Portuguese · Colegas
Arrange to swap a shift: what to say in Portuguese
You want to swap shifts with a colleague.
💡
How it's done. Swapping shifts usually has to be agreed with your manager - agreeing with a colleague isn't enough.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
Podemos trocar de turno no sábado?
Poo-DEH-moosh troo-KAHR d TOOR-noo noo SAH-buh-doo?
Can we swap shifts on Saturday?
THEY SAY
Pode ser. Fala com a chefe?Pod sehr. FAH-luh kohn uh shef?
Sure. Will you talk to the boss?
They might also say:
Pode ser. Tem de falar com a chefe.
Pod sehr. Tayn d fuh-LAHR kohn uh shef.
That's fine. You have to talk to the boss.
2
YOU REPLY
Sim, eu falo com ela.
Seen, eh-oo FAH-loo kohn EH-luh.
Yes, I'll talk to her.
THEY SAY
Combinado.kom-bee-NAH-doo.
Agreed.
They might also say:
Está combinado.
shtah kom-bee-NAH-doo.
It's agreed.
3
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
Podemos
Poo-DEH-moosh
verb
(we) can
trocar
troo-KAHR
verb
to exchange
turno
TOOR-noo
noun
shift (at work)
sábado
SAH-buh-doo
noun
Saturday
Pode
Pod
verb
can
ser
sehr
verb
to be
12 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?
Similar situations
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