Viajando de Trem
Taking the train · a free Portuguese (Brazil) immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Eu gostaria de comprar uma passagem para São Paulo, por favor.
I would like to buy a ticket to São Paulo, please.
Literal I would-like to buy a ticket for São Paulo, please.
A polite way to request a ticket using 'gostaria de' (would like to), which sounds softer and more courteous than 'quero' (I want).
- 'Gostaria' is the conditional of 'gostar', used for polite requests.
- 'Uma passagem' means 'a ticket' for public transport; event tickets use 'ingresso'.
A que horas o trem para Campinas vai partir?
What time does the train to Campinas depart?
Literal At what hours the train for Campinas is going to depart?
'A que horas' is the go-to phrase for asking about time of an event. 'Vai partir' uses ir + infinitive to express the near future.
- 'A que horas' = 'at what time', a common time-question opener.
- 'Vai partir' = 'is going to depart' — near future formed with ir + infinitive.
Qual é a plataforma do trem para o Rio de Janeiro?
Which platform is the train to Rio de Janeiro on?
Literal Which is the platform of-the train for Rio de Janeiro?
'Qual é' asks which specific option applies when there are several to choose from. 'Plataforma' shares the same Latin root as English.
- 'Qual' is used when selecting from a known set of options, unlike 'o que' (what).
- The definite article 'a' is feminine, agreeing with 'plataforma'.
Com licença, acho que esse é o meu lugar.
Excuse me, I think this is my seat.
Literal With license, I-think that this is the my place.
'Com licença' is the standard phrase to politely address a stranger or ask to pass. 'Acho que' softens the claim so it sounds less confrontational.
- 'Com licença' is used for getting attention or asking to pass — not 'desculpe', which is an apology.
- 'Acho que' = 'I think that'; softens assertions in everyday speech.
Onde fica o vagão restaurante neste trem?
Where is the dining car on this train?
Literal Where is-located the car restaurant in-this train?
'Onde fica' is the most natural way to ask where something is located, more idiomatic than 'onde está' for fixed places.
- 'Fica' from 'ficar' expresses location; preferred over 'está' for permanent or structural locations.
- 'Vagão restaurante' is a compound noun meaning dining car.
Você pode me dizer onde fica o banheiro?
Could you tell me where the bathroom is?
Literal You can me tell where is-located the bathroom?
'Você pode me dizer' is a polite indirect question structure for requesting information. 'Banheiro' is the standard Brazilian Portuguese word for bathroom.
- 'Poder' + infinitive = 'can / be able to'; 'pode me dizer' functions as a polite softener.
- 'Banheiro' is used in Brazil; European Portuguese uses 'casa de banho'.
É a primeira vez que você viaja de trem?
Is this your first time traveling by train?
Literal Is the first time that you travel by train?
A friendly small-talk opener with a fellow passenger. 'De trem' uses 'de' for means of transport, a key preposition pattern.
- 'De' is used with modes of transport: de trem, de ônibus, de avião, de carro.
- 'A primeira vez que' = 'the first time that'; followed by present indicative.
Você pode me ajudar a colocar a mala no bagageiro?
Can you help me put my suitcase in the luggage rack?
Literal You can me help to put the suitcase in-the luggage-rack?
A practical request for assistance. 'Ajudar a' + infinitive is the standard structure for 'help to do something'.
- 'Ajudar a' + infinitive = 'to help to (do something)'.
- 'No' is a contraction of 'em + o' (in the); 'bagageiro' is the overhead luggage rack.
O trem está atrasado? Quanto tempo vai demorar?
Is the train delayed? How long will it take?
Literal The train is delayed? How-much time is-going-to take?
Two questions naturally paired when facing a delay. 'Quanto tempo vai demorar' uses the near future to ask about expected duration.
- 'Atrasado/atrasada' is the adjective for delayed or late.
- 'Quanto tempo vai demorar' = 'How long will it take'; ir + infinitive for future.
Preciso pegar uma conexão em Brasília.
I need to catch a connection in Brasília.
Literal I-need to catch a connection in Brasília.
'Precisar' + infinitive means 'to need to do something'. 'Pegar' is versatile in Brazilian Portuguese — used for catching a train, bus, or connection.
- 'Precisar' + infinitive = 'to need to do something' (no 'de' needed before the infinitive here).
- 'Pegar' is informal but very natural in Brazil for catching/taking transport.
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
passagem
ticket
Preciso comprar uma passagem de ida e volta.
I need to buy a round-trip ticket.
Used for transport tickets; event/show tickets use 'ingresso'.
plataforma
platform
O trem parte da plataforma três.
The train departs from platform three.
assento
seat
Meu assento é o número doze.
My seat is number twelve.
'Lugar' is also widely used for seat in everyday speech.
vagão
car / coach
Estou no vagão quatro, assento B.
I am in car four, seat B.
Refers to a single carriage of a train.
horário
schedule / timetable
Você tem o horário dos trens?
Do you have the train schedule?
Also means 'time' in the sense of a scheduled hour or opening hours.
bagagem
luggage
A bagagem pode ficar no bagageiro.
The luggage can go in the luggage rack.
Collective noun; individual pieces are 'malas' (suitcases).
atraso
delay
Há um atraso de vinte minutos.
There is a twenty-minute delay.
The adjective form is 'atrasado' (masculine) / 'atrasada' (feminine).
estação
station
A próxima estação é Campinas.
The next station is Campinas.
Also means 'season' of the year — context makes the meaning clear.
partida
departure
A partida está prevista para as oito horas.
The departure is scheduled for eight o'clock.
The opposite is 'chegada' (arrival).
conexão
connection
Preciso de uma conexão para chegar ao meu destino.
I need a connection to reach my destination.
Used for both train/flight connections and internet connections.
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Lucas chegou à estação com a sua mala grande e foi direto ao guichê para comprar uma passagem. O atendente informou que o próximo trem para o interior ia partir em trinta minutos da plataforma dois. Lucas agradeceu, encontrou o seu assento no vagão três e colocou a mala no bagageiro com a ajuda de um passageiro simpático. Durante a viagem, ele conversou com a mulher ao lado, que lhe contou que viajava de trem toda semana a trabalho. Quando o trem chegou com um pequeno atraso, Lucas já sabia exatamente para onde ir na próxima estação.
Sentence by sentence
chegou à estação com a sua mala grande
arrived at the station with his large suitcase
'Chegou' is the preterite of 'chegar'. 'À' is a contraction of 'a + a' (preposition + feminine article before 'estação').
foi direto ao guichê para comprar uma passagem
went straight to the ticket window to buy a ticket
'Foi' is the preterite of 'ir'. 'Para' + infinitive expresses purpose — 'in order to buy'.
ia partir em trinta minutos da plataforma dois
was departing in thirty minutes from platform two
'Ia partir' uses the imperfect of 'ir' + infinitive to express a future plan viewed from the past (was going to depart).
colocou a mala no bagageiro com a ajuda de um passageiro simpático
put the suitcase in the luggage rack with the help of a friendly passenger
'Colocou' is the preterite of 'colocar'. 'No' = 'em + o'. 'Simpático' means friendly or nice — a useful social adjective.
viajava de trem toda semana a trabalho
traveled by train every week for work
'Viajava' is the imperfect, expressing a habitual past action. 'A trabalho' is a fixed phrase meaning 'for work purposes'.
Lucas já sabia exatamente para onde ir
Lucas already knew exactly where to go
'Sabia' is the imperfect of 'saber' (to know, a fact). 'Para onde ir' = 'where to go', an embedded indirect question.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Near Future with Ir + Infinitive
In Brazilian Portuguese, the most common way to talk about future plans or intentions is to conjugate 'ir' (to go) in the present tense and follow it with an infinitive. This construction is far more frequent in everyday speech than the simple future tense and works for plans, intentions, and predictions about what will happen.
ir (present tense: vou / vai / vamos / vão) + infinitive
O trem vai partir às oito horas.
The train is going to depart at eight o'clock.
Vou comprar a passagem agora.
I'm going to buy the ticket now.
Vamos encontrar os nossos assentos primeiro.
We're going to find our seats first.
Eles vão pegar uma conexão em Campinas.
They are going to catch a connection in Campinas.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
I would like to buy a ticket to São Paulo, please.
Hint Use 'gostaria de' for a polite request.
O trem _____ partir às 14h. (The train is going to depart at 2pm.)
Hint Think: near future with 'ir' + infinitive.
Qual é a plataforma do trem para o Rio de Janeiro?
Hint 'Plataforma' is a cognate — it looks a lot like the English word!
You need to store your suitcase in the overhead rack. What do you say to ask for help?
Hint Look for the sentence about luggage and the rack.
Rewrite using the near future (ir + infinitive): 'Eu pego uma conexão em Brasília.'
Hint Replace the present tense verb with 'vou' + the infinitive form.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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