How to say “Let’s order when they get here” in Portuguese

Introduction

This article teaches how to say Lets order when they get here in Brazilian Portuguese. You will learn the exact phrase, useful vocabulary, simple dialogues for restaurants and group settings, and common mistakes to avoid. The explanations are aimed at complete beginners and include realistic examples to use right away.

Core phrase and literal meaning

The most natural way to say Lets order when they get here in Brazilian Portuguese is vamos pedir quando eles chegarem.

Breakdown of the phrase:

vamos — lets or we are going to (from the verb ir used as an auxiliary to form lets)

pedir — to order or to ask for (used for ordering food, drinks, or requesting service)

quando — when

eles — they (masculine or mixed group; use elas for an all-female group)

chegarem — they arrive (subjunctive future or present subjunctive used after quando for future actions)

Why this form works in Brazilian Portuguese

In Portuguese, when you talk about a future action that depends on another event, speakers often use the subjunctive after quando. That is why chegarem is in the subjunctive form. For everyday speech, this structure sounds natural and polite.

If the group is all female, change eles to elas: vamos pedir quando elas chegarem.

Short alternatives for casual speech

Beginners might prefer shorter, more casual forms. Here are a few common alternatives you can use in informal situations:

vamos pedir quando chegarem — omits the pronoun, understood from context

pedimos quando eles chegarem? — polite suggestion using the first person plural question form, literally shall we order when they get here?

espera que eles cheguem e a gente pede — wait for them to arrive and we order (very casual, a gente is commonly used for we)

Key vocabulary and short explanations

pedir — to order (food/drinks), to ask for

pedido — order (a noun; e.g., seu pedido)

chegar — to arrive

quando — when

vamos — lets / we will (colloquial lets)

a gente — we (very common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese; use as an alternative to nós)

mesa — table

cardápio — menu

garçom / garçonete — waiter / waitress (less formal than servidor/servidora)

Practical restaurant situations and sample sentences

Below are realistic short phrases you might hear or use at a restaurant in Brazil when waiting for friends to arrive.

At the table while waiting:

Vamos pedir quando eles chegarem.

A gente espera mais cinco minutos e pede?

Se quiser, já peço uma bebida para começar.

Quando eles chegarem, a gente pede o prato principal.

To the waiter, making a small request while waiting:

Pode trazer só as entradas enquanto esperamos?

Podemos pedir as bebidas primeiro?

Example dialogues for beginners

Short, natural dialogues—easy to read and useful in real life.

Dialogue 1: friends at a table

– Vamos pedir quando eles chegarem?
– Sim, melhor esperar. Eles estão a cinco minutos.

Dialogue 2: deciding to order drinks first

– Quer pedir algo agora?
– Só drinks. Vamos pedir quando eles chegarem o jantar.

Dialogue 3: using a gente

– A gente pede só as entradas e espera o resto?
– Perfeito. Assim dá tempo de conversar.

Polite vs. casual wording

Beginners should know when to use formal or informal language. In casual settings with friends, use vamos or a gente. In a semi-formal setting (work lunch), you can still use vamos pedir quando eles chegarem since it is neutral and polite. Avoid overly formal constructions unless necessary.

Formal alternative example:

Podemos fazer o pedido quando os outros chegarem? — we can make the order when the others arrive? (slightly more formal)

Common mistakes to avoid

Mixing English word order or neglecting the subjunctive are frequent errors.

Incorrect: vamos pedir quando eles chegam — This uses the indicative; native speakers usually prefer the subjunctive after quando for future events.

Incorrect: vamos pedir quando eles chegar — wrong verb ending; must agree with eles as chegarem.

Incorrect: vamos pedir quando ela chegar — use ela only if referring to one female person; for a group of women use elas.

Beginners tips for memorizing and using the phrase

Practice the phrase in short, realistic contexts: ordering pizza with friends, meeting at a restaurant, or coordinating a group dinner. Replace eles with names or pronouns to personalize practice.

Tip: Use a gente to sound more natural in everyday speech: a gente pede quando eles chegarem.

Tip: Repeat short dialogues out loud with a friend to get comfortable with pronunciation and natural rhythm.

Variants for different situations

Waiting for a couple: Vamos pedir quando eles chegarem is fine if counting them as a group. If you refer to a specific person, use their name and appropriate pronoun.

Order now and save for them: Podemos pedir e dividir depois — we can order and split later (useful if you want to order despite late arrivals).

Ask for patience: Vamos esperar um pouco, eles devem chegar logo — lets wait a bit, they should arrive soon.

Pronunciation notes

Key sounds for beginners:

vamos — VAH-moosh (stress on the first syllable)

pedir — peh-DEER (stress on the second syllable)

quando — KWAHN-doo or KWAHN-do (short a)

eles — EH-les

chegarem — sheh-GAH-rem (ch like English sh)

Quick cheat sheet: useful short phrases

Vamos pedir quando eles chegarem.

A gente espera mais cinco minutos?

Posso pedir só as bebidas?

Podemos pedir agora e eles escolhem depois.

Ele/ela/eles/elas vão chegar em breve.

Using the phrase in messages and apps

Texting friends about meeting at a restaurant:

Vamos pedir quando chegarem? — short and common for messaging

Pode me avisar quando chegar que aí a gente pede — tell me when you arrive so we order

Mini checklist for real-life use

1. Identify who is arriving (use ele/ela/eles/elas correctly).

2. Choose the verb form: use subjunctive chegarem after quando for future events.

3. Decide formal vs informal: a gente or nós for we; vamos is neutral.

4. Add specifics if needed: drinks, entrada, prato principal.

Conclusion

Now you know how to say Lets order when they get here in Brazilian Portuguese: vamos pedir quando eles chegarem. You learned vocabulary, pronunciation tips, casual alternatives, dialogue examples, and common mistakes to avoid. Use the phrase in realistic dining situations, adapt the pronouns as needed, and prefer the subjunctive after quando for future events to sound natural.