Portuguese phrases for asking about simple prices

Introduction

Asking about prices is one of the first and most useful skills for anyone learning Brazilian Portuguese. This guide teaches clear, beginner-friendly phrases and vocabulary so you can shop, order, and negotiate small purchases with confidence. Examples use everyday situations like markets, cafes, buses, and stores.

Why learn price phrases in Brazilian Portuguese?

Knowing how to ask about prices helps you save time and avoid confusion. Simple questions let you compare options, confirm costs, and understand menus and signs. Learning common responses and numbers will make everyday tasks like buying coffee or taking a taxi much easier.

Essential vocabulary: numbers and money words

Quanto — how much

Quanto custa — how much does it cost

Quanto é — another way to ask how much

Preço — price

Real / Reais — Brazilian currency unit (singular and plural)

Centavo / Centavos — cents

dez, vinte, cinquenta, cem — basic numbers you will hear often

barato / barato(a) — cheap

caro / caro(a) — expensive

troco — change (money returned after payment)

Key simple phrases to ask about prices

Start with the most common question: Quanto custa?

Quanto custa is the go-to phrase when you point at an item or see a menu item and want its price. It is short and polite for beginners.

Use Quanto é? for the same purpose. It’s slightly more casual and often used in shops and markets.

Ask Quanto custa isso? when you want to mean this item specifically.

Use Quanto fica? when asking the price of a service or a bundled purchase, like delivery or a combo.

For packaged or unit prices, say Quanto é por unidade? or Quanto é por quilo? if shopping at a produce stand.

Polite ways to ask and confirm

Add politeness with Por favor at the start or end of your question.

Example: Quanto custa, por favor?

Confirm you heard right with Desculpe, quanto foi? after a busy vendor tells you a price.

When you want to negotiate gently, say Tem desconto? which means do you have a discount?

Common replies you will hear

Custa + price — direct reply: Custa vinte reais.

É + price — another direct form: É dez reais.

Fica + price — often used for services or totals: Fica trinta reais com o troco.

Não tem desconto — no discount

Posso parcelar? — can I pay in installments? (useful for larger purchases)

How to say prices in Brazilian Portuguese

Pronounce full prices with reais then centavos. Example: 15.50 = quinze reais e cinquenta centavos.

Short forms: Reais is often left out when context is clear: vinte e cinquenta would be unusual; instead use vinte reais e cinquenta centavos or simply vinte e cinquenta only in informal speech among locals. For beginners, say the full phrase to avoid confusion.

Examples:

5,00 — cinco reais

3,50 — três reais e cinquenta centavos

1,20 — um real e vinte centavos

Everyday example situations and dialogues

At a bakery

Customer: Quanto custa esse pão?
Vendor: Custa dois reais cada.

At a fruit stand

Customer: Quanto é o quilo da maçã?
Vendor: Fica cinco reais o quilo.

At a café

Customer: Quanto custa um café?
Barista: É quatro reais o café pequeno.

On a bus or taxi

Passenger: Quanto fica até o centro?
Driver: Fica vinte reais.

At a clothing store

Customer: Quanto custa essa camisa?
Salesperson: Custa cem reais, mas hoje tem desconto.

Short dialogues for practice

Market scene

Cliente: Quanto custa essa banana?
Vendedor: Três reais o quilo.
Cliente: E quanto fica meia dúzia?
Vendedor: Fica cinco reais a meia dúzia.

Cafe counter

Cliente: Quanto é um suco?
Atendente: É seis reais o copo.
Cliente: Posso pagar com cartão?
Atendente: Sim, aceitamos cartão.

Helpful phrases for checking totals and paying

Ask for the total: Qual é o total?

Ask for change: Você tem troco?

Ask about payment methods: Posso pagar com cartão?

Ask to split a bill: Podemos dividir?

Say you have exact change: Tenho o valor exato.

Beginner tips to sound natural

Pointing helps. If you are unsure of a word, point to the item and say Quanto custa?

Listen for numbers. Practice hearing common price numbers like dez, quinze, vinte, cinquenta, cem.

Use por favor and obrigado/obrigada to be polite. Obrigado if you are male speaker, obrigada if female speaker.

When someone says a price, repeat it back: Então, custa vinte reais? This confirms you heard correctly and sounds natural.

Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them

Skipping context words. Saying only a number can confuse the seller. Always include reais or use context plus Quanto custa?

Mistaking singular/plural. Use real for 1, and reais for 2 or more: um real, dois reais.

Mixing European Portuguese forms. Stick to Brazilian forms like Quanto custa? and reais.

Not confirming totals. Always repeat the price to confirm before paying: É vinte reais, certo?

Practical phrases for small transactions

Asking for a bag: Você pode embrulhar? or Tem sacola?

Checking weight: Quanto pesa? (useful at a market)

Asking if price includes tax: O preço inclui o imposto?

Requesting a receipt: Posso ter a nota, por favor?

Realistic mini-scenarios to try

Buying bottled water at a kiosk: You see a bottle and ask Quanto custa essa água? The seller replies Três reais. You hand the money and say Obrigado.

Ordering a sandwich: You point to the menu and ask Quanto é o sanduíche de frango? The barista answers É oito reais. You ask Tem cartão? and the barista says Sim.

Quick reference of top phrases

Quanto custa? — How much does it cost?

Quanto é? — How much is it?

Quanto custa isso? — How much does this cost?

Quanto fica? — How much is the total / how much will it be?

Tem desconto? — Do you have a discount?

Posso pagar com cartão? — Can I pay with a card?

Conclusion

Mastering simple price phrases like Quanto custa? and common replies gives you the confidence to handle everyday purchases in Brazil. Focus on numbers, polite words like por favor and obrigado/obrigada, and short confirmation questions. With a few practical dialogues and realistic phrases, beginners can quickly navigate cafes, markets, shops, and transport with ease.