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Portuguese phrases for asking about opening hours in Portugal

Catch the assistant’s eye with “Posso fazer-lhe uma pergunta?”, then ask “Qual é o horário de funcionamento?” or “A que horas fecha a loja hoje?”. Small shops may close at lunchtime, so check: “Fecham para almoço?”. Say it back to be sure, and ask them to slow down if you miss it: “Pode repetir mais devagar?”.

Try it · about two minutes

In a small shop you ask when it closes, whether it shuts for lunch and if it opens on Sunday.

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

How does the conversation usually go?

  1. You step into a small stationery shop and pick up a notebook. Before you pay, you’d like to know the shop’s hours.

    You

    Posso fazer-lhe uma pergunta?

    May I ask you something?

  2. Shop assistant

    Com certeza, diga.

    Of course, go ahead.

    You

    Qual é o horário de funcionamento?

    What are the opening hours?

  3. Shop assistant

    Abrimos às dez e fechamos às sete. Fechamos para almoço, da uma às três. Ao domingo estamos fechados.

    We open at ten and close at seven. We close for lunch, from one to three. On Sundays we’re closed.

    You

    Então, fecham para almoço?

    So, you close for lunch?

  4. Shop assistant

    Sim, é isso mesmo.

    Yes, that’s right.

    You

    E ao domingo, estão fechados?

    And on Sunday, you’re closed?

  5. Shop assistant

    Sim, é isso mesmo.

    Yes, that’s right.

    You

    Agradeço a sua ajuda.

    Thank you for your help.

  6. Shop assistant

    Mais alguma coisa?

    Anything else?

    You

    É só isto, por favor.

    That’s all, please.

Which Portuguese phrases do you need?

  • Posso fazer-lhe uma pergunta?

    May I ask you something?

  • Com certeza, diga.

    Of course, go ahead.

  • Qual é o horário de funcionamento?

    What are the opening hours?

  • A que horas abre?

    What time do you open?

  • A que horas fecha?

    What time do you close?

  • A que horas fecha a loja hoje?

    What time does the shop close today?

  • A loja já está aberta?

    Is the shop open yet?

  • Está aberto hoje?

    Are you open today?

  • Pode repetir mais devagar?

    Can you repeat that more slowly?

  • Sim, é isso mesmo.

    Yes, that’s right.

What is worth knowing in Portugal?

Asking about hours

  1. 1

    Get the assistant’s attention politely.

    Posso fazer-lhe uma pergunta?May I ask you something?
  2. 2

    Ask when the shop opens or closes.

    A que horas fecha?What time do you close?
  3. 3

    Say back what you heard, or ask them to slow down.

    Pode repetir mais devagar?Can you repeat that more slowly?

Lunch breaks

Small shops may close at lunchtime, so check the hours on the door before you cross town. Shopping centres usually open late, every day.

A loja já está aberta?

Is the shop open yet?

Saying the times

Hours are often written on the 24-hour clock, like 19h, but people say “às sete”. One o’clock is singular: “à uma”, then “às duas”, “às três”.

Questions about this situation

Which Portuguese phrases matter most here?
“Posso fazer-lhe uma pergunta?” (May I ask you something); “Com certeza, diga.” (Of course, go ahead); “Qual é o horário de funcionamento?” (What are the opening hours). 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.

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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.