatic. Everyday speech prefers Falas português? or Tu falas português?
What’s the correct verb form with tu?
Present tense of falar (EU Portuguese):
- eu falo
- tu falas
- ele/ela/você fala
- nós falamos
- vocês/eles/elas falam Note: vós falais exists but is archaic/rare.
How would Brazilians usually say this?
Brazilian Portuguese typically uses:
- Você fala português? Some regions use tu, often with 3rd‑person verb in speech (e.g., tu fala), but standard is tu falas.
Should português be capitalized?
No. In Portuguese, names of languages and nationalities are lowercase: português, inglês, francês. Capitalize only at the start of a sentence.
Why does português have a circumflex (ê), and how is it pronounced?
The circumflex marks a stressed, closed e sound. Stress is on the last syllable: por-tu-GUÊS. In European Portuguese it’s roughly [puɾtuˈɣeʃ]. The u in guê is not pronounced; it just keeps g hard before e.
How do I pronounce the whole sentence in European Portuguese?
Approximation:
- Tu ≈ “too”
- falas ≈ “FAH-lush” (final s often sounds like “sh” in Portugal; the second “a” is reduced)
- português ≈ “por-too-GWESH” (the single r is a quick tap; the final s sounds like “sh”) Full: “too FAH-lush por-too-GWESH?”
Where can I put words like “well,” “a little,” or “fluently”?
- Falas bem português? (Do you speak Portuguese well?)
- Falas português bem? (also used)
- Falas um pouco de português? (Do you speak a little Portuguese?)
- Falas português fluentemente? / És fluente em português?
How do I answer this naturally?
- Yes: Sim, falo. / Sim, falo português.
- Partly: Um bocadinho. / Um pouco.
- No: Não, não falo. Using não twice (one as the standalone “no,” one to negate the verb) is normal: Não, não falo.
Is it correct to say falar o português?
Not in this context. Use:
- falar português (no article) for the skill Use o português when referring to the language as a noun:
- O português é difícil. To say “in Portuguese,” use:
- em português (e.g., Podes explicar em português?)
Should tu have an accent (like Spanish tú)?
No. In Portuguese it’s tu (no accent).
What’s the difference between Falas português? and Estás a falar português?
- Falas português? = Do you (know how to / generally) speak Portuguese? (habit/ability)
- Estás a falar português? = Are you speaking Portuguese right now? (ongoing action)
Can I use poder or saber instead of falar?
Yes, with different meanings:
- Sabes falar português? = Do you know how to speak Portuguese? (skill)
- Podes falar português? = Can you speak Portuguese (now) / Are you allowed to? (possibility/permission)
Why does the final s sound like “sh” in some pronunciations?
In much of Portugal, word-final s (and s before a consonant) is pronounced [ʃ] (“sh”). So falas → “falash,” português → “portugueish.” Other regions may use [s] or [z].
Does stressing tu change the meaning?
It adds emphasis/contrast: Tu falas português? = “Do YOU speak Portuguese?” (as opposed to someone else), or surprise that you, specifically, speak it.
How can I type ê?
- Phone: long-press e and choose ê.
- Windows (US-International layout): press ^ then e.
- macOS: press Option+i, then e.
- Linux (Compose key): Compose, ^, e.