Introduction
Asking what day it is is one of the first practical skills a beginner learns in a new language. This article explains how to ask and answer the question What day is it? in Brazilian Portuguese, with vocabulary, example dialogues, pronunciation tips, common mistakes, and simple exercises you can use right away.
- Basic question: How to ask What day is it?
- Other common ways to ask about the day
- How to answer: Days of the week
- Short answers and casual replies
- Useful vocabulary related to days
- How to ask about dates, not just the weekday
- Common mistakes beginners make
- Practical tips to remember the vocabulary
- Quick reference cheat sheet
- Common phrases related to days and scheduling
- Extra beginner tip: using context words
- Conclusion
Basic question: How to ask What day is it?
The most common way to ask What day is it? in Brazilian Portuguese is Que dia é hoje?
Breakdown of the phrase:
Que = what
dia = day
é = is (third person singular of ser; used here as a neutral copula)
hoje = today
Pronunciation guide
Que dia é hoje?
Pronounce approximately: keh DEE-ah eh OH-zhee
Notes:
Brazilian Portuguese j in hoje sounds like the English s in measure or the zh sound.
Dia has the stress on the first syllable, dee-ah.
Other common ways to ask about the day
You will hear variations depending on formality and context. Here are polite and casual options.
Qual é o dia de hoje? — a slightly more formal way. Literal: Which is the day of today?
Qual é o dia de hoje? pronunciation: kwahl eh oo DEE-ah jee OH-zhee
Que dia estamos hoje? — literally: What day are we today? Used colloquially.
Que dia estamos hoje? pronunciation: keh DEE-ah es-TAH-mos OH-zhee
Hoje é que dia? — emphasis change; less common but natural in conversation.
Hoje é que dia? pronunciation: OH-zhee eh keh DEE-ah
How to answer: Days of the week
To respond, use the day name. Here are the Brazilian Portuguese names for the days with pronunciation and a short example sentence.
segunda-feira — Monday
Pronunciation: seh-GOON-dah FAY-rah
Example: Hoje é segunda-feira.
terça-feira — Tuesday
Pronunciation: TER-sah FAY-rah
Example: Hoje é terça-feira.
quarta-feira — Wednesday
Pronunciation: KWAHR-tah FAY-rah
Example: Hoje é quarta-feira.
quinta-feira — Thursday
Pronunciation: KEEN-tah FAY-rah
Example: Hoje é quinta-feira.
sexta-feira — Friday
Pronunciation: SEHK-stah FAY-rah
Example: Hoje é sexta-feira.
sábado — Saturday
Pronunciation: SAH-bah-doo
Example: Hoje é sábado.
domingo — Sunday
Pronunciation: doh-MEEN-goo
Example: Hoje é domingo.
Note on the -feira days
In Brazilian Portuguese, weekdays Monday through Friday often use the -feira form. You can also say segunda, terça, quarta, quinta, sexta in casual speech and understand it perfectly.
Example casual reply: Hoje é sexta.
Short answers and casual replies
In everyday conversation, Brazilians use short replies. Common options:
Hoje é sexta. — Today is Friday.
É sábado. — It’s Saturday.
Domingo. — Sunday. (just the noun)
Outra phrase: Amanhã é sábado. — Tomorrow is Saturday. Use this when clarifying the next day.
Useful vocabulary related to days
hoje — today
ontem — yesterday
amanhã — tomorrow
dia — day
semana — week
fim de semana — weekend
data — date
calendário — calendar
Example situations and dialogues
Situation 1: At a hotel reception
Receptionist: Bom dia, como posso ajudar?
Guest: Que dia é hoje?
Receptionist: Hoje é terça-feira, dia 12 de maio.
Situation 2: On public transport
Passenger A: Desculpa, você sabe que dia é hoje?
Passenger B: É quarta, acho que é 3 de novembro.
Situation 3: Text message reminder
Message: Lembrete: reunião amanhã. Hoje é quinta. — Reminder: meeting tomorrow. Today is Thursday.
How to ask about dates, not just the weekday
If you want to ask for the date as well as the weekday, use:
Que dia é hoje? — can already imply both day name and date, depending on context.
For explicit date: Qual é a data de hoje? — What is today’s date?
Example answer with date: Hoje é sexta-feira, dia 14 de janeiro. — Today is Friday, the 14th of January.
Common mistakes beginners make
1. Mixing Portuguese verbs: Using estar instead of ser in the phrase Que dia é hoje? is not natural. The fixed phrase uses é from ser.
2. Omitting hoje when context needs it: If you only ask Que dia é? people might ask Que dia você quer saber? Be clear and say Que dia é hoje? or Que dia é amanhã?
3. Mispronouncing j in hoje as a hard j: Remember the zh sound, similar to measure.
4. Overusing capitalization on days: In Portuguese, days are not capitalized in normal writing: segunda-feira, sábado.
Practical tips to remember the vocabulary
1. Group weekdays visually: pair Segunda to Friday as the -feira set — it helps to remember they share a pattern.
2. Use a calendar with Portuguese labels and say the phrase aloud each day: Hoje é …
3. Practice short dialogues: ask friends or language partners Que dia é hoje? then answer with the full phrase Hoje é …
4. Make flashcards that include pronunciation hints like OH-zhee for hoje and SEHK-stah for sexta-feira.
Mini practice exercise
Read these situations and write or say the reply in Brazilian Portuguese.
1. You wake up and want to know the day: Que dia é hoje?
Expected reply: Hoje é segunda-feira. (or the real day)
2. A friend asks if the meeting is tomorrow: Você lembra que dia é amanhã?
Expected reply: Amanhã é quinta-feira.
3. You check a poster for a show and it says domingo: How would you say That is on Sunday? — O show é no domingo.
Quick reference cheat sheet
Ask What day is it?
Que dia é hoje?
Other polite form
Qual é o dia de hoje?
Answer with day names
Hoje é segunda-feira. / Hoje é sábado.
Ask for the date
Qual é a data de hoje?
Common phrases related to days and scheduling
Hoje à noite — tonight
Example: Hoje à noite tenho aula. — Tonight I have class.
Essa semana — this week
Example: Essa semana estou ocupado. — I’m busy this week.
Na próxima semana — next week
Example: Na próxima semana a reunião é na terça.
Extra beginner tip: using context words
If you are unsure of the day, use context words to confirm. For example, check partial information like ontem, hoje, amanhã in short messages.
Example: Mensagem: Reunião ontem foi adiada. Você responde: Então a próxima é quando? — Use days to locate the correct date in conversation.
Conclusion
Knowing how to ask and answer What day is it? in Brazilian Portuguese is simple but essential. Learn the key phrase Que dia é hoje?, the weekday names, and common variants like Qual é o dia de hoje?. Practice with short replies such as Hoje é sexta and quick situational dialogs. With daily practice using calendars, messages, and brief conversations, you will gain confidence asking about days in real-life Brazilian Portuguese contexts.
