Portuguese phrases for meeting your new neighbours in Portugal
Greet your neighbour on the stairs and say who you are: “Olá, moro ao lado” or “Mudei-me para este prédio”. Say you’ve only just arrived: “Cheguei há pouco tempo”. Use the polite form with people you don’t know yet, thank them for any offer of help, and suggest a coffee some day.
Try it · about two minutes
In your first week you meet the neighbour from across the landing on the stairs and introduce yourself.
You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.
How does the conversation usually go?
On the stairs you meet a neighbour carrying shopping. You moved in this week.
YouOlá, moro ao lado.
Hello, I live next door.
- Neighbour
Boas-vindas ao prédio!
Welcome to the building!
YouObrigado! Chamo-me Alex, muito gosto.
Thank you! I’m Alex, pleased to meet you.
- Neighbour
Trabalha perto daqui?
Do you work near here?
YouTrabalho num escritório.
I work in an office.
- Neighbour
Fala muito bem!
You speak very well!
YouAinda estou a aprender português, por isso tenha paciência.
I’m still learning Portuguese, so bear with me.
- Neighbour
Se precisar de ajuda, é só bater à porta.
If you need a hand, just knock.
YouAgradeço a sua ajuda.
Thank you for your help.
- Neighbour
Cuide-se bem!
Take care!
YouFoi um prazer conversar consigo.
It was a pleasure talking to you.
Which Portuguese phrases do you need?
Olá, moro ao lado.
Hello, I live next door.
Mudei-me para este prédio.
I’ve moved into this building.
Boas-vindas ao prédio!
Welcome to the building!
Deixe-me apresentar-me.
Let me introduce myself.
Cheguei há pouco tempo.
I’ve only just arrived.
Trabalha perto daqui?
Do you work near here?
Ainda estou a aprender português, por isso tenha paciência.
I’m still learning Portuguese, so bear with me.
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?
Foi um prazer conversar consigo.
It was a pleasure talking to you.
What is worth knowing in Portugal?
Polite or casual
Gosta de viver aqui?
Do you like living here?
Gostas de viver aqui?
Do you like living here?
With neighbours you don’t know yet, the polite form is the safe choice: the verb in the third person, or o senhor / a senhora. Switch to “tu” when they do.
A first week
- 1
Greet people on the stairs, even with a short “bom dia”.
- 2
Introduce yourself briefly: your name and where you live.
Olá, moro ao lado.Hello, I live next door. - 3
Accept offers of help, and return the kindness.
Quer tomar um café qualquer dia?Would you like to have a coffee some day?
Bins and recycling
Ask a neighbour where the bins and the recycling point are. Most people are glad to help a newcomer.
Onde fica o ecoponto?
Where is the recycling point?
Questions about this situation
- Which Portuguese phrases matter most here?
- “Olá, moro ao lado.” (Hello, I live next door); “Mudei-me para este prédio.” (I’ve moved into this building); “Boas-vindas ao prédio!” (Welcome to the building). 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
- Borrowing something from a neighbour
- Asking a neighbour to keep the noise down
- Asking a neighbour to take in a parcel
- Small talk with a neighbour in the lift
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.