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Portuguese · Cabeleireiro

They ask: shampoo? gel: what to say in Portuguese

The hairdresser asks whether you want your hair washed, and then whether you want gel.

Cabeleireiro4 linesLevel A1For life in Portugal The rest of the dialogue is in the app
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How it's done. A wash at the hairdresser's is usually free.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
Quer lavar o cabelo?
Kehr luh-VAHR oo kuh-BEH-loo?
Would you like your hair washed?
They might also say:
Vamos lavar a cabeça?
VAH-moozh luh-VAHR uh kuh-BEH-suh?
Shall we wash your hair?
Quer ir lavar a cabeça?
Kehr eer luh-VAHR uh kuh-BEH-suh?
Would you like to go and have your hair washed?
YOU REPLY
Sim, por favor.
Seen, poor fuh-VOR.
Yes, please.
Or say:Não, obrigado.
Now, oh-bree-GAH-doo.
THEY SAY
Quer gel no cabelo?
Kehr zhel noo kuh-BEH-loo?
Would you like gel in your hair?
They might also say:
Ponho um bocadinho de gel?
POH-nyoo oon boo-kuh-DEE-nyoo d zhel?
Shall I put a little gel on?
in the app
2
YOU FINISH
Sim, um pouco.
Seen, oon POH-koo.
Yes, a little.
Or say:Sem gel, obrigado.
Sayn zhel, 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.

Open in the App Store
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.

Words worth knowing

Quer
Kehr
verb
want
lavar
luh-VAHR
verb
to wash
cabelo
kuh-BEH-loo
noun
hair
Sim
Seen
adverb
yes
favor
fuh-VOR
noun
favour, kindness
gel
zhel
noun
gel

5 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.

If you did not understand

Desculpe, não percebi.
Dish-KOOLP, now pir-sih-BEE.
Sorry, I didn't understand.
Pode falar mais devagar, por favor?
Pod fuh-LAHR mighzh dvuh-GAHR, poor fuh-VOR?
Can you speak more slowly, please?

All 21 rescue phrases in Portuguese →

Similar situations

Paying and tippingCabeleireiro · A1 in the app
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Book an appointment at the hairdresser'sCabeleireiro · A1 in the app
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The hairdresser asks how you want it cut (Como quer o corte?)Cabeleireiro · A1 in the app
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Explain how much to take offCabeleireiro · A1 in the app
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Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report
The rest of the dialogue is in MovkoDownload