Introduction
This article teaches how to say I have never tried that in Brazilian Portuguese, with real-life examples, natural alternatives, and usage notes for beginners and intermediate learners. You will learn key phrases, variations, polite responses, and short dialogues to build confidence in conversations about food, activities, and experiences.
Basic translation and structure
To express I have never tried that in Portuguese, start with the verb experimentar or provar. The most direct, neutral phrase is Eu nunca experimentei isso. This sentence literally means I never tried that. Use it when referring to foods, activities, or anything you have not tried yet.
Another common option uses the verb provar. Say Eu nunca provei isso for the same meaning. Both verbs are natural; experimentar often implies trying an experience or experiment, while provar often focuses on tasting or sampling, but they are interchangeable in many contexts.
Examples with food
Food conversations are perfect for practicing these phrases. Use them when someone offers a dish or mentions a cuisine you have not sampled.
Restaurant scenario:
Garçom: Tem coxinha de jaca?
Você: Eu nunca experimentei isso, é bom?
Here you show curiosity and ask for an opinion.
Tasting a dessert:
Amiga: Quer provar meu brigadeiro vegano?
Você: Eu nunca provei isso, quero sim
Polite and open to trying something new.
Casual and shortened versions
In spoken Brazilian Portuguese, people often use shorter or more casual forms. Instead of the full Eu nunca experimentei isso, you can say:
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Nunca experimentei — Omitted subject is fine in everyday speech.
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Nunca provei — Even more common when talking about food.
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Nunca — Alone, with tone and context, can mean I have never tried it.
Example in a group chat:
Amigo: Alguém já foi naquele restaurante peruano?
Você: Nunca
Short and natural among friends.
Polite and exploratory replies
If you want to sound polite or curious after saying you have never tried something, add phrases like quero provar, parece bom, or me conta mais. Combine them with the main sentence:
Eu nunca experimentei isso, quero provar
Eu nunca provei isso, parece bom
Eu nunca experimentei isso, me conta mais sobre como é
These responses show interest and invite further description.
Expressing lack of opportunity vs. lack of interest
Sometimes you need to clarify why you never tried something. Two useful constructions:
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Eu nunca experimentei isso porque não tive oportunidade — I have never tried that because I haven’t had the chance.
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Eu nunca experimentei isso, não me interessei antes — I have never tried that, I wasn’t interested before.
These explanations help avoid misunderstandings, especially when social invitations are involved.
Talking about experiences: present perfect vs simple past
In English learners often think in terms of present perfect. Brazilian Portuguese uses the preterite and present forms differently. Eu nunca experimentei is present perfect-like and commonly used. You can also use simple past for emphasis:
Eu nunca experimentei isso — I have never tried that (general state)
Nunca experimentei isso na vida — I never tried that in my life (stronger emphasis using na vida)
When the context is a completed past action, a speaker might say Eu não experimentei aquilo naquele dia, but for general never-tried statements stick to Eu nunca experimentei isso or Eu nunca provei isso.
Politeness and softening phrases
To be polite when refusing an offer or saying you have not tried something, Brazilians often use softeners. Add please-like or uncertain words such as talvez, talvez mais tarde, or obrigado/obrigada if refusing politely.
Polite decline:
Não, obrigado, eu nunca experimentei isso — No, thanks, I have never tried that
Talvez mais tarde, eu nunca provei isso — Maybe later, I have never tasted that
Notice the gender agreement in obrigado/obrigrada: obrigado if you identify as male, obrigada if female.
Offering first-hand details after trying
When you do try something, you can give quick feedback using experimentar and provar in past forms:
Eu experimentei ontem e adorei
Eu provei e achei salgado
These short comments are common and useful in natural conversations.
Common alternatives and idiomatic expressions
Portuguese includes idiomatic ways to say you have not tried something. Use them to sound more natural or informal.
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Nunca tentei — I never tried (tentar focuses on attempting something).
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Nunca fui nessa — I have never been in that (used for events or activities).
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Não conheço — I don’t know it (used for foods, places, experiences).
Examples:
Nunca tentei surfar
Nunca fui nessa festa
Não conheço essa sobremesa
Short dialogues for everyday practice
Dialogue 1: Food at a party
Amigo: Você já comeu acarajé?
Você: Eu nunca provei isso, é apimentado?
Amigo: É bem temperado, eu te trago um pouco depois
Dialogue 2: Activity invite
Colega: Vamos escalar no fim de semana?
Você: Nunca experimentei, mas tenho vontade
Colega: Perfeito, a gente te mostra como começar
Dialogue 3: Talking about travel
Turista: Já visitou Fernando de Noronha?
Você: Eu nunca fui nessa, está na minha lista
Turista: Vale muito a pena
Usage notes: pronunciation and register
The verbs experimentar and provar are regular in spoken Brazilian Portuguese. Pronunciation tips:
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experimentei — ex-pre-ri-men-TEI (stress on the last syllable)
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provei — pro-VEI (single syllable stress on VEI)
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nunca — NUN-ca (stress on NUN)
Register notes:
Eu nunca experimentei isso and Eu nunca provei isso are neutral and safe for most situations. Use shorter nunca experimentei or nunca provei with friends. Use the full form with strangers or in polite conversation.
Gender and formality considerations
The phrase Eu nunca experimentei isso does not change with speaker gender. However, small polite words can change, like obrigado/obrigada. When speaking formally, you can use the same phrase but add senhor/senhora for politeness:
Senhor, eu nunca experimentei isso, o senhor recomenda?
Senhora, eu nunca provei isso, posso provar?
Common mistakes to avoid
Beginners often make predictable errors. Watch for these:
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Using nunca with present tense verbs incorrectly — prefer Eu nunca experimentei rather than Eu nunca experimento for never-tried meaning.
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Confusing provar with conhecer — conhecer means to know or be familiar with, not to try. Say Eu nunca experimentei isso instead of Eu nunca conheço isso when you mean have not tried.
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Omitting context — simply saying nunca can be ambiguous; add context if needed, like nunca provei sushi.
How to respond if someone says they never tried something
When someone tells you they have never tried something, you can encourage them or offer a description. Useful responses:
Tem que experimentar, é muito bom — You have to try it, it’s very good
Posso te apresentar da próxima vez — I can introduce you next time
É diferente do que você está acostumado, mas vale a pena — It’s different from what you’re used to, but worth it
These phrases help keep the conversation friendly and open.
Conclusion
Now you know several natural ways to say I have never tried that in Brazilian Portuguese, from the neutral Eu nunca experimentei isso and Eu nunca provei isso to casual nunca and idiomatic alternatives like nunca tentei. Use the examples and dialogues to practice, pay attention to register and pronunciation, and combine the phrase with polite softeners to sound friendly and natural in real conversations.
