Portuguese · Senhorio
Get your deposit back when you leave: what to say in Portuguese
The move is over, and now you need to get your deposit back.
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How it's done. Photos of the flat on the day you move in and out are your best argument if the landlord doesn't want to return the deposit.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
Quando é que me devolve a caução?
KWAHN-doo eh k m dih-VOLV uh kow-SOW?
When will you return my deposit?
THEY SAY
Devolvo esta semana, mas vou descontar a pintura da parede.Dih-VOL-voo ESH-tuh sih-MAH-nuh, mahzh voh dish-kohn-TAHR uh peen-TOO-ruh duh puh-RED.
I'll return it this week, but I'll deduct the cost of painting the wall.
They might also say:
Esta semana. Mas tenho de descontar a pintura da parede.
ESH-tuh sih-MAH-nuh. Mahsh TEH-nyoo d dish-kohn-TAHR uh peen-TOO-ruh duh puh-RED.
This week. But I have to deduct the cost of painting the wall.
2
YOU REPLY
A parede já estava assim. Tenho fotografias.
Uh puh-RED zhah SHTAH-vuh uh-SEEN. TEH-nyoo foo-too-gruh-FEE-uhsh.
The wall was already like that. I have photos.
THEY SAY
Está bem. Envie-me as fotografias, por favor.Shtah bayn. Ayn-VEE-m uhsh foo-too-gruh-FEE-uhsh, poor fuh-VOR.
All right. Send me the photographs, please.
3
YOU FINISH
Obrigado. Fico à espera.
Oh-bree-GAH-doo. FEE-koo uh SHPEH-ruh.
Thank you. I'll wait.
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
Quando
KWAHN-doo
adverb
when
é
eh
verb
is
devolve
dih-VOLV
verb
(you) return
caução
kow-SOW
noun
deposit (a deposit for housing)
Devolvo
Dih-VOL-voo
verb
(I) will return
semana
sih-MAH-nuh
noun
week
25 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 escrever, por favor?
Pod shkrih-VEHR, poor fuh-VOR?
Can you write it down, please?
Similar situations
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