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Portuguese phrases for borrowing something from a neighbour in Portugal

Knock, apologise for the bother and ask: “Podia emprestar-me o berbequim dez minutos?”. For small things, “Pode emprestar-me um pouco de açúcar?” works. Say when you will bring it back (“Devolvo-o amanhã”), thank them warmly with “Agradeço a sua ajuda”, and offer something in return: “Quer tomar um café qualquer dia?”.

Try it · about two minutes

You knock next door to borrow a drill so you can put up a shelf.

You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. Neighbour

    Precisa de alguma coisa?

    Do you need anything?

    You

    Peço desculpa pelo incómodo.

    I’m sorry to bother you.

  2. Neighbour

    Com certeza, diga.

    Of course, go ahead.

    You

    Podia emprestar-me o berbequim dez minutos?

    Could I borrow your drill for ten minutes?

  3. Neighbour

    Entre, por favor.

    Come in, please.

    You

    Não, assim está bem.

    No, this is fine.

  4. Neighbour

    Tenho, sim. Aqui tem.

    Yes, I have one. Here you are.

    You

    Devolvo-o assim que acabar.

    I’ll return it as soon as I finish.

  5. Ten minutes later the shelf is up. You knock again to give the drill back.

    You

    Desculpe o barulho.

    Sorry about the noise.

  6. Neighbour

    Se precisar de ajuda, é só bater à porta.

    If you need a hand, just knock.

    You

    Quer tomar um café qualquer dia?

    Would you like to have a coffee some day?

Which Portuguese phrases do you need?

  • Precisa de alguma coisa?

    Do you need anything?

  • Peço desculpa pelo incómodo.

    I’m sorry to bother you.

  • Com licença, pode ajudar-me?

    Excuse me, can you help me?

  • Pode emprestar-me um pouco de açúcar?

    Can I borrow some sugar?

  • Podia emprestar-me o berbequim dez minutos?

    Could I borrow your drill for ten minutes?

  • Devolvo-o amanhã.

    I’ll return it tomorrow.

  • Agradeço a sua ajuda.

    Thank you for your help.

  • Desculpe o barulho.

    Sorry about the noise.

  • Se precisar de ajuda, é só bater à porta.

    If you need a hand, just knock.

  • Quer tomar um café qualquer dia?

    Would you like to have a coffee some day?

What is worth knowing in Portugal?

A request, not an order

Request

Podia emprestar-me o berbequim dez minutos?

Could I borrow your drill for ten minutes?

Order

Empreste-me o berbequim.

Lend me the drill.

“Podia…?” (could you) turns a demand into a request. A bare command sounds like an order, even with “por favor”.

Something small

For a little food, ask for “um pouco de…” (a little of…). Sugar, salt and oil are the classic neighbourly favours.

Pode emprestar-me um pouco de açúcar?

Can I borrow some sugar?

Return it soon

Bring the item back soon, in the state you got it, and say thank you again. Saying when you will return it puts a neighbour at ease.

Devolvo-o amanhã.

I’ll return it tomorrow.

Questions about this situation

Which Portuguese phrases matter most here?
“Precisa de alguma coisa?” (Do you need anything); “Peço desculpa pelo incómodo.” (I’m sorry to bother you); “Com licença, pode ajudar-me?” (Excuse me, can you help me). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?
Not yet: this page has no recordings so far. Each phrase comes with its meaning in English.
How can I practise this conversation?
Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in Portugal. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Related situations in Portuguese

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Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.