Introduction
Politeness is essential in every language, and Brazilian Portuguese is no exception. Two short phrases you will hear a lot are por favor and com licença. They are not exact equivalents of please and excuse me in English, and each has several uses. This article explains when and how to use por favor and com licença politely in everyday situations, with clear beginner-friendly examples in Brazilian Portuguese.
- Why por favor and com licença matter
- Using por favor for polite requests
- Using com licença to get attention or permission
- Differences and overlap: por favor vs com licença
- Polite variations and more natural phrases
- Practical tips for beginners
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Short practice dialogues for beginners
- Vocabulary list for quick reference
- Practice exercises
- Conclusion
Why por favor and com licença matter
Learning these phrases early helps you communicate respectfully with strangers, shopkeepers, colleagues, and friends. Using them correctly makes conversations smoother, reduces misunderstandings, and shows cultural awareness. Both expressions are used often in Brazil, so practicing them will make your Portuguese sound more natural.
Quick definitions
por favor — used to make requests polite; similar to please but with specific nuances in Portuguese.
com licença — used to get attention, ask permission to pass by, or apologize for a small interruption; closest to excuse me or may I in English depending on context.
Using por favor for polite requests
Por favor is the go-to phrase when asking someone for something. It can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence. In Brazilian Portuguese, tone and placement both matter for naturalness. Keep sentences short as a beginner.
Placement and tone
At the start: Por favor, você pode me ajudar? This sounds polite and softens the request.
At the end: Você pode me ajudar, por favor? This is the most common pattern and feels natural in daily speech.
Common beginner examples
Por favor, me dá uma água?
Você pode anotar meu número, por favor?
Me traz a conta, por favor?
Por favor, onde fica o banheiro?
Politeness levels and verbs
Pair por favor with polite verb forms. For starters, use você or a imperative for basic commands. Avoid sounding abrupt by adding por favor rather than using harsh imperatives alone.
Imperative polite: Traga o cardápio, por favor.
Casual/nearly equal: Me mostra o caminho, por favor.
Using por favor in written contexts
On signs or notes, por favor is common and clear: Não deixe lixo aqui, por favor.
In emails or messages to someone you do not know well: Poderia me enviar o arquivo, por favor?
Using com licença to get attention or permission
Com licença has several practical uses. It can mean excuse me, may I, or pardon me depending on context. Understanding the situation will help you pick the right tone and follow-up phrase.
Passing by or squeezing through a crowd
When you need to move past someone or enter a crowded bus, say com licença before you pass. It signals respect for personal space.
Com licença, posso passar?
Com licença, vou entrar.
Interrupting a conversation or getting attention
Use com licença to politely interrupt a group, approach a stranger, or start speaking with a busy person. You can add senhor / senhora later if you want more formality.
Com licença, posso falar com você um minuto?
Com licença, senhor, qual é a plataforma para o trem?
Apologizing for minor mistakes
Com licença also serves to apologize for small social errors, like bumping into someone or stepping on a foot.
Com licença, desculpe.
Com licença, não te vi aí.
Common beginner examples
Com licença, onde é a saída?
Com licença, você poderia repetir?
Com licença, posso usar o telefone?
Differences and overlap: por favor vs com licença
Both phrases are polite but used differently. Por favor belongs to requests; com licença belongs to permissions, interruptions, and apologies. They sometimes appear together when you need both polite attention and a request.
Examples showing contrast
Request without attention: Me dá o sal, por favor? (You are at the table and asking for something.)
Attention then request: Com licença, me dá o sal, por favor? (You first get attention, then ask politely.)
When they can be combined
In crowded or formal situations, start with com licença to gain attention, then use por favor for the request.
Com licença, você pode fechar a janela, por favor?
Polite variations and more natural phrases
Brazilian Portuguese speakers also use other softeners for politeness. These are handy alternatives when you want to vary your speech or sound more natural.
Common polite words and phrases
Por gentileza — a slightly more formal or written alternative to por favor. Example: Envie o documento, por gentileza.
Desculpe / desculpa — used to apologize. Formal vs casual. Example: Desculpe, eu estava atrasado.
Com licença, senhor(a) — adds formality when addressing an older person or in service contexts. Example: Com licença, senhora, posso ajudar?
Practical tips for beginners
Focus on short sentences and natural placement. Use com licença when approaching people or moving in crowded spaces. Use por favor for almost any request. Here are actionable tips you can use today.
When entering a shop or office, use com licença to approach the counter: Com licença, você atende aqui?
In restaurants, use por favor at the end of requests: A conta, por favor.
When you bump into someone, say com licença immediately, then desculpe if needed: Com licença, desculpe.
In messages or emails, por favor at the end sounds polite: Pode enviar o arquivo, por favor?
Practice polite forms with role play: you as customer and a friend as waiter or clerk. Use short, repeated phrases to build confidence.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Beginners often overuse or underuse these phrases. Here are mistakes to watch for and simple fixes.
Mistake: Using por favor for permission to pass without com licença. Fix: Say com licença when moving through people.
Mistake: Placing por favor only at the beginning or making the sentence sound formal. Fix: Use the end placement for natural speech: Poderia ajudar, por favor?
Mistake: Not softening an imperative. Fix: Add por favor or use Poderia or Pode: Pode me ajudar, por favor?
Mistake: Using desculpa instead of com licença when trying to get past someone. Fix: Use com licença to signal movement and desculpa for apologies.
Short practice dialogues for beginners
Dialogues help you see real use. Read them aloud, swap roles, and repeat until comfortable.
At a café
Cliente: Com licença, você atende?
Barista: Sim, em que posso ajudar?
Cliente: Um café expresso e um copo de água, por favor.
On a crowded bus
Passageiro: Com licença, posso passar?
Outro passageiro: Pode, sem problema.
Asking for directions
Você: Com licença, onde fica a estação?
Pessoa: Fica duas quadras à frente. Siga em frente, por favor.
Vocabulary list for quick reference
por favor — please (used for requests)
com licença — excuse me / may I / pardon me (used for attention, permission, apologies)
desculpe / desculpa — sorry / excuse me (apology)
por gentileza — please (more formal)
posso? — can I? / may I?
pode? / poderia? — can you? / could you? (polite request)
Practice exercises
Fill-in-the-blank: Complete simple dialogues with por favor or com licença. Example: Com licença, _______ eu falar? (Answer: posso)
Role-play: One person is a tourist and the other a store clerk. Use com licença to start and end requests with por favor.
Notice and repeat: When watching Brazilian videos or listening to audio, pause when you hear por favor or com licença and repeat the phrase in context.
Conclusion
Mastering por favor and com licença gives you a strong foundation in polite Brazilian Portuguese. Por favor is your main tool for polite requests, while com licença helps you get attention, ask permission, and apologize for small interruptions. Practice short real-life phrases, use correct placement, and combine them when needed. With these tips and examples, you will sound polite and confident in everyday situations.
