Alugando um Carro no Brasil
Renting a car · a free Portuguese (Brazil) immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Boa tarde, eu gostaria de alugar um carro por três dias.
Good afternoon, I would like to rent a car for three days.
Literal Good afternoon, I would like to rent a car for three days.
A polite opener for a car rental conversation, using 'gostaria de' (would like to) instead of the blunter 'quero' (I want) to keep the tone courteous.
- 'Gostaria de' is the conditional of 'gostar', used as a softened 'I would like to'
- 'Por' with a time expression indicates duration: por três dias = for three days
Vocês têm algum modelo com câmbio automático disponível?
Do you have any model with automatic transmission available?
Literal You (plural) have some model with automatic gear available?
Asks about vehicle type availability. Brazilian Portuguese speakers often use 'vocês' when addressing a group or company staff, even informally.
- 'Vocês têm' = 'you (plural) have'; 'têm' is the 3rd-person plural present of 'ter'
- 'Algum' is the masculine singular of 'algum/alguma' (any/some), agreeing with 'modelo'
Qual é o valor da diária, incluindo o seguro?
What is the daily rate, including insurance?
Literal What is the value of the daily, including the insurance?
A key financial question. 'Diária' refers specifically to the per-day rental charge, and adding 'incluindo o seguro' clarifies you want the all-in price.
- 'Qual é' = 'what is', used before nouns for specific values
- 'Incluindo' is the gerund of 'incluir' (to include), functioning as an adverbial clause
Prefiro um carro menor, pois vou dirigir pela cidade.
I prefer a smaller car, since I'll be driving through the city.
Literal I prefer a car smaller, because I will drive through the city.
States a preference using the comparative 'menor' and gives a practical reason with 'pois', a common causal connector in Brazilian speech.
- 'Menor' is the irregular comparative of 'pequeno' (small): not 'mais pequeno'
- 'Pois' functions as 'because/since' in conversational Brazilian Portuguese
- 'Vou dirigir' = 'I'm going to drive' — ir + infinitive for near-future plans
Posso devolver o veículo em outra filial?
Can I return the vehicle at another branch?
Literal I can return the vehicle in another branch?
A practical one-way rental question. 'Posso' signals a permission request and 'filial' is the standard word for a rental company's branch location.
- 'Posso' is the 1st-person singular present of 'poder' (can/may)
- 'Outra' is the feminine form of 'outro' (another), agreeing with 'filial' (feminine)
Por favor, me mostre as condições do contrato antes de assinar.
Please show me the contract terms before signing.
Literal By favor, to me show the conditions of the contract before of signing.
Uses the formal imperative 'mostre' for a polite but firm request to review contract details — important before committing to any rental agreement.
- 'Mostre' is the formal (você) imperative of 'mostrar' (to show)
- 'Antes de' + infinitive = 'before doing something', a common subordinating structure
- 'Me' is an indirect object pronoun placed before the verb in Brazilian Portuguese
Já aluguei carro aqui antes e fui muito bem atendido.
I've rented a car here before and was very well taken care of.
Literal Already I rented car here before and was very well attended.
Shares a positive past experience to build rapport. 'Fui atendido' is a common passive phrase in service contexts meaning you received good service.
- 'Aluguei' is the pretérito perfeito (simple past) of 'alugar'
- 'Fui atendido' = passive: ser (fui) + past participle (atendido); 'muito bem atendido' = very well served
O tanque já vem cheio ou preciso devolvê-lo com combustível?
Does the tank come full or do I need to return it with fuel?
Literal The tank already comes full or I need to return-it with fuel?
Clarifies the fuel policy up front. 'Devolvê-lo' is a clitic pronoun construction — 'devolver' + 'lo' (it) — common in written and careful spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
- 'Vem' is the 3rd-person singular of 'vir' (to come)
- 'Devolvê-lo' = 'devolver' + accusative pronoun 'lo', attached with a hyphen when the verb ends in a nasal sound
- 'Já' here adds the nuance of 'already/as given'
Notei um arranhão no para-choque dianteiro ao pegar o carro.
I noticed a scratch on the front bumper when picking up the car.
Literal I noticed a scratch on the bumper front when taking the car.
Reports pre-existing damage at pickup — crucial for avoiding liability. 'Ao pegar' uses the 'ao + infinitive' structure to express an action happening at the same time.
- 'Notei' is the pretérito perfeito of 'notar' (to notice)
- 'Ao + infinitive' expresses simultaneous action: ao pegar = when/upon picking up
- 'Dianteiro' (front) contrasts with 'traseiro' (rear)
Vocês oferecem algum desconto para reservas feitas com antecedência?
Do you offer any discount for reservations made in advance?
Literal You offer some discount for reservations made with advance?
Asks about early-booking discounts using 'com antecedência', a fixed phrase that always means 'in advance' in business contexts.
- 'Oferecem' is the 3rd-person plural present of 'oferecer' (to offer), used with 'vocês'
- 'Com antecedência' is a fixed prepositional phrase: 'in advance'
- 'Feitas' is a past participle agreeing with 'reservas' (feminine plural)
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
alugar
to rent
Gostaria de alugar um carro por dois dias.
I would like to rent a car for two days.
Used for renting cars, apartments, and equipment alike
diária
daily rate / daily fee
Qual é o valor da diária com seguro incluído?
What is the daily rate with insurance included?
Also used for hotel room rates
seguro
insurance
O seguro cobre danos ao para-choque?
Does the insurance cover bumper damage?
As an adjective, 'seguro' also means 'safe'
câmbio automático
automatic transmission
Prefiro câmbio automático para dirigir no centro.
I prefer automatic transmission for driving downtown.
Câmbio manual = manual/stick shift
contrato
contract / rental agreement
Li todo o contrato antes de assinar.
I read the entire contract before signing.
Always read the contrato carefully — rental terms vary
filial
branch / office location
Posso devolver o veículo em outra filial da cidade?
Can I return the vehicle at another branch in the city?
Common in rental agencies and banks
combustível
fuel
Devo devolver o carro com tanque cheio de combustível?
Should I return the car with a full tank of fuel?
Brazil also uses álcool (ethanol) — ask which type the car uses
arranhão
scratch
Notei um arranhão no lado direito do carro.
I noticed a scratch on the right side of the car.
Always document arranhões before driving off the lot
desconto
discount
Há algum desconto para pagamento à vista?
Is there any discount for cash payment?
À vista = cash/upfront; à prazo = in installments
disponível
available
Esse modelo está disponível para o fim de semana?
Is this model available for the weekend?
Invariable in form but agrees in meaning; used for cars, rooms, and services
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Carlos chegou à locadora do aeroporto com uma reserva feita com antecedência. Ele gostaria de um carro médio com câmbio automático, pois não estava acostumado com o trânsito local. O atendente mostrou duas opções e explicou as condições do contrato com cuidado. Antes de assinar, Carlos pediu para conferir o veículo e notou um pequeno arranhão no para-choque dianteiro. O funcionário anotou o dano no relatório de vistoria, e Carlos assinou os documentos tranquilamente.
Sentence by sentence
Carlos chegou à locadora do aeroporto com uma reserva feita com antecedência.
Carlos arrived at the airport rental agency with a reservation made in advance.
'Chegou' is pretérito perfeito of 'chegar'; 'à' is a contraction of 'a + a' (to/at the, feminine); 'com antecedência' is a fixed phrase for 'in advance'.
Ele gostaria de um carro médio com câmbio automático, pois não estava acostumado com o trânsito local.
He would like a mid-size car with automatic transmission, as he wasn't used to the local traffic.
'Gostaria de' is the conditional for polite preference; 'não estava acostumado' uses the imperfect past of 'estar' + adjective to mean 'wasn't used to'.
O atendente mostrou duas opções e explicou as condições do contrato com cuidado.
The attendant showed two options and carefully explained the contract terms.
Both 'mostrou' and 'explicou' are pretérito perfeito; 'com cuidado' is a prepositional phrase meaning 'carefully' (literally 'with care').
Antes de assinar, Carlos pediu para conferir o veículo e notou um pequeno arranhão no para-choque dianteiro.
Before signing, Carlos asked to inspect the vehicle and noticed a small scratch on the front bumper.
'Antes de' + infinitive = before doing; 'pediu para' + infinitive = asked to; 'conferir' means to inspect or verify; 'notou' is pretérito perfeito of 'notar'.
O funcionário anotou o dano no relatório de vistoria, e Carlos assinou os documentos tranquilamente.
The employee noted the damage on the inspection report, and Carlos signed the documents without worry.
'Vistoria' is a formal vehicle/property inspection; 'tranquilamente' = calmly/without worry; both main verbs are in the pretérito perfeito.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Polite Wishes with 'Gostaria de' (Conditional of Gostar)
'Gostaria de' is the conditional form of 'gostar' (to like) and is the most natural way to express polite wishes and preferences in Brazilian Portuguese. It is significantly softer than 'quero' (I want) and is expected in service contexts like car rentals, hotels, and restaurants. Follow it directly with an infinitive verb to say what you would like to do.
[sujeito] + gostaria de + [infinitivo]
Eu gostaria de alugar um carro por três dias.
I would like to rent a car for three days.
Ela gostaria de ver as opções disponíveis.
She would like to see the available options.
Nós gostaríamos de devolver o carro na segunda-feira.
We would like to return the car on Monday.
Você gostaria de adicionar seguro completo ao contrato?
Would you like to add full insurance to the contract?
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Portuguese (Brazil): 'Good afternoon, I would like to rent a car for three days.'
Hint Use 'gostaria de' for a polite wish.
Complete the sentence: 'Qual é o valor da _____, incluindo o seguro?' (What is the daily rate, including insurance?)
Hint This word means the daily rate or daily charge.
You notice a scratch on the front bumper when picking up the car. What do you say?
Translate to English: 'Por favor, me mostre as condições do contrato antes de assinar.'
Hint 'Contrato' = contract; 'antes de assinar' = before signing.
Rewrite using 'gostaria de': 'Eu quero um carro com câmbio automático.' (Make it more polite.)
Hint Replace 'quero' with the conditional form.
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