What to say in Portuguese when asking who made a dish

Introduction

Asking who made a dish is a common and friendly question at meals, potlucks, restaurants, and family gatherings. This article teaches beginner English-speaking learners how to ask who made a dish in Brazilian Portuguese, how to respond, useful vocabulary, polite variations, and real-life dialogue examples you can use right away.

Why this phrase matters

Knowing how to ask who made a dish helps you connect socially, compliment someone’s cooking, and navigate shared meals. In Brazil, food often brings people together, so a simple question can spark conversation and show appreciation for the cook.

Key vocabulary

Quem — who

fez — made (past tense of fazer)

cozinhar — to cook

preparar — to prepare

essa — this (feminine)

esse — this (masculine)

prato — dish, plate

comida — food

delícia — delicious, tasty (informal compliment)

quem fez esse prato — who made this dish

Basic way to ask who made a dish

The most straightforward phrase is Quem fez esse prato? Use esse for masculine nouns like prato and essa for feminine nouns such as comida or salada.

Examples:

Quem fez esse prato?

Quem fez essa comida?

Polite and casual variations

Formal or polite situations might use softer language. Casual speech can be shorter and warmer.

Polite

Quem preparou esse prato, por favor?

Quem foi responsável por essa receita?

Casual

Quem fez isso, galera?

Quem cozinhou essa delícia?

How to compliment the cook

After asking who made the dish, you will often want to compliment the food. Here are simple, friendly compliments.

Que delícia!

Ficou muito bom!

Você fez isso? Está maravilhoso!

Possible replies from the cook

When someone answers, they may say their name or use a short phrase. Learn these common replies.

Eu que fiz.

Fui eu.

Foi a Maria.

Eu preparei, obrigada.

Short dialogues for beginners

These dialogues show natural flow. Each line is in Brazilian Portuguese with a translation in English explanation following the paragraph.

Dialogue 1 — potluck

— Quem fez esse prato?
— Eu que fiz. Peguei a receita com a minha avó.

Explanation: Someone asks who made the dish; the cook replies that they did and mentions the recipe came from their grandmother.

Dialogue 2 — family dinner

— Quem fez essa salada?
— Foi a Ana. Ela está preparando tudo hoje.

Explanation: The answer names Ana and explains she prepared everything today.

Dialogue 3 — restaurant compliment

— Quem preparou esse prato? Está delicioso!
— O chef da casa preparou. Obrigado!

Explanation: A diner asks who prepared a dish in a restaurant; the server replies that the house chef did and thanks them for the compliment.

Useful expressions to follow up

After learning who made the dish, you may want to ask for the recipe, offer help, or show gratitude. Here are common phrases.

Você pode me passar a receita?

Posso pegar a receita?

Como você fez isso?

Tem segredo?

Muito obrigado, estava ótimo!

Grammar tips for beginners

Quem is the question word for who. Use fez for past tense (he/she made) or preparou for prepared. For polite requests add por favor. Use esse or essa based on the gender of the noun that follows: prato is masculine (esse), salada and comida are feminine (essa).

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Mixing gender: Saying Quem fez essa prato is a common beginner mistake. Remember prato is masculine, so say Quem fez esse prato?

Wrong verb tense: Using fazer in present when talking about a finished dish can sound odd. Prefer fez or preparou for past actions. For example, do not say Quem faz esse prato? if you mean who made it now; use Quem fez esse prato?

Overly literal translations: Avoid translating word-for-word from English. In Portuguese, compliments are often short and direct, like Que delícia instead of an English-style long praise.

Practical scenarios and examples

At a potluck or party

Quem fez essa torta? Está maravilhosa!

At a family dinner

Quem preparou o jantar hoje?

At a restaurant when impressed

Quem preparou o prato do dia?

In a cooking class or workshop

Quem fez a versão com ervas? Posso experimentar?

Beginner tips for sounding natural

Use a friendly tone: In Brazil, a warm tone makes questions feel natural. Add por favor or obrigada to be polite.

Observe gender agreement: Match esse/essa with the noun that follows.

Practice small replies: Learn short answers like Eu que fiz, Fui eu, or Foi a Maria to respond naturally.

Listen and repeat: Pay attention to native speakers in real settings or audio clips to get rhythm and pronunciation.

Quick reference phrase list

Quem fez esse prato?

Quem fez essa comida?

Quem preparou esse prato?

Quem cozinhou isso?

Você fez essa receita?

Posso pegar a receita?

Que delícia!

Ficou muito bom!

Short practice dialogue set for real life

Scenario: Office lunch

— Quem fez o arroz?
— Foi a Júlia. Ela cozinhou cedo.

Scenario: Neighborhood potluck

— Quem trouxe a sobremesa?
— Eu trouxe. É pavê de chocolate.

Scenario: Restaurant praise

— Quem preparou esse prato especial?
— O chef do restaurante. Vou avisá-lo do elogio.

Additional vocabulary: foods and kitchen verbs

arroz — rice

feijão — beans

salada — salad

sobremesa — dessert

assar — to bake or roast

fritar — to fry

misturar — to mix

temperar — to season

How to respond if you want to share the recipe

If someone asks for your recipe, you can say yes and offer simple instructions or ask for their contact to share it later.

Claro, eu passo a receita para você.

Posso mandar no WhatsApp.

Quer que eu explique agora?

Practical pronunciation tips

Quem is pronounced like kem with a soft k and open vowel. Fez sounds like fehz. Preparou sounds like preh-pah-ROH. Practice the stress on the last syllable in verbs like preparou and fez to sound natural.

Conclusion

Asking who made a dish in Brazilian Portuguese is simple and useful for social dining. Learn the key phrases like Quem fez esse prato?, polite variations, common replies, and short compliments. With the sample dialogues and vocabulary here, you can confidently ask, respond, and share recipes in everyday situations.