Unit 19 · Problems and emergenciesA2Lesson 5 of 5: Returns and exchanges
Returns and exchanges in European Portuguese
This is the last of 5 lessons in Unit 19, Problems and emergencies (Problemas e emergências), an A2 unit in which you report lost and stolen things, get help in an emergency, complain, and return or exchange things in a shop. The new words are trocar (to exchange), devolver (to return), o talão (receipt) and 5 more, practised in 10 example sentences. By the end you can say things like Posso trocá-la por um tamanho maior? (“Can I exchange it for a bigger size?”). The unit’s grammar notes cover “O livro de reclamações” and “Roubaram-me…: "they" with no "they"”.
Words in this lesson
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
trocar | to exchangeTrocar por = to exchange for: trocar por um tamanho maior. |
devolver | to returnTo give or bring something back: devolver um livro. |
o talão | receiptThe small paper receipt from the till. Also o talão de compra. |
avariadoalso avariada | brokenFor machines and devices that stop working: O elevador está avariado. |
estragadoalso estragada | damagedFor damaged things, and for food that has gone off: O leite está estragado. |
o reembolso | refund |
funcionar | to workFor machines: Não funciona. = It doesn't work. For people, "to work" is trabalhar. |
o tamanho | sizeIn a clothes shop: Que tamanho veste? For shoes: Que número calça? |
Example sentences
- Eu queria trocar esta camisola.I'd like to exchange this jumper.
- Posso trocá-la por um tamanho maior?Can I exchange it for a bigger size?Trocar + a becomes trocá-la (for a camisola). For a masculine thing: trocá-lo.
- Este telemóvel não funciona.This phone doesn't work.
- Eu comprei-o ontem e já está avariado.I bought it yesterday and it's already broken."It" goes after the verb: comprei-o. For a feminine thing: comprei-a.
- Tem o talão?Shop assistant: Do you have the receipt?A shop assistant usually speaks with extra respect: Tem…? To a friend: Tens…?
- Não, eu perdi-o.No, I've lost it.O talão is masculine, so "it" is o: perdi-o.
- Eu queria devolver estes sapatos.I'd like to return these shoes.
- Eu queria o reembolso, se faz favor.I'd like a refund, please.De volta = back: o dinheiro de volta = the money back.
- Nós só fazemos trocas, não fazemos reembolsos.We only do exchanges, not refunds.A troca = exchange. Many Portuguese shops offer an exchange or a credit note (um vale) instead of a refund.
- O leite está estragado.The milk has gone off.Food that has gone off is estragado. Machines that stop working are avariados.
Grammar notes
The grammar notes for this lesson are on the page for Unit 19: Problems and emergencies: