How to use “Abrir” and “Fechar” in Portuguese basics

Introduction

This article explains how to use the basic Brazilian Portuguese verbs Abrir and Fechar for complete beginners. You will learn forms, common phrases, everyday examples, signs, polite requests, and typical mistakes to avoid. Focus on practical use so you can understand and use these verbs in real situations.

Why abrir and fechar matter

The verbs Abrir (to open) and Fechar (to close) are fundamental in many daily interactions: doors, windows, shops, apps, accounts, and more. Learning these verbs early helps you navigate simple commands, read signs, follow instructions, and have short conversations.

Basic meanings and infinitive forms

Abrir means to open, to start, or to unlock in many contexts. Useful for physical objects and abstract actions like opening a file or opening a store.

Fechar means to close, to shut, to finish, or to lock. It applies to doors, containers, windows, and abstract uses like closing a program or ending a meeting.

Conjugation basics for beginners

Start with the present tense and simple imperative. These forms are enough for most beginner interactions.

Present tense – important forms

Eu abro — I open
Você abre / Tu abres — You open (use você for most Brazilian contexts)
Ele/Ela abre — He/She opens
Nós abrimos — We open
Vocês abrem — You all open
Eles/Elas abrem — They open

Eu fecho — I close
Você fecha / Tu fechas — You close
Ele/Ela fecha — He/She closes
Nós fechamos — We close
Vocês fecham — You all close
Eles/Elas fecham — They close

Imperative for polite requests

Use the imperative to ask someone to open or close something. For polite requests to strangers or people you do not know well, use the conditional with por favor.

Imperative forms:

Abrir (imperative) — Abra (você), Abram (vocês), Abre (tu informal)

Fechar (imperative) — Feche (você), Fechem (vocês), Fecha (tu informal)

Polite example: Por favor, abra a porta.

Common everyday phrases and vocabulary

Below are realistic phrases you will encounter on signs, in shops, at home, and when using devices.

Vocabulary list with short explanations:

Porta — door

Janela — window

Loja — shop

Aplicativo — app

Arquivo — file

Conta — account

Fechado / Aberto — closed / open (adjectives often seen on signs)

Common practical example sentences

Use these short sentences in daily life. Each is in Brazilian Portuguese, followed by an English explanation.

Abra a porta, por favor. — Ask someone to open the door for you.

Feche a janela porque está frio. — Tell someone to close the window because it is cold.

O supermercado está aberto das 8h às 22h. — Read store hours on a sign.

Esta loja está fechada hoje. — See a sign explaining the shop is closed today.

Posso abrir a conta? — Ask to open a bank account or user account.

Vou abrir o arquivo agora. — Say you are going to open a file on a computer.

Feche o aplicativo antes de desligar. — Instruction to close the app before turning off the device.

Fechar a sessão, por favor. — Ask to log out or close a session on a public computer.

Situational dialogs for practice

Short dialogues help you hear how people naturally use these verbs. Read aloud to practice pronunciation and rhythm.

At home:

Você: Por favor, abre a janela?
Amigo: Claro, já abro.

Translation: You: Please open the window?
Friend: Sure, I’ll open it now.

At a store:

Cliente: A loja está aberta?
Funcionário: Sim, abrimos às 9h.

Translation: Customer: Is the store open?
Employee: Yes, we open at 9.

On a phone or computer:

Usuário: Como eu fecho este documento?
Técnico: Clique em Fechar no canto superior direito.

Translation: User: How do I close this document?
Technician: Click Close in the top right corner.

Signs and short text examples you will see

Signs and labels often use simple forms. Learn these useful short texts.

Aberto — Open (sign on a shop door)

Fechado — Closed (sign on a shop door)

Aberto 24 horas — Open 24 hours

Fechado para almoço — Closed for lunch

Abra para entrar — Open to enter (used at museums or events)

Não abrir — Do not open (on packages or restricted doors)

Examples for digital interfaces

Button labels and menus often use these forms:

Abrir arquivo — Open file

Fechar janela — Close window

Abrir com — Open with

Fechar sessão — Close session / Log out

Beginner tips for correct use

Tip 1: Use você instead of tu in most Brazilian contexts. Conjugate accordingly: você abre, você fecha.

Tip 2: For short signs use the adjective forms aberto and fechado. They are not verbs in that usage.

Tip 3: For polite requests add por favor at the end. Example: Fecha a porta, por favor.

Tip 4: Learning common collocations helps: abrir a porta, fechar a janela, abrir a conta, fechar o programa.

Tip 5: Pay attention to reflexive or pronominal structures: abrir-se (to open oneself, used figuratively) or fechar-se (to shut oneself off). These are less common for absolute beginners but useful to recognize.

Pronunciation notes

Abrir: stress on the second syllable, a-BRIR. The r in Brazilian Portuguese often sounds like an English d or retroflex depending on region; in many Brazilian accents, initial r sounds like an h, but in this verb the r is medial so pronounce clearly as b-r sequence.

Fechar: stress on the second syllable, fe-CHAR. The ch is like English sh in many Brazilian accents.

Common beginner mistakes and how to avoid them

Mistake 1: Mixing up open and close when in a hurry. Tip: visualize a door moving inward for abrir and outward for fechar to build a mental cue.

Mistake 2: Using the infinitive instead of conjugated form with você. Incorrect: Você abrir a porta? Correct: Você abre a porta? Or Pode abrir a porta?

Mistake 3: Forgetting the polite markers. Saying Fecha a porta abruptly can sound rough. Add por favor to be polite with strangers.

Mistake 4: Using aberto/fechado incorrectly. These are adjectives and must agree in context: O restaurante está aberto. A loja está fechada.

Practice exercises for beginners

Exercise 1: Translate and say aloud five sentences using abrir and fechar in present tense. Example: Eu abro a janela. Eu fecho a porta.

Exercise 2: Read signs around town or online and identify aberto/fechado. Make a list of three local shops and their hours using abrir and fechar.

Exercise 3: Role-play a short interaction: You ask someone to open something and they respond. Use por favor and obrigado/obrigada appropriately.

Mini quiz with answers

1. How do you say Please close the window? Answer: Fecha a janela, por favor.

2. How do you read a sign that says Open 24 hours? Answer: Aberto 24 horas.

3. How to ask Is the bank open? Answer: O banco está aberto?

4. Imperative for multiple people to open: Answer: Abram.

Conclusion

Mastering Abrir and Fechar gives you tools for many everyday situations in Brazilian Portuguese, from reading signs to making requests and using devices. Focus on present tense forms, polite imperatives, common collocations, and the adjective pair aberto/fechado. Practice with the short dialogues and exercises provided to build confidence quickly.