In most cultures, it is custom to express gratitude in some way or another. The dictionary defines gratitude as follows: it is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. Giving a sincere, thankful response to someone’s actions or words is often the ‘glue’ that keeps relationships together. This is true in most societies! Doing so in a foreign country also shows your respect and appreciation for the culture. Words have great power – use these ones sincerely and often!
Table of Contents
- 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Portuguese
- Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes
- Infographic & Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You
- Video Lesson: ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages
- How PortuguesePod101 Can Help You
So, how do you say ‘Thank you’ in Portuguese? You can learn easily! Below, PortuguesePod101 brings you perfect translations and pronunciation as you learn the most common ways Portuguese speakers say ‘Thanks’ in various situations.
1. 12 Ways to say ‘Thank you’ in Portuguese
1- Thank you.
Obrigado.
The magical words that can bring a smile to any face. For one day, truly mean it whenever you say these words, and see how this lifts your spirit too!
2- That’s very kind of you.
É muita gentileza da sua parte.
This phrase is appropriate when someone clearly goes out of their way to give good service, or to offer you a kindness.
3- Thanks for your kind words!
Obrigada pelas suas palavras gentis!
Someone paid you a compliment and made you feel good? That is kind of him/her, so express your gratitude!
4- Thank you for coming today.
Obrigada por ter vindo hoje.
This welcoming phrase should be part of your arsenal if you’re conducting more formal meetings with Portuguese speakers. If you’re hosting a party, this is also a good phrase when you greet your Portuguese guests!
5- Thank you for your consideration.
Obrigada pela consideração.
This is a more formal, almost solemn way to thank someone for their thoughtfulness and sensitivity towards you. It is also suitable to use when a native speaker has to consider something you submit, like a job application, a project or a proposal. You are thanking them, in essence, for time and effort they are about to, or have spent on your submission.
6- Thanks a lot!
Muito obrigada!
This means the same as ‘Thank you’, but with energy and enthusiasm added! It means almost the same as ‘thank you so much’ in Portuguese. Use this in an informal setting with your Portuguese friends or teachers.
7- Teachers like you are not easy to find.
Não é fácil de encontrar professores como você.
Some phrases are compliments, which express gratitude by inference. This is one of them. If you’re particularly impressed with your PortuguesePod101 teacher, this is an excellent phrase to memorize!
8- Thank you for spending time with us.
Obrigada por passar tempo com a gente.
Any host at a gathering with Portuguese speakers, such as a meeting or a party, should have this under his/her belt! Use it when you’re saying goodbye or busy closing a meeting. It could also be another lovely way to thank your Portuguese language teacher for her time.
9- Thank you for being patient and helping me improve.
Obrigada por ser paciente e me ajudar a melhorar.
This phrase is another sure way to melt any formal or informal Portuguese teacher’s heart! Teaching is not easy, and often a lot of patience is required from the teacher. Thank him/her for it! It’s also a good phrase to use if you work in Brazil, and want to thank your trainer or employer. You will go a long way towards making yourself a popular employee – gratitude is the most attractive trait in any person!
10- You’re the best teacher ever!
Você é o melhor professor de todos os tempos!
This is also an enthusiastic way to thank your teacher by means of a compliment. It could just make their day!
11- Thank you for the gift.
Obrigada pelo presente
This is a good phrase to remember when you’re the lucky recipient of a gift. Show your respect and gratitude with these words.
12- I have learned so much thanks to you.
Eu aprendi muito graças a você.
What a wonderful compliment to give a good teacher! It means they have succeeded in their goal, and you’re thankful for it.
2. Video Lesson: Learn to Say ‘Thank You’ in 3 Minutes
Wherever you travel, manners are a must! And every culture has its own definition of politeness. In this respect, Brazil is no different. As you can imagine, knowing this tidbit of language can go a long way.
1- Obrigado
The phrase we’ll learn today is obrigado. In Portuguese, obrigado means “Thank you.” The word obrigado literally means “obligated,” or more specifically, “to be obligated toward someone.”
Now, in Portuguese, there are several ways to express one’s gratitude. There are more formal and more casual ways to do this. Let’s take a look at a formal way.
2- Muito Obrigado
A more formal way of expressing gratitude is muito obrigado, which means “Thank you very much.” The first word, muito, can mean several things in English: “much,” “many,” “very,” etc, but in this case, it means “very.” This is followed by obrigado, which in Portuguese you’ll remember is “thank you.” So, muito and obrigado mean “Thank you very much.”
Cultural Insights
Quick Tip: Are You Refusing the Things You Desire?
When I first arrived in Brazil, a friend and I went to a Senhora Noêmia’s house. I had only been in Brazil for a few weeks but had already fallen in love with acerola juice. (It is a very healthy kind of “sour cherry”. ) Brazilians always offer food to their guests, and this house was no exception. It being a hot day, Mrs. Noêmia went to the kitchen and brought out a nice, cold glass of suco de acerola. She offered it to me, and I dutifully said Obrigado. She promptly turned away and put the juice back in the fridge. Let me explain why exactly she did that.
In Brazil, when someone offers you something and you say Obrigado, it is a polite way of refusing what is offered. It’s kind of like “Thank you for the offer, but I don’t want whatever you’re giving me.” I explained myself to Noêmia (because my friend was laughing too hard) who also chuckled and gave me back the juice. As I said before, a little bit of language goes a long way, especially on a very hot day!
On the run to Brazil? Wait! You can’t go without some basic language phrases under your belt! Especially if you’re heading to meet your prospective employer! Either in person or online, knowing how to say ‘Thank you’ in the Portuguese language will only improve their impression of you! PortuguesePod101 saves you time with this short lesson that nevertheless packs a punch. Learn to say ‘Thank you’ in Portuguese in no time!
3. Audio Lesson: Survival Phrases – Thank You
Perhaps you think it’s unimportant that you don’t know what ‘Thank you’ is in Portuguese, or that it’s too difficult a language to learn. Yet, as a traveler or visitor, you will be surprised at how far you can go using a little bit of Portuguese in Brazil!
Click Here to Listen to the Free Audio Lesson!
At PortuguesePod101, we offer you a few ways of saying ‘Thank you’ in Portuguese that you have no excuse not knowing, as they’re so simple and easy to learn. The lesson is geared to aid your ‘survival’ in formal and informal situations in Brazil, so don’t wait! You will never have to google ‘How do you say thanks in Portuguese’ again…!
4. ‘Thank You’ in 31 Languages
For the global traveler in a hurry, here are 31 ways to say ‘Thank you’! These are the first words you need to learn in any foreign language – it is sure to smooth your way with native speakers by showing your gratitude for services rendered, and your respect for their culture! Learn and know how to correctly say ‘Thank you’ in 31 different languages in this short video.
5. Why would PortuguesePod101 be the perfect choice to learn Portuguese?
However, you need not stop at ‘Thank you’ in Portuguese – why not learn to speak the language?! You have absolutely nothing to lose. Research has shown that learning a new language increases intelligence and combats brain-aging. Also, the ability to communicate with native speakers in their own language is an instant way to make friends and win respect! Or imagine you know how to write ‘Thank you’ to that special Portuguese friend after a date…he/she will be so impressed!
PortuguesePod101 Has Special Lessons, Tools and Resources to Teach You How to Say Thank You and Other Key Phrases
With more than a decade of experience behind us, we have taught thousands of satisfied users to speak foreign languages. How do we do this? First, we take the pain out of learning! At PortuguesePod101, students are assisted as they master vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversation through state-of-the-art and fun online learning methods. A library replete with learning resources allows for you to learn at your own pace and in your own space! Resources include thousands of video and audio recordings, downloadable PDF lessons and plenty of learning apps for your mobile devices. Each month, we add benefits with FREE bonuses and gifts to improve your experience.
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