Portuguese · Oficina
Explain a problem with your car to the mechanic: what to say in Portuguese
Something's wrong with your car, and you need to explain the problem to a mechanic.
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How it's done. Useful words: travões - brakes, embraiagem - clutch, bateria - battery, a luz do motor - the "check engine" light.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
Bom dia. O carro faz um barulho estranho.
Bohn DEE-uh. Oo KAH-roo fahz oon buh-ROO-lyoo SHTRAH-nyoo.
Good morning. The car is making a strange noise.
THEY SAY
Desde quando?Dezhd KWAHN-doo?
Since when?
They might also say:
Desde quando é que isso acontece?
Dezhd KWAHN-doo eh k EE-soo uh-koon-TES?
Since when has this been happening?
2
YOU REPLY
Desde ontem.
Dezhd OHN-tayn.
Since yesterday.
THEY SAY
Deixe cá o carro, vamos ver.Daysh kah oo KAH-roo, VAH-moozh vehr.
Leave the car with us and we'll take a look.
They might also say:
Deixe o carro cá, que vamos ver.
Daysh oo KAH-roo kah k VAH-moozh vehr.
Leave the car here and we'll have a look.
3
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
Bom
Bohn
adjective
good
dia
DEE-uh
noun
day
carro
KAH-roo
noun
car
faz
fahz
verb
does, makes
barulho
buh-ROO-lyoo
noun
noise
estranho
SHTRAH-nyoo
adjective
strange
10 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?
Pode mostrar-me?
Pod moosh-TRAHRM?
Can you show me?
Similar situations
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