Portuguese · Condomínio
House rules: rubbish and cleaning: what to say in Portuguese
A neighbour explains the building rules: rubbish, cleaning, shared areas.
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How it's done. Rubbish is sorted at ecopontos: yellow - plastic and metal, blue - paper, green - glass.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 lixo não se deixa no patamar.Oo LEE-shoo now s daysh noo puh-tuh-MAHR.
Rubbish isn't left on the landing.
They might also say:
Não pode deixar o lixo no patamar.
Now pod day-SHAHR oo LEE-shoo noo puh-tuh-MAHR.
You can't leave rubbish on the landing.
YOU REPLY
Desculpe, não sabia. Onde fica o ecoponto?
Dish-KOOLP, now suh-BEE-uh. Ohnd FEE-kuh oo eh-koo-POHN-too?
Sorry, I didn't know. Where is the recycling point?
THEY SAY
Ali, ao lado da farmácia.Uh-LEE, ow LAH-doo duh fuhr-MAH-syuh.
Over there, next to the pharmacy.
2
YOU FINISH
Obrigado por explicar.
Oh-bree-GAH-doo poor shplee-KAHR.
Thank you for explaining.
THEY SAY
Não faz mal, é normal no início.Now fahzh mahl, eh noor-MAHL noo ee-NEE-syoo.
That's all right, it's normal at the beginning.
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
lixo
LEE-shoo
noun
rubbish
não
now
adverb
no
deixa
daysh
verb
leaves (não se deixa - isn't left)
patamar
puh-tuh-MAHR
noun
landing
Desculpe
Dish-KOOLP
verb
sorry, excuse me
sabia
suh-BEE-uh
verb
knew (did you know?)
19 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?
Desculpe, não percebi.
Dish-KOOLP, now pir-sih-BEE.
Sorry, I didn't understand.
Similar situations
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