Portuguese · Biblioteca
Borrow a book and ask when to return it: what to say in Portuguese
You borrow a book and ask when it has to be returned.
💡
How it's done. You can usually extend the loan online, in your library account, without going in person.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
Queria requisitar este livro.
KREE-uh rih-kee-zee-TAHR esht LEE-vroo.
I'd like to borrow this book.
THEY SAY
Pode ficar com ele quinze dias.Pod fee-KAHR kohn el keenz DEE-uhsh.
You can keep it for fifteen days.
They might also say:
Tem de devolver até dia vinte.
Tayn d dih-vool-VEHR uh-TEH DEE-uh veent.
You have to return it by the twentieth.
2
YOU REPLY
E se me atrasar?
Ee s m uh-truh-ZAHR?
And what if I'm late?
THEY SAY
Paga uma multa de dez cêntimos por dia.PAH-guh OO-muh MOOL-tuh d desh SAYN-tee-moosh poor DEE-uh.
There's a fine of ten cents a day.
3
YOU REPLY
Quantos livros posso levar?
KWAHN-toozh LEE-vroosh POH-soo lvahr?
How many books can I take?
THEY SAY
No máximo cinco livros.Noo MAH-see-moo SEEN-koo LEE-vroosh.
Five books at most.
4
YOU FINISH
Obrigado, até logo!
oh-bree-GAH-doo, uh-TEH LOH-goo!
Thank you, see you later!
Or say:Obrigado!
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
Queria
KREE-uh
verb
would like (polite)
requisitar
rih-kee-zee-TAHR
verb
to borrow (from a library), to request
livro
LEE-vroo
noun
book
Pode
Pod
verb
can
ficar
fee-KAHR
verb
to keep
dias
DEE-uhsh
noun
days
26 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
Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report