Introduction
Learning how to say you are going somewhere is one of the first and most practical skills in Brazilian Portuguese. This article teaches essential verbs, prepositions, phrases, and sample dialogues for beginners so you can confidently talk about going to places, asking where someone is going, and giving or understanding simple directions in everyday situations.
- Key verbs for talking about going
- Prepositions commonly used with places
- Common destinations and vocabulary
- Useful phrases for asking and answering where someone is going
- Talking about planned trips and future actions
- Giving and understanding simple directions
- Transportation vocabulary and phrases
- Common mistakes and beginner tips
- Realistic short scenarios for practice
- Conclusion
Key verbs for talking about going
Focus first on three verbs that are used most often when talking about movement: ir, vir, and chegar. These verbs appear in many basic sentences and are easy to conjugate in the present tense.
ir — to go. Conjugation in present tense: eu vou, você/ele/ela vai, nós vamos, vocês/eles/elas vão.
vir — to come. Conjugation: eu venho, você/ele/ela vem, nós vimos, vocês/eles/elas vêm.
chegar — to arrive. Conjugation: eu chego, você/ele/ela chega, nós chegamos, vocês/eles/elas chegam.
Simple present tense examples
Use these to say where you go regularly or right now.
Eu vou ao mercado hoje.
English: I am going to the market today.
Você vai para a escola agora?
English: Are you going to school now?
Ela vem para a festa às oito.
English: She is coming to the party at eight.
Nós chegamos no aeroporto às cinco.
English: We arrive at the airport at five.
Prepositions commonly used with places
Knowing basic prepositions helps connect verbs to destinations. The most common prepositions are em, a, para, and no/na (contractions of em + o/a).
em — in, on, at. Use for general location: Estou em casa.
English: I am at home.
a — to (used with cities or events). Vou a Salvador.
English: I am going to Salvador.
para — to, toward (expresses direction or purpose). Vou para a escola.
English: I am going to school.
no / na — contractions: em + o / em + a. Vou no trabalho. / Vou na igreja.
English: I am going to work. / I am going to church.
Which preposition to choose: simple tips
Use para when focusing on the movement or intention to get somewhere. Use em or no/na when saying you are or will be at a place. Use a for certain set expressions and with cities.
Example: Eu vou para o banco. (movement)
Eu estou no banco. (location)
Common destinations and vocabulary
Memorize these frequently used place words in Brazilian Portuguese to build sentences quickly.
casa — home
trabalho — work
escola — school
mercado — market/grocery store
aeroporto — airport
ônibus / estação de ônibus — bus / bus station
trem / estação de trem — train / train station
restaurante — restaurant
praia — beach
shopping / centro comercial — mall
Sample sentences with destinations
Eu vou para casa depois do trabalho.
English: I am going home after work.
Ela vai ao mercado toda sexta-feira.
English: She goes to the market every Friday.
Nós vamos à praia no sábado.
English: We are going to the beach on Saturday.
Useful phrases for asking and answering where someone is going
Learn simple question patterns and short responses. These are practical for conversation and messages.
Onde você vai?
English: Where are you going?
Para onde você vai?
English: Where are you going to?
Vai para onde?
English: Where are you headed?
Eu vou para o trabalho.
English: I’m going to work.
Vou ao supermercado.
English: I’m going to the supermarket.
Vou com você?
English: Shall I go with you?
Não, vou sozinho/sozinha.
English: No, I’m going alone. (sozinho for male speaker, sozinha for female)
Polite variations and formal speech
When speaking formally use você or o senhor / a senhora (Brazilian Portuguese uses você widely, but some contexts use o senhor / a senhora). Example:
O senhor vai ao banco agora?
English: Are you going to the bank now? (polite/formal)
Sim, vou ao banco às nove.
English: Yes, I’m going to the bank at nine.
Talking about planned trips and future actions
To say you will go somewhere, use the near future with ir + infinitive: vou + infinitive. This is common, natural, and beginner-friendly.
Examples:
Eu vou viajar amanhã.
English: I am going to travel tomorrow.
Ela vai visitar os pais no fim de semana.
English: She is going to visit her parents on the weekend.
Nós vamos pegar o ônibus às sete.
English: We are going to take the bus at seven.
Negative forms
To say you are not going, add não before the verb.
Eu não vou ao show.
English: I am not going to the concert.
Ele não vai trabalhar hoje.
English: He is not going to work today.
Giving and understanding simple directions
Beginners need basic directional phrases to ask how to get somewhere or follow a route. Keep directions short and concrete.
Vire à direita.
English: Turn right.
Vire à esquerda.
English: Turn left.
Siga em frente.
English: Go straight.
É perto.
English: It is near.
É longe.
English: It is far.
Fica a cinco minutos a pé.
English: It is five minutes on foot.
Practical dialogue: asking for directions
Você: Com licença, onde fica a estação de metrô?
English: Excuse me, where is the subway station?
Outro: Vá em frente, depois vire à esquerda. A estação fica ao lado do banco.
English: Go straight, then turn left. The station is next to the bank.
Transportation vocabulary and phrases
Transportation words help when saying how you will go somewhere.
de carro — by car
a pé — on foot
de ônibus — by bus
de trem — by train
de táxi — by taxi
de bicicleta — by bicycle
Examples with transportation
Eu vou ao trabalho de carro.
English: I go to work by car.
Ela vai à escola de ônibus.
English: She goes to school by bus.
Nós vamos ao centro a pé.
English: We are going downtown on foot.
Common mistakes and beginner tips
Watch for these typical errors and simple corrections.
Mixing em and para: Remember em/no/na indicates location, para indicates direction. Compare Eu estou no banco versus Eu vou para o banco.
Omitting definite articles: In Portuguese, many place nouns often use articles. Say Vou ao supermercado (not Vou supermercado).
Verb agreement: Match verb forms to the subject. Eu vou, ele vai, nós vamos, eles vão.
False friend with to go and to come: Use vir when the movement is toward the speaker. Ela vem para minha casa means she comes to my house.
Beginner practice suggestions
Label places: Stick notes with Brazilian Portuguese words on doors and objects at home (casa, cozinha, quarto) and say aloud where you go.
Short dialogues: Write five short exchanges with Onde você vai? and reply using different verbs and prepositions.
Listening practice: Listen to simple Brazilian Portuguese audios or dialogues that include travel-related words and repeat aloud.
Realistic short scenarios for practice
Scenario 1: At a café. Você: Você vai ao trabalho agora?
Friend: Sim, vou. Preciso pegar o ônibus às oito.
English: Are you going to work now? Yes, I am. I need to catch the bus at eight.
Scenario 2: Making plans. Você: Vamos ao cinema hoje?
Amigo: Vou sim. A que horas você vai?
English: Shall we go to the movies today? I’m going. What time will you go?
Scenario 3: Traveling. Você: Como você vai para o aeroporto?
Cooper: Vou de táxi porque tenho muita bagagem.
English: How are you going to the airport? I am going by taxi because I have a lot of luggage.
Conclusion
Mastering how to talk about going somewhere in Brazilian Portuguese starts with three verbs, a handful of prepositions, and common destination vocabulary. Practice short sentences, learn basic directions, and use near-future constructions like vou + infinitive to describe plans. These building blocks let beginners handle everyday conversations, directions, and simple travel situations with confidence.
