A casa por fora (o elevador, a cave)

Reading a Portuguese Address

A Portuguese building starts at the rés-do-chão (ground floor, written r/c), may dig down into a cave (basement), and everything above counts 1.º, 2.º.... As escadas (the stairs — usually plural) and o elevador get you up; o teto is the ceiling over your head.

I live on the ground floor.
Moro no rés-do-chão.

Outside

O quintal is the Portuguese backyard — part garden, part orchard. O portão is the street gate (a big porta), and a campainha is the doorbell you ring at it.

Renting

Alugar is to rent. The person who owns the flat is o senhorio (the landlord); the person paying is o inquilino (the tenant). A residência is a residence hall; a pensão is a cheap family-run guesthouse.

The landlord wants the money today.
O senhorio quer o dinheiro hoje.

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