Portuguese · Cabeleireiro
Describe the cut: half off the top, 3 mm on the sides and back: what to say in Portuguese
In the chair: explain that you want the top shortened by half and the sides and back done with clippers at 3 mm.
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How it's done. Clipper length is given in millimetres: três milímetros is the first guard, seis milímetros the second.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
Em cima, quero cortar a metade.
Ayn SEE-muh, KEH-roo koor-TAHR uh mih-TAHD.
On top, I want to cut off half.
THEY SAY
Metade do comprimento, assim?Mih-TAHD doo koom-prih-MAYN-too, uh-SEEN?
Half the length, like this?
They might also say:
Metade do comprimento, é isso?
Mih-TAHD doo koom-prih-MAYN-too eh EE-soo?
Half the length, is that right?
2
YOU REPLY
Dos lados e atrás, a três milímetros.
Doozh LAH-dooz ee uh-TRAHSH, uh tresh mee-LEE-mih-troosh.
On the sides and back, at three millimetres.
THEY SAY
Percebi. Com a máquina a três milímetros.Pir-sih-BEE. Kohn uh MAH-kee-nuh uh tresh mee-LEE-mih-troosh.
Understood. With the clippers at three millimetres.
3
YOU REPLY
Sim, é isso.
Seen, eh EE-soo.
Yes, that's it.
THEY SAY
Muito bem.MWEE-too bayn.
Very good.
They might also say:
Perfeito.
pir-FAY-too.
Perfect.
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
cima
SEE-muh
adverb
top (de cima - from above)
quero
KEH-roo
verb
(I) want
cortar
koor-TAHR
verb
to cut, to shorten
metade
mih-TAHD
noun
half
comprimento
koom-prih-MAYN-too
noun
length
assim
uh-SEEN
adverb
so, in this way
18 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 mostrar-me?
Pod moosh-TRAHRM?
Can you show me?
Similar situations
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