Portuguese · Sapateiro / chaves
Get a spare key cut: what to say in Portuguese
You need a duplicate of your flat key.
💡
How it's done. Keys are often cut at a cobbler's (sapateiro) or at a "shoes and keys" kiosk; a copy takes a few minutes.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
Fazem cópias de chaves?
FAH-zayn KOH-pyuhzh d SHAH-vish?
Do you cut keys?
Or say:Queria uma cópia desta chave.
KREE-uh OO-muh KOH-pyuh DESH-tuh shahv.
THEY SAY
Sim. Quantas cópias?Seen. KWAHN-tuhsh KOH-pyuhsh?
Yes. How many copies?
2
YOU REPLY
Duas, por favor.
DOO-uhsh, poor fuh-VOR.
Two, please.
THEY SAY
Esta é de segurança, demora mais.ESH-tuh eh d sih-goo-RAHN-suh, dih-MOH-ruh mighsh.
This is a security key, it takes longer.
3
YOU REPLY
Quanto tempo demora?
KWAHN-too TEM-poo dih-MOH-ruh?
How long does it take?
THEY SAY
Uns vinte minutos.Oonzh veent mee-NOO-toosh.
About twenty minutes.
They might also say:
Volte daqui a vinte minutos.
Volt duh-KEE uh veent mee-NOO-toosh.
Come back in twenty minutes.
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
Fazem
FAH-zayn
verb
do (do you have?)
cópias
KOH-pyuhzh
noun
copies
chaves
SHAH-vish
noun
keys
Sim
Seen
adverb
yes
favor
fuh-VOR
noun
favour, kindness
é
eh
verb
is
14 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Pode repetir, por favor?
Pod rih-pih-TEER, poor fuh-VOR?
Can you repeat that, please?
Similar situations
Get shoes repairedSapateiro / chaves · A1 in the app
→Repairman: it will be ready tomorrow (Fica pronto amanhã)Sapateiro / chaves · A1 in the app
→Appointment day: you arrive and give your timeCabeleireiro · A1 in the app
→Describe the cut: half off the top, 3 mm on the sides and backCabeleireiro · A2 in the app
→Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report