Portuguese · Cantina
Pay for school meals (senhas): what to say in Portuguese
You need to pay for school meals - buy lunch tickets.
💡
How it's done. Lunches are often bought in advance (senhas) at a kiosk or in the school's app; for families on lower incomes meals may be subsidised.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
Como é que compro as senhas de almoço?
KOH-moo eh k KOM-proo uhsh SEH-nyuhzh d uhl-MOH-soo?
How do I buy the lunch tickets?
THEY SAY
Compra no quiosque ou na aplicação. Tem de comprar até à véspera.KOM-pruh noo kee-OSHK oh nuh uh-plee-kuh-SOW. Tayn d kom-PRAHR uh-TEH uh VESH-pih-ruh.
You buy at the kiosk or in the app. You have to buy by the day before.
They might also say:
Compra no quiosque ou na aplicação.
KOM-pruh noo kee-OSHK oh nuh uh-plee-kuh-SOW.
You buy at the kiosk or in the app.
2
YOU REPLY
Quanto custa cada almoço?
KWAHN-too KOOSH-tuh KAH-duh uhl-MOH-soo?
How much does each lunch cost?
THEY SAY
Custa um euro e noventa e cinco.KOOSH-tuh oon EH-oo-roo ee noo-VAYN-tuh ee SEEN-koo.
It costs one euro ninety-five.
3
YOU REPLY
Há desconto para famílias com menos rendimentos?
Uh dish-KOHN-too pruh fuh-MEE-lyuhsh kohn MEH-noozh rihn-dee-MAYN-toosh?
Is there a discount for families with lower incomes?
THEY SAY
Sim, peça a Ação Social Escolar.Seen, PEH-suh uh uh-SOW soo-see-AHL shkoo-LAHR.
Yes, apply to the Ação Social Escolar.
They might also say:
Depende do escalão do abono.
Dih-PAYND doo shkuh-LOW doo uh-BOH-noo.
It depends on the child benefit bracket.
4
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
Como
KOH-moo
adverb
how
é
eh
verb
is
compro
KOM-proo
verb
(I) buy
senhas
SEH-nyuhzh
noun
passwords
almoço
uhl-MOH-soo
noun
lunch
Compra
KOM-pruh
noun
purchase
35 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 repetir, por favor?
Pod rih-pih-TEER, poor fuh-VOR?
Can you repeat that, please?
Similar situations
Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report