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Portuguese · Loja do Cidadão

Ask whether you need an appointment first: what to say in Portuguese

You want to check whether you can just turn up or whether you need an appointment first.

Loja do Cidadão5 linesLevel A1For life in Portugal The rest of the dialogue is in the app
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How it's done. Many services see people only by appointment, some on a first-come queue; check for each one separately.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
É preciso marcação prévia?
Eh prih-SIH-zoo muhr-kuh-SOW PREH-vyuh?
Do I need to book in advance?
Or say:Posso ser atendido sem marcação?
POH-soo sehr uh-tayn-DEE-doo sayn muhr-kuh-SOW?
THEY SAY
Para este serviço, só com marcação.
Pruh esht sir-VEE-soo, soh kohn muhr-kuh-SOW.
For this service, only with an appointment.
They might also say:
Pode tirar senha, mas há muita espera.
Pod tee-RAHR SEH-nyuh, mahz uh MWEE-tuh SHPEH-ruh.
You can take a ticket, but there's a long wait.
in the app
2
YOU REPLY
Como é que marco?
KOH-moo eh k MAHR-koo?
How do I book?
THEY SAY
Pelo site ou pelo telefone.
PEH-loo sight oh PEH-loo tlih-FOHN.
Through the website or by phone.
They might also say:
Eu marco já para si.
Eh-oo MAHR-koo zhah pruh see.
I'll book it for you right now.
in the app
3
YOU FINISH
Obrigado, até logo!
oh-bree-GAH-doo, uh-TEH LOH-goo!
Thank you, see you later!
Or say:Obrigado!
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.

Open in the App Store
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.

Words worth knowing

É
Eh
verb
is
preciso
prih-SIH-zoo
verb
(I) need
marcação
muhr-kuh-SOW
noun
booking (appointment)
prévia
PREH-vyuh
adjective
prior (feminine)
serviço
sir-VEE-soo
noun
service
só
soh
adverb
only, just

13 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?

All 21 rescue phrases in Portuguese →

Similar situations

The clerk says you have to book onlineLoja do Cidadão · A1 in the app
→
Get a copy of a document certifiedLoja do Cidadão · A2 in the app
→
Take a ticket and find the right departmentLoja do Cidadão · A1 in the app
→
Get a proof of residence (atestado de residência)Junta de Freguesia · A2 in the app
→
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The rest of the dialogue is in MovkoDownload