Na Segurança do Aeroporto
Going through airport security · a free Portuguese (Portugal) immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Por favor, coloque os seus objetos pessoais na bandeja.
Please place your personal items in the tray.
Literal Please, place the your objects personal in-the tray.
A security officer's instruction to put belongings in the tray before scanning. 'Coloque' is the formal imperative of 'colocar'.
- Formal imperative: 'coloque' (você/o senhor form of colocar)
- 'os seus' = formal possessive 'your' (plural masculine)
- 'na bandeja' = 'in the tray' (em + a bandeja contracted)
Retire o cinto e os sapatos antes de passar pelo arco.
Remove your belt and shoes before going through the scanner.
Literal Remove the belt and the shoes before of pass through-the scanner.
A standard airport instruction. 'Retire' is the formal imperative of 'retirar'. 'Antes de' + infinitive means 'before doing something'.
- Formal imperative: 'retire' (retirar → retire)
- 'antes de' + infinitive = before doing something
- 'pelo arco' = 'through the scanner' (por + o arco)
Tenho líquidos na minha mala de mão.
I have liquids in my carry-on bag.
Literal I-have liquids in-the my bag of hand.
A phrase for declaring liquids to security. 'Mala de mão' literally means 'hand bag' but refers to carry-on luggage. 'Na' is a contraction of 'em + a'.
- 'tenho' = first person singular of 'ter' (to have)
- 'na minha mala' = 'in my bag' (em + a minha mala)
- 'mala de mão' = carry-on bag (lit. hand bag)
O que tem dentro desta mochila?
What do you have inside this backpack?
Literal The what have-you inside of-this backpack?
A question a security officer might ask when checking your belongings. 'Tem' is the formal second person singular of 'ter'. 'Desta' contracts 'de + esta'.
- 'o que' = what (interrogative)
- 'tem' = formal 'you have' (3rd person singular used for você)
- 'desta' = 'of this' (de + esta, feminine contraction)
Preciso de declarar alguma coisa?
Do I need to declare anything?
Literal I-need of declare some thing?
A practical phrase when you are unsure what must be declared. 'Precisar de' + infinitive means 'to need to do something' in European Portuguese.
- 'precisar de' + infinitive = to need to do something (European Portuguese usage)
- 'alguma coisa' = anything / something
- Rising intonation signals a yes/no question
Vou a Lisboa em viagem de negócios.
I'm going to Lisbon on a business trip.
Literal I-go to Lisbon in trip of business.
Used to explain your travel purpose to security or border officials. 'Vou a' + city name means 'I'm going to'. 'Em viagem de negócios' requires no article.
- 'vou a' + city = I'm going to (a city)
- 'em viagem de negócios' = on a business trip (no article needed)
- Present tense 'vou' is used for near-future plans in Portuguese
Desculpe, não percebi bem. Pode repetir, por favor?
Sorry, I didn't quite understand. Can you repeat, please?
Literal Excuse-me, not I-understood well. Can repeat, please?
An essential phrase when you miss a security instruction. 'Percebi' is the preterite of 'perceber'. 'Pode' + infinitive is a polite way to make a request.
- 'não percebi' = I didn't understand (preterite of perceber)
- 'pode' + infinitive = can you…? (polite request form)
- European Portuguese typically places 'por favor' at the end of a sentence
A sua mala foi selecionada para uma inspeção adicional.
Your bag has been selected for an additional inspection.
Literal The your bag was selected for an inspection additional.
What security staff say when your bag needs a closer look. 'Foi selecionada' is a passive past construction using 'ser' + past participle.
- Passive voice: 'foi selecionada' (ser + past participle, agreeing with feminine 'mala')
- 'a sua mala' = your bag (formal possessive with definite article)
- 'para uma inspeção' = for an inspection (para + indefinite article)
Posso levar este medicamento na bagagem de mão?
Can I take this medication in my carry-on luggage?
Literal Can-I take this medication in-the luggage of hand?
Used to ask whether an item is permitted. 'Posso' is the first-person singular of 'poder' (can/may). 'Bagagem de mão' is a slightly more formal alternative to 'mala de mão'.
- 'posso' + infinitive = I can / may I…? (modal verb poder, 1st person)
- 'levar' = to take/carry (regular -ar verb)
- 'na bagagem de mão' = in the carry-on luggage (em + a bagagem)
Pode passar. Está tudo em ordem.
You may go through. Everything is in order.
Literal Can pass. Is everything in order.
What security staff say when you are cleared to proceed. 'Pode passar' gives permission. 'Está tudo em ordem' is a common reassuring set phrase.
- 'pode passar' = you may go through (formal/neutral pode + infinitive)
- 'está tudo em ordem' = everything is in order (fixed reassuring phrase)
- 'em ordem' = in order / correct (no article needed)
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
a bandeja
the tray
Coloque o telemóvel na bandeja.
Place your mobile phone in the tray.
The tray used at security checkpoints for items before scanning
o arco
the security scanner / arch
Passe pelo arco devagar.
Go through the scanner slowly.
Short for 'arco de segurança' (security arch / metal detector)
declarar
to declare
Tenho de declarar estes alimentos.
I have to declare these food items.
Regular -ar verb; used at both security and customs checkpoints
a mala de mão
carry-on bag
Os líquidos devem estar na mala de mão.
Liquids must be in the carry-on bag.
Lit. 'hand bag'; distinct from 'mala de porão' (checked luggage)
a inspeção
the inspection
A inspeção demorou apenas dois minutos.
The inspection only took two minutes.
Plural: as inspeções; note the cedilla in 'inspeção'
os líquidos
liquids
Os líquidos têm de estar num saco transparente.
Liquids must be in a transparent bag.
At airports, max 100ml per container in a clear resealable bag
perceber
to understand
Não percebi o que disse.
I didn't understand what you said.
European Portuguese strongly prefers 'perceber' over 'entender' for comprehension
o cinto
the belt
Retire o cinto antes de passar pelo arco.
Remove your belt before going through the scanner.
a mochila
the backpack
Ponha a mochila na bandeja.
Put the backpack in the tray.
posso
I can / may I
Posso levar água na mala?
Can I take water in my bag?
First person singular of 'poder'; essential for asking permission politely
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
A Ana chegou ao controlo de segurança com a sua mochila e a mala de mão. O agente pediu-lhe que retirasse o computador portátil e colocasse os líquidos numa bandeja separada. Ela passou pelo arco sem problemas, mas depois o agente disse: 'A sua mala foi selecionada para uma inspeção adicional.' A Ana perguntou calmamente: 'Posso abrir a mala eu própria?' O agente sorriu e respondeu: 'Pode passar. Está tudo em ordem.'
Sentence by sentence
A Ana chegou ao controlo de segurança
Ana arrived at security control
'Chegou' is the preterite of 'chegar' (to arrive). 'Ao controlo' = 'to the control' (a + o). European Portuguese uses 'controlo'; Brazilian Portuguese uses 'controle'.
com a sua mochila e a mala de mão
with her backpack and carry-on bag
'Com' = with. 'A sua mochila' uses the formal/neutral possessive 'sua'. Both nouns take the definite article in Portuguese, unlike English.
O agente pediu-lhe que retirasse o computador portátil
The officer asked her to remove the laptop
'Pediu-lhe' = asked her ('pedir' + indirect object pronoun 'lhe'). 'Retirasse' is the imperfect subjunctive, triggered by 'pediu que'. 'Computador portátil' = laptop (lit. portable computer).
e colocasse os líquidos numa bandeja separada
and place the liquids in a separate tray
'Colocasse' continues the imperfect subjunctive chain after 'pediu que'. 'Numa' = 'em + uma'. 'Separada' agrees with the feminine noun 'bandeja'.
Ela passou pelo arco sem problemas
She went through the scanner without problems
'Passou' = she passed/went through (preterite of 'passar'). 'Pelo arco' = through the scanner (por + o arco). 'Sem problemas' is a fixed reassuring phrase.
Posso abrir a mala eu própria?
Can I open the bag myself?
'Posso' = can I (modal 'poder', 1st person). 'Eu própria' = myself (emphatic pronoun, feminine form). A natural phrase when offering to assist with an inspection.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Formal Imperatives for Airport Instructions
At Portuguese airports, staff use formal imperatives (você/o senhor form) to give instructions clearly and politely. These are formed using the present subjunctive: for -ar verbs, take the first-person present stem and add -e; for -er and -ir verbs, add -a. Recognising these forms helps you understand and respond to security instructions confidently.
1st person present stem + -e (for -ar verbs) / -a (for -er/-ir verbs)
Coloque os seus objetos na bandeja.
Place your items in the tray.
Retire o cinto antes de passar.
Remove your belt before going through.
Abra a mala, por favor.
Open the bag, please.
Passe pelo arco devagar.
Go through the scanner slowly.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Portuguese (Portugal): 'I need to declare something?'
Hint Use 'precisar de' + infinitive for 'to need to do something'.
What does 'A sua mala foi selecionada para uma inspeção adicional.' mean in English?
Complete the security officer's instruction: 'Retire o ___ e os sapatos antes de passar pelo arco.'
Hint It's something you wear around your waist.
You didn't understand the security officer. Which is the most polite and natural thing to say?
Rewrite this question using 'Posso' to ask permission politely: 'Quero levar este medicamento na bagagem de mão.'
Hint 'Posso' is the first-person singular of 'poder' (can/may).
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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