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Portuguese phrases for dry cleaning and shoe repairs in Portugal

Say what you need: “Queria mandar limpar isto” for a coat, or “Consegue arranjar isto?” for shoes. Ask “Quanto custa limpar este casaco?” for the price and “Quando posso vir buscar?” for the day. Keep the ticket: when you collect, they ask “Trouxe o talão?”.

Try it · about two minutes

You leave a coat at the dry cleaner’s and shoes at the cobbler’s, and ask when they’ll be ready.

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

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. You put your coat on the counter at the dry cleaner’s. There is a mark on one sleeve.

    You

    Queria mandar limpar isto.

    I’d like to get this cleaned.

  2. Dry cleaner and cobbler

    Vamos tentar tirar a nódoa.

    We’ll try to get the stain out.

    You

    Quanto custa limpar este casaco?

    How much to clean this coat?

  3. Dry cleaner and cobbler

    Qual é o problema?

    What’s the problem?

    You

    A sola descolou.

    The sole has come unstuck.

  4. Dry cleaner and cobbler

    Aguarde aqui, por favor.

    Wait here, please.

    You

    Vale a pena arranjar?

    Is it worth repairing?

  5. Dry cleaner and cobbler

    Fica pronto daqui a dez minutos.

    It will be ready in ten minutes.

    You

    Posso esperar, se não demorar muito.

    I can wait if it won’t take long.

  6. Dry cleaner and cobbler

    Trouxe o talão?

    Did you bring the receipt?

    You

    Aqui está o talão.

    Here is the receipt.

Which Portuguese phrases do you need?

  • Queria mandar limpar isto.

    I’d like to get this cleaned.

  • Consegue tirar esta nódoa?

    Can you get this stain out?

  • Quanto custa limpar este casaco?

    How much to clean this coat?

  • Quando posso vir buscar?

    When can I pick it up?

  • Quando fica pronto?

    When will it be ready?

  • Consegue arranjar isto?

    Can you fix this?

  • Vale a pena arranjar?

    Is it worth repairing?

  • Pode dar-me um orçamento antes de começar?

    Can you give me a quote before starting?

  • Trouxe o talão?

    Did you bring the receipt?

  • Aqui está o talão.

    Here is the receipt.

What is worth knowing in Portugal?

Leaving something

  1. 1

    Say what you want done, and point out any stain or damage.

    Consegue tirar esta nódoa?Can you get this stain out?
  2. 2

    Ask the price and when it will be ready.

    Quanto custa limpar este casaco?How much to clean this coat?
  3. 3

    Keep the ticket they give you: you hand it back to collect.

    Aqui está o talão.Here is the receipt.

Which shop?

Look for a tinturaria (dry cleaner’s) or a lavandaria (laundry). Shoes go to a sapateiro, and some cobblers also cut keys.

Fazem cópias de chaves?

Do you cut keys?

Before a bigger job

For a larger repair, ask for a quote first and whether it is worth doing. A good cobbler will tell you honestly.

Pode dar-me um orçamento antes de começar?

Can you give me a quote before starting?

Questions about this situation

Which Portuguese phrases matter most here?
“Queria mandar limpar isto.” (I’d like to get this cleaned); “Consegue tirar esta nódoa?” (Can you get this stain out); “Quanto custa limpar este casaco?” (How much to clean this coat). 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.