Check-in no Hotel
Checking into a hotel · a free Portuguese (Portugal) immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Boa tarde, tenho uma reserva em nome de Silva.
Good afternoon, I have a reservation under the name Silva.
Literal Good afternoon, I have a reservation in name of Silva.
The standard phrase to announce yourself at hotel reception. 'Em nome de' signals whose name the booking is under — essential for any check-in.
- 'Tenho' is first-person singular present tense of 'ter' (to have).
- 'Em nome de' is a prepositional phrase meaning 'under the name of'.
Pode mostrar-me o seu passaporte ou bilhete de identidade?
Can you show me your passport or identity card?
Literal Can you show-me your passport or identity ticket?
A routine request from receptionists. 'Bilhete de identidade' (often abbreviated BI) is the Portuguese national ID card — an alternative to a passport for EU citizens.
- 'Pode' is third-person singular of 'poder', used politely as 'can you?'.
- In European Portuguese, clitic pronouns like 'me' attach after the verb with a hyphen: 'mostrar-me'.
O seu quarto fica no terceiro andar, é o número trezentos e vinte.
Your room is on the third floor, it's number three hundred and twenty.
Literal Your room is-located on-the third floor, it is the number three-hundred and twenty.
'Fica' from 'ficar' expresses location naturally. Note that in Portugal, floors are counted from the ground floor (rés-do-chão), so 'terceiro andar' is four levels up by American counting.
- 'Fica' from 'ficar' (to be located) is the standard verb for giving directions or stating a location.
- 'No' = 'em' + 'o' (in/on the) — a mandatory contraction before masculine singular nouns.
A que horas é o pequeno-almoço?
What time is breakfast?
Literal At what hours is the small-lunch?
'Pequeno-almoço' is the distinctly European Portuguese word for breakfast — literally 'small lunch'. Brazilians say 'café da manhã'. This question form works for any scheduled event.
- 'A que horas' (at what hours/time) is the fixed question phrase for asking when something happens.
- 'Pequeno-almoço' is hyphenated in European Portuguese and is masculine: 'o pequeno-almoço'.
O pequeno-almoço é servido das sete às dez da manhã no restaurante.
Breakfast is served from seven to ten in the morning in the restaurant.
Literal The breakfast is served from-the seven to-the ten of-the morning in-the restaurant.
A typical receptionist's reply about meal hours. The 'das...às' structure expresses a time range and is essential for schedules and timetables.
- 'Das' = 'de' + 'as' (from the); 'às' = 'a' + 'as' (at/to the) — both are contractions used with hours.
- 'Servido' is the past participle of 'servir', forming a passive construction with 'é'.
Gostaria de um quarto com vista para o mar, se possível.
I would like a room with a sea view, if possible.
Literal I would-like of a room with view for the sea, if possible.
'Gostaria de' is the conditional of 'gostar' and is the most natural way to make a polite request in Portuguese. Adding 'se possível' softens it further.
- 'Gostaria' is the conditional form of 'gostar' (to like), equivalent to 'I would like'.
- 'Se possível' (if possible) is a very common softener in polite Portuguese requests.
Qual é a palavra-passe do Wi-Fi?
What is the Wi-Fi password?
Literal Which is the pass-word of the Wi-Fi?
'Palavra-passe' is the European Portuguese term for password. Brazilians use 'senha'. 'Qual é' asks for a specific value, making it ideal for requesting codes, numbers, and names.
- 'Qual é' (which is/what is) is used to ask for a specific item, unlike 'O que é' which asks for a definition.
- 'Do' = 'de' + 'o' (of the) — standard contraction before masculine singular nouns.
O check-out é até ao meio-dia.
Check-out is until noon.
Literal The check-out is until to-the mid-day.
Hotels across Portugal use 'check-out' as a loanword. 'Até ao' means 'until the' and 'meio-dia' (noon) literally means 'half-day'. This phrasing sets a clear deadline.
- 'Até ao' = 'até' (until) + 'ao' = 'a' + 'o' (to the) — contraction required before masculine singular.
- 'Meio-dia' (noon) is always hyphenated in European Portuguese.
Há estacionamento disponível no hotel?
Is there parking available at the hotel?
Literal There-is parking available in-the hotel?
'Há' from 'haver' is an impersonal verb meaning 'there is/are'. It's one of the most versatile words for asking about service availability anywhere.
- 'Há' is the third-person singular of 'haver' used impersonally to mean 'there is/are'.
- 'Disponível' (available) is singular here to agree with 'estacionamento'; the plural is 'disponíveis'.
Aqui está a sua chave de quarto — espero que tenha uma boa estadia.
Here is your room key — I hope you have a good stay.
Literal Here is your key of room — I hope that you-have a good stay.
A warm farewell from the receptionist. 'Espero que tenha' is a subjunctive construction triggered by the verb of hoping — the subjunctive is obligatory after 'espero que'.
- 'Espero que' (I hope that) requires the present subjunctive: 'tenha' (subjunctive of 'ter'), not 'tem'.
- 'Boa estadia' — 'boa' (feminine) agrees with 'estadia' (feminine noun).
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
reserva
reservation
Tenho uma reserva para duas noites.
I have a reservation for two nights.
Used for hotel and restaurant bookings alike; also means 'nature reserve'.
receção
reception
A receção fica no rés-do-chão.
Reception is on the ground floor.
Spelled 'receção' in European Portuguese; written 'recepção' in Brazilian Portuguese.
quarto
room
O meu quarto tem uma varanda com vista para o jardim.
My room has a balcony with a garden view.
Also means 'quarter' and 'fourth' in other contexts.
andar
floor / storey
O ginásio fica no primeiro andar.
The gym is on the first floor.
In Portugal, 'rés-do-chão' is the ground floor; 'primeiro andar' is one level up (US 2nd floor).
passaporte
passport
Pode mostrar-me o seu passaporte?
Can you show me your passport?
Hotels in Portugal are legally required to record guest passport details at check-in.
pequeno-almoço
breakfast
O pequeno-almoço está incluído no preço do quarto.
Breakfast is included in the room price.
Distinctly European Portuguese; Brazilians say 'café da manhã'.
chave
key
Pode deixar a chave na receção ao fazer o check-out.
You can leave the key at reception when you check out.
Modern hotels use 'cartão-chave' (key card), but 'chave' remains the generic term.
estadia
stay
Espero que tenha uma estadia agradável connosco.
I hope you have a pleasant stay with us.
The shorter variant 'estada' also exists and is used interchangeably in Portugal.
disponível
available
Há quartos disponíveis para este fim de semana?
Are there rooms available for this weekend?
Plural form is 'disponíveis'; useful across all service and hospitality contexts.
palavra-passe
password
A palavra-passe do Wi-Fi está impressa no cartão.
The Wi-Fi password is printed on the card.
Specifically European Portuguese; Brazilians and international contexts often use 'senha'.
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Marta chegou ao hotel ao fim da tarde, cansada depois de uma longa viagem de comboio. Na receção, apresentou o passaporte e confirmou a sua reserva. O rececionista verificou os dados e disse que havia um quarto disponível no segundo andar com vista para o jardim. Marta perguntou sobre o horário do pequeno-almoço e a palavra-passe do Wi-Fi, e ficou satisfeita com as respostas. Com a chave na mão, subiu ao quarto e prometeu a si mesma que ia descansar até ao check-out na manhã seguinte.
Sentence by sentence
Marta chegou ao hotel ao fim da tarde
Marta arrived at the hotel in the late afternoon
'Chegou' is simple past (pretérito perfeito) of 'chegar'. 'Ao fim da tarde' (at the end of the afternoon) is a natural idiom for late afternoon. 'Ao' = 'a' + 'o', mandatory contraction.
apresentou o passaporte e confirmou a sua reserva
presented her passport and confirmed her reservation
Both verbs are in the simple past. European Portuguese frequently drops the subject pronoun — 'ela apresentou' becomes simply 'apresentou', which is normal and not incomplete.
havia um quarto disponível no segundo andar
there was a room available on the second floor
'Havia' is the imperfect past of 'haver', meaning 'there was'. This contrasts with present 'há' (there is) — same verb, different tense, used here for past narrative.
Com a chave na mão
With the key in hand
A fixed idiomatic phrase signalling someone holds something and is ready to act. 'Na mão' = 'em' + 'a' + 'mão' (in the hand) — a triple contraction.
prometeu a si mesma que ia descansar até ao check-out
promised herself she would rest until check-out
'A si mesma' is the emphatic reflexive form (herself). 'Ia descansar' = imperfect of 'ir' + infinitive, expressing a future intention from within a past narrative.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Polite Requests with 'Gostaria de' + Infinitive
'Gostaria de' is the conditional form of 'gostar' and is the most natural and polite way to express what you would like in Portuguese. It avoids the bluntness of 'quero' (I want) without sounding overly formal. The infinitive follows directly after 'de'. Adding 'se possível' softens the request further and is widely used in hospitality contexts.
Gostaria de + [infinitive / noun phrase] + (se possível)
Gostaria de um quarto no rés-do-chão, se possível.
I would like a room on the ground floor, if possible.
Gostaria de fazer o check-out mais cedo.
I would like to check out earlier.
Gostaria de saber mais sobre os serviços do hotel.
I would like to know more about the hotel's services.
Gostaria de reservar uma mesa no restaurante para as oito.
I would like to reserve a table at the restaurant for eight o'clock.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Portuguese: 'I have a reservation under the name Silva.'
Hint Use the verb 'ter' and the phrase 'em nome de'.
What does this mean in English? 'O check-out é até ao meio-dia.'
Hint 'Meio-dia' is the midpoint of the day.
Complete the sentence: 'O ___ é servido das sete às dez da manhã no restaurante.'
Hint This is the first meal of the day in European Portuguese.
You'd like a room with a sea view. Which is the most polite way to ask?
Rewrite using 'Gostaria de' to make it more polite: 'Quero fazer o check-out mais cedo.'
Hint Replace 'Quero' with 'Gostaria de' and keep the infinitive.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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