Portuguese · A day at nursery
The teacher: your child does not understand Portuguese yet: what to say in Portuguese
The nursery teacher says the child doesn't understand Portuguese yet, and suggests how to help.
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How it's done. Staff often ask for a few key words in your language (water, toilet, mum) - it helps a lot in the first weeks.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
THEY SPEAK FIRST
THEY SAY
O Ivan ainda não percebe muito português. Pode ensinar-nos algumas palavras em ucraniano?Oo Ee-VAHN uh-EEN-duh now pir-SEB MWEE-too poor-too-GESH. Pod ayn-see-NAHR-nooz uhl-GOO-muhsh puh-LAH-vruhz ayn oo-kruh-nee-AH-noo?
Ivan doesn't understand much Portuguese yet. Can you teach us a few words in Ukrainian?
They might also say:
Pode ensinar-nos algumas palavras em ucraniano?
Pod ayn-see-NAHR-nooz uhl-GOO-muhsh puh-LAH-vruhz ayn oo-kruh-nee-AH-noo?
Can you teach us a few words in Ukrainian?
YOU REPLY
Claro. «Água» é «voda».
KLAH-roo. «AH-gwuh» eh «VOH-duh».
Of course. "Água" is "voda".
THEY SAY
Ótimo! As crianças aprendem depressa.OH-tee-moo! Uhsh kree-AHN-suhz uh-PRAYN-dayn dih-PREH-suh.
Great! Children learn quickly.
They might also say:
Daqui a uns meses já fala connosco.
Duh-KEE uh oonzh MEH-zizh zhah FAH-luh koo-NOSH-koo.
In a few months he'll be talking to us.
2
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
ainda
uh-EEN-duh
adverb
still, yet
não
now
adverb
no
percebe
pir-SEB
verb
understands
muito
MWEE-too
adverb
very
português
poor-too-GESH
adjective
Portuguese
Pode
Pod
verb
can
17 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?
Não falo bem português.
Now FAH-loo bayn poor-too-GESH.
I don't speak Portuguese well.
Similar situations
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