How to say “Which floor are you going to?” in Portuguese

Introduction

Knowing how to ask Which floor are you going to? is a small but very practical skill when navigating buildings, elevators, hotels, or offices in Brazil. This article teaches the exact Brazilian Portuguese phrase, explains grammar and pronunciation, and provides everyday examples, polite replies, and common mistakes for beginners.

Core phrase and literal meaning

The most natural way to ask Which floor are you going to? in Brazilian Portuguese is Que andar você vai?

Breakdown in English:

Que = Which or What

andar = floor (as in building level)

você = you (formal for many contexts in Brazil; common in conversation)

vai = go (present tense of ir)

Other common ways to ask the same question

Em que andar você vai?

This is a slightly more formal or explicit version: Em que andar você vai? literally means In which floor are you going?

Qual andar?

A short, informal option often heard in elevators or when time is limited. It literally means Which floor?

Para que andar você está indo?

A more complete but less common phrasing: Para que andar você está indo? means For which floor are you going? or To which floor are you going?

Pronunciation tips

Focus on natural Brazilian Portuguese sounds:

Que = keh (like the English word get without g)

andar = ahn-DAHR (stress on the second syllable; r at the end is pronounced as a guttural or slightly soft h sound in many regions)

você = voh-SEH (stress on the second syllable)

vai = vai (rhymes with the English sigh)

Em que andar você vai? = em keh ahn-DAHR voh-SEH vai

Grammar notes for beginners

Subject and verb order in questions is flexible in Portuguese. The normal sequence Que andar você vai is subject (você) after the phrase for emphasis, but Que andar vai você is also understandable though less common in speech.

Using você is appropriate for most casual and semi-formal situations in Brazil. In very informal settings with close friends or children, people often use tu instead of você in some regions, but conjugation changes (tu vais instead of você vai) unless the speaker uses a different regional pattern.

Practical vocabulary related to floors and buildings

andar = floor, level

elevador = elevator

escada = stairs

térreo = ground floor (same as first floor in Brazil)

primeiro andar = first floor (after térreo; note numbering differences with English)

subsolo = basement

mezanino = mezzanine

Examples in everyday contexts

At an elevator

Você vai para que andar?
Estou indo para o terceiro andar.

In a hotel lobby

Que andar você vai?
Quarto no quinto andar, por favor.

At an office building reception

Em que andar você tem uma reunião?
Tenho reunião no sétimo andar.

Short dialogues for beginners

Elevator interaction

Pessoa A: Que andar você vai?
Pessoa B: Vou para o quarto andar.

Reception desk

Recepcionista: Em que andar você está indo?
Visitante: Estou indo para o sexto andar, andar da contabilidade.

Helping a tourist

Local: Qual andar você procura?
Turista: Primeiro andar, por favor.

Polite variations and extra phrases

Adding por favor makes the question polite

Que andar você vai, por favor?

Or you can politely offer help

Posso ajudar? Para qual andar você vai?

Indicating your floor number

Vou para o segundo andar. = I am going to the second floor.

Common replies to the question

Vou para o quinto andar. = I am going to the fifth floor.

Estou indo para o térreo. = I am going to the ground floor.

Descendo para o subsolo. = Going down to the basement.

Não sei ainda. = I don’t know yet.

Beginner tips for natural speech

Use térreo for ground-level spaces rather than primeiro andar, as Brazilian buildings often list the ground floor separately.

When pressing elevator buttons, it is common to simply say the floor number: Quatro or Quinto. You can also point to the number panel and say Quarto, por favor.

In crowded elevators, a short Qual andar? is efficient and polite enough.

Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them

Using primeiro andar to mean ground floor. In Brazil, térreo is the ground floor; primeiro andar is the next level above it.

Mixing up você and tu without adjusting the verb form. If you use tu in a region that supports it, conjugate verbs accordingly: Tu vais instead of Você vai. For beginners, using você with vai is safest.

Pronouncing andar’s final r like an English r. Learn the Brazilian end-of-word r which often sounds like a soft h or is barely pronounced depending on the region.

More realistic situational examples

Ordering delivery to an apartment

Entregador: Em que andar você mora?
Morador: Moro no quinto andar, apartamento 503.

Meeting someone at work

Colega: Que andar você vai ficar hoje?
Você: Vou trabalhar no segundo andar.

Calling the elevator

Pessoa: Ascensor está no térreo.
Resposta: Perfeito, vou subir para o terceiro.

Helpful mini vocabulary list for signs and labels

Térreo

Andar

Elevador

Escada

Subsolo

Recepção

How to ask for assistance or clarification

If you do not understand the floor number someone says, politely ask them to repeat

Desculpe, pode repetir o número do andar?

If you need directions to a specific floor

Como eu chego ao quinto andar?

Short practice dialogue for real beginners

A: Bom dia! Que andar você vai?
B: Bom dia! Vou para o segundo andar. E você?
A: Vou para o mesmo andar. Vamos juntos?

Tips for building confidence in real situations

Keep phrases short and predictable: start with Que andar… or Qual andar?.

Listen for numbers and common words like térreo and subsolo to orient yourself quickly.

Use polite phrases such as por favor and desculpe if you need help or clarification.

Conclusion

Asking Which floor are you going to? in Brazilian Portuguese is simple and highly useful. Start with Que andar você vai? or Em que andar você vai?, learn related vocabulary like térreo and elevador, and practice short dialogues for real situations. With these beginner-friendly phrases and tips, you will navigate elevators, hotels, and offices with confidence.