Portuguese · Café / Pastelaria
Order a birthday cake: what to say in Portuguese
It's a child's birthday, and you want to order a cake at a pastelaria in advance.
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How it's done. Cakes to order at a pastelaria usually need to be ordered a few days ahead.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Boa tarde. Queria encomendar um bolo de aniversário.
BOH-uh tahrd. KREE-uh ayn-koo-mayn-DAHR oon BOH-loo d uh-nee-vir-SAH-ryoo.
Good afternoon. I'd like to order a birthday cake.
THEY SAY
Para quando?Pruh KWAHN-doo?
For when?
They might also say:
Para que dia é?
Pruh k DEE-uh eh?
For which day?
2
YOU REPLY
Para sábado, por favor.
Pruh SAH-buh-doo, poor fuh-VOR.
For Saturday, please.
THEY SAY
Para quantas pessoas?Pruh KWAHN-tuhsh pih-SOH-uhsh?
For how many people?
3
YOU REPLY
Para oito pessoas.
Pruh OY-too pih-SOH-uhsh.
For eight people.
THEY SAY
Qual é o sabor?Kwahl eh oo suh-BOR?
What flavour?
They might also say:
De chocolate ou de fruta?
D shoo-koo-LAHT oh d FROO-tuh?
Chocolate or fruit?
4
YOU REPLY
De chocolate, por favor.
D shoo-koo-LAHT, poor fuh-VOR.
Chocolate, please.
THEY SAY
Muito bem.MWEE-too bayn.
Very good.
They might also say:
Perfeito.
pir-FAY-too.
Perfect.
5
YOU FINISH
Obrigado!
oh-bree-GAH-doo!
Thank you!
Or say:Muito obrigado!
MWEE-too oh-bree-GAH-doo!
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “Portuguese for life in Portugal”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Boa
BOH-uh
adjective
good (feminine)
tarde
tahrd
noun
afternoon
Queria
KREE-uh
verb
would like (polite)
encomendar
ayn-koo-mayn-DAHR
verb
to order
bolo
BOH-loo
noun
cake, pastry
aniversário
uh-nee-vir-SAH-ryoo
noun
birthday
18 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Pode falar mais devagar, por favor?
Pod fuh-LAHR mighzh dvuh-GAHR, poor fuh-VOR?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Um momento, por favor.
Oon moo-MAYN-too, poor fuh-VOR.
One moment, please.
Similar situations
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