Words at the Portuguese table
Portuguese looks like Spanish and sounds nothing like it. Here are the words that keep coming up in Portuguese recipes, with a pronunciation hint that follows the sound.
How to read it
- ã, õ
- Nasal – „pão“ sits between „pown“ and „pang“.
- lh
- Like lli in „million“.
- nh
- Like ny in „canyon“.
- s at the end
- Like sh: „bolos“ sounds like „bo-loosh“.
- ch
- Always sh, never ch.
- r at the start
- Rolled in the throat, close to Scottish „loch“.
At the restaurant
| Portugiesisch | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| faz favor | fash fa-vor | Please – and also the word you use to call the waiter. |
| a ementa, por favor | a eh-men-ta por fa-vor | The menu, please. In Portugal it is ementa, in Brazil cardápio. |
| o que recomenda? | oo keh reh-koo-men-da | What do you recommend? |
| a conta, por favor | a kon-ta por fa-vor | The bill, please. |
| estava ótimo | shta-va aw-tee-moo | It was excellent. |
At the table
| Portugiesisch | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bom apetite | bong a-pe-teet | Enjoy your meal. |
| o petisco | oo pe-teesh-koo | The small plate for sharing – the Portuguese counterpart to the tapa, with a tradition of its own. |
| a tasca | a tash-ka | The plain place around the corner. Paper tablecloth, dish of the day, no menu. |
| a bica | a bee-ka | The small strong coffee – that is its name in Lisbon; in Porto it is ‚cimbalino‘. |
Ingredients
| Portugiesisch | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| o bacalhau | oo ba-ka-lyow | Salt cod. It needs one to three days of soaking, with the water changed several times. |
| o piri-piri | oo pee-ree-pee-ree | The small hot chilli and the sauce made from it. It came to Portugal by way of Africa. |
| os coentros | oosh ko-en-troosh | Fresh coriander. A given in Portugal, almost unknown in Spain – you can taste the border. |
| a broa | a bro-a | Dense corn bread with a hard crust. You break it rather than slice it. |
In the kitchen
| Portugiesisch | Say it like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| a cataplana | a ka-ta-plah-na | The hinged copper pan of the Algarve. It seals tight, keeps the steam in, and comes to the table closed. |
| o refogado | oo re-foo-gah-doo | Onion and garlic softened slowly in olive oil – the beginning of almost every Portuguese dish. |
| à Brás | a brahsh | Bound with straw potatoes and egg. ‚Bacalhau à Brás‘ is the best known example. |
| no forno | noo for-noo | Cooked in the oven – often in the same earthenware dish it is served in. |