Unit 17 · On the phoneA2Lesson 5 of 5: Spelling and appointments
Spelling and appointments in European Portuguese
This is the last of 5 lessons in Unit 17, On the phone (Ao telefone), an A2 unit in which you answer the phone the Portuguese way, leave messages, say big numbers, dates and years, spell your email and change an appointment. It teaches 8 words and phrases, including soletrar (to spell), o apelido (surname) and o email (email), and uses them in 10 example sentences. The unit’s grammar notes cover “Spelling: arroba and ponto” and “Estou? Answering the phone”.
Words in this lesson
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
soletrar | to spellComo é que se escreve? = How do you spell it? |
o apelido | surnameMany Portuguese people have two or more surnames: Ana Sofia Costa Pereira. |
o emailalso o e-mail | |
arroba | at (@)The @ in an email address: ana arroba gmail ponto com. |
ponto | dotIn emails and websites: ponto pt, ponto com. |
mudar | to changeMudar a consulta = to change the appointment. Mudar de casa = to move house. |
desmarcar | to cancelFor appointments, the opposite of marcar: desmarcar a consulta. |
pode ser | can it bePode ser na sexta? = Can it be on Friday? On its own, Pode ser! = OK, fine! |
Example sentences
- Pode soletrar o seu apelido, se faz favor?Receptionist: Can you spell your surname, please?A receptionist speaks with extra respect: Pode…? and o seu apelido.
- O meu apelido é Correia, com dois erres.My surname is Correia, with two r's.Letters have names: erre (r), esse (s). Dois erres = a double r.
- Como é que se escreve?How do you spell it?Literally "how is it written?" After como, the pronoun se goes before the verb.
- O meu email é ana arroba gmail ponto com.My email is ana at gmail dot com.@ is arroba and the dot is ponto.
- Qual é o teu email?What's your email?
- Eu queria mudar a minha consulta.I'd like to change my appointment.Mudar = to change. Queria makes the request polite.
- Eu tenho de desmarcar a consulta de amanhã.I have to cancel tomorrow's appointment.Desmarcar = to cancel an appointment, the opposite of marcar.
- Pode ser na sexta-feira?Can it be on Friday?Pode ser? = Can it be? On its own, Pode ser! also means "OK, fine!"
- Nós ligamos-lhe na segunda-feira.Receptionist: We'll call you on Monday.With lhe, the verb keeps its s: ligamos-lhe. Here lhe is a polite "you".
- A consulta passou para terça-feira.The appointment has been moved to Tuesday.Passar para = to be moved to (another day or time).
Grammar notes
The grammar notes for this lesson are on the page for Unit 17: On the phone: