Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Boa viagem, amigos!

Yes! In Portuguese, nouns that end in -agem (like a viagem or a mensagem) are almost always feminine. Because it is a feminine word, the adjective for "good" must be the feminine boa instead of the masculine bom.

Why does boa come before viagem? Don't adjectives usually go after the noun?

Usually, yes! But common adjectives that express an evaluation or a wish, like "good" (bom/boa) or "bad" (mau/má), often go before the noun. In set phrases for wishes, like boa viagem (good trip), boa sorte (good luck), or bom dia (good morning), the adjective always comes first.

Where is the Portuguese translation for "Have a"?

In Portuguese, when making a polite wish, you don't need to say "Have a". You just state the thing you are wishing them! It is exactly like how we say "Good morning" or "Good luck" in English without adding "Have a" at the start.

Does the 'm' at the end of viagem sound like an English 'm'?

Not quite! At the end of a word, the letter 'm' in Portuguese isn't pronounced by closing your lips. Instead, it makes the vowel before it nasal, sounding a bit like a soft "ng" in the English word "sing".