How to say “Can I buy these separately?” in Portuguese

Introduction

Learning how to ask simple shopping questions in Brazilian Portuguese helps you navigate markets, stores, and souvenir stalls with confidence. This article focuses on one practical sentence: how to ask if you can buy items separately. You will learn vocabulary, pronunciation tips, polite variations, common replies, and short dialogues for everyday situations.

Why this phrase is useful

When shopping in Brazil you often encounter bundled items, sets, or displays with multiple pieces. Asking if you can buy things separately keeps your budget and preferences in mind. The phrase also sounds polite and natural, and it can be used in diverse places: clothing stores, markets, bakeries, electronics shops, and tourist areas.

Key Brazilian Portuguese phrase

The most common and natural way to ask Can I buy these separately?

Posso comprar isso separadamente?

Breakdown in English:

Posso = Can I / May I (first person modal)

comprar = to buy

isso = this / that (neutral demonstrative for items) — you can also use isto or aquilo depending on context, but isso is safe for beginners

separadamente = separately

Other useful variations

You will see a few variations that are equally polite and common in Brazil. Use the one that feels natural to you or fits the situation.

Posso comprar estes separadamente?

Use estes when pointing at multiple items close to you (plural masculine/neutral).

Posso comprar estas separadamente?

Use estas when the items are feminine plural (for example, blusas, saias, bolsas).

Vocês vendem separado?

A more colloquial option: Vocês = you plural (staff/shop) / vendem = do you sell / separado = separately (adjective). This is common in markets and small shops.

Tem como comprar separados?

A friendly, slightly informal phrase: Tem como = Is there a way / possible to / comprar = buy / separados = separately (plural). Useful when asking a vendor on the spot.

Pronunciation tips for beginners

Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation is generally phonetic. Focus on these points to be understood:

Posso — pronounce the double s like English s (pos-so). Do not sound like a z.

comprar — stress on the second syllable: com-PRAR. The final r in Brazilian Portuguese often sounds like an English h or a soft guttural in many regions; in casual speech it can be almost silent.

isso / estes / estas — pronounce the s as s between vowels and as s at the end; isso sounds like EE-so.

separadamente — long word separated into syllables: se-pa-ra-da-men-te. Emphasize the penultimate syllable in most accents.

Practical vocabulary for shopping situations

These vocabulary words will help you adapt the main phrase in specific contexts.

loja = store

feira = market (open-air)

vendedor / vendedora = seller / salesclerk

preço = price

avulso = single / loose (useful alternative: a bit more colloquial than separadamente)

tamanho = size

cor = color

etiqueta = tag / label

pacote = package

Common replies you may hear

Here are polite and realistic answers vendors or staff might give. Learn both yes and no responses so you can handle the conversation.

Sim, pode. = Yes, you can.

Sim, vendemos separado. = Yes, we sell separately.

Não, é só o conjunto. = No, it is only the set.

Posso separar por peça por R$ X. = I can separate by piece for R$ X. (R$ is the Brazilian real currency symbol — shown here for context, do not assume an actual price.)

Depende, qual você quer? = It depends, which one do you want?

Short beginner-friendly dialogues

Use these dialogues to practice real-life situations. Line breaks are included to show pauses and speaker changes.

Customer: Posso comprar isso separadamente?
Seller: Sim, pode. Cada peça custa R$ 20.
Customer: Tudo bem, eu levo duas.

Customer: Vocês vendem separado?
Seller: Vendemos. Quer levar uma unidade ou duas?
Customer: Só uma, por favor.

Customer: Tem como comprar separados?
Seller: Tem sim, mas fica um pouco mais caro.
Customer: Entendi, dá pra ver a peça?

Contextual examples by setting

Below are practical phrases you might use in specific places. They are short and designed for beginners.

Clothing store:
Posso comprar estas blusas separadamente?
Salesclerk might reply: Sim, cada uma custa R$ 50.

Bakery or food stall:
Posso comprar esses pães separadamente?
Vendor: Claro, quanto quer?

Electronics shop:
Posso comprar esses fones separadamente?
Seller: Vendemos só o conjunto, mas tem este modelo similar solto.

Souvenir market:
Vocês vendem esses ímãs separados?
Vendor: Sim, três por R$ 15.

Politeness and tone

Politeness matters in Brazil. Add a please or a friendly phrase to sound nicer and increase chances of a helpful reply.

Por favor = please. Add at the end: Posso comprar isso separadamente, por favor?

Por gentileza = a slightly more formal please. Example: Posso comprar estes separadamente, por gentileza?

Obrigado / Obrigada = thank you (male speakers use obrigado, female speakers use obrigada). Use after the exchange.

Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them

Beginners often make small errors that can confuse sellers. Here are the most frequent mistakes and corrections.

Mistake: Using a literal English structure, like Eu posso comprar separado? — This sounds understandable but slightly off. Better: Posso comprar isso separadamente?

Mistake: Using the wrong demonstrative: asking about objects far away with este or esta. If you are unsure, use isso for general items.

Mistake: Forgetting please. A short please (por favor) helps a lot in service situations.

Extra phrases for bargaining or negotiating

If you want to ask about price when buying separately, these phrases are useful.

Quanto custa cada um? = How much does each one cost?

Você pode fazer um desconto se eu levar dois? = Can you give a discount if I take two?

Se eu comprar separado, qual o preço? = If I buy separately, what is the price?

Quick reference card (compact)

Use this short list to memorize the essentials.

Main question: Posso comprar isso separadamente?

Polite add-on: Por favor

Colloquial: Vocês vendem separado?

Yes reply: Sim, pode.

No reply: Não, é só o conjunto.

Practice tip for beginners

Practice by role-playing simple store scenes with a friend or language partner. Keep the exchanges short: ask Posso comprar isso separadamente?, listen for the reply, and respond with either Sim, então eu levo or Não, tudo bem. Repeating this in different shop settings will build confidence.

Conclusion

Asking if you can buy items separately is a small but powerful skill for traveling and shopping in Brazil. The phrase Posso comprar isso separadamente? plus a few polite variations, replies, and vocabulary will prepare you for real interactions. Practice the dialogues and use the quick phrases to sound natural and polite in stores and markets.