Portuguese · Bomba de gasolina
Car wash: choose a programme: what to say in Portuguese
You want to wash your car at the petrol station and choose a programme.
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How it's done. Wash programmes: lavagem simples - basic, completa - full, com cera - with wax.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
Queria uma lavagem, por favor.
KREE-uh OO-muh luh-VAH-zhayn, poor fuh-VOR.
I'd like a car wash, please.
THEY SAY
Simples ou completa?SEEM-plish oh kohn-PLEH-tuh?
Basic or full?
2
YOU REPLY
A simples, por favor.
Uh SEEM-plish, poor fuh-VOR.
The basic one, please.
THEY SAY
Aqui tem a ficha para a máquina.Uh-KEE tayn uh FEE-shuh pruh uh MAH-kee-nuh.
Here's the token for the machine.
They might also say:
Marque o código na máquina.
Mahrk oo KOH-dee-goo nuh MAH-kee-nuh.
Enter the code on the machine.
3
YOU FINISH
Muito obrigado!
MWEE-too oh-bree-GAH-doo!
Thank you very much!
Or say:Obrigado, até logo!
oh-bree-GAH-doo, uh-TEH LOH-goo!
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
Queria
KREE-uh
verb
would like (polite)
lavagem
luh-VAH-zhayn
noun
wash (car wash)
favor
fuh-VOR
noun
favour, kindness
Simples
SEEM-plish
adjective
simple, plain
completa
kohn-PLEH-tuh
adjective
complete (feminine)
Aqui
Uh-KEE
adverb
here
10 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Pode repetir, por favor?
Pod rih-pih-TEER, poor fuh-VOR?
Can you repeat that, please?
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