How to Say Hello in Portuguese (Brazilian & European Portuguese Greetings)

You've probably figured out by now that Portuguese greetings aren't straightforward. There are many different ways to greet someone in Portuguese, and if you pick the wrong one, you'll either sound weirdly formal or way too casual. Fun, right?

Here's the thing: Portuguese greetings aren't complicated because Portuguese speakers are trying to mess with you. They're context-dependent because the language evolved in different parts of the world, and Brazilians and Portuguese people have their own ways to say hello. Plus, time of day matters, formality matters, and whether you're face-to-face or trying to answer the phone matters.

Let me break down how to say hello in Portuguese without sounding like a textbook.

The Basic Way to Say "Hello" in Portuguese That Works Everywhere

"Olá" (oh-LAH)

This is your safe bet. The English equivalent would be "hello"—neutral, polite, universally understood. Works in Brazil, works in Portugal, works in formal situations, works with your friends. If you're not sure how to greet people, say "olá."

The pronunciation is basically the same everywhere, which is rare for the Portuguese language. Most Portuguese words sound different depending on whether you're in Rio or Lisbon, but "olá" is universal.

That said, you'll sound a bit formal. It's like saying "hello" instead of "hi" in English. Nobody's going to think you're weird for using it, but you might want something more casual once you get comfortable.

"Olá" is used in Portugal and Brazil equally, making it the safest way of saying hello when you're starting out. Think of it as your default greeting until you learn the basics of when to use more specific greetings.

The Informal Way to Say "Hi" in Brazilian Portuguese

"Oi" (oy)

In Brazil, this is what people actually say. "Olá" is understood, but if you want to sound like an actual Brazilian instead of someone who learned Portuguese online from a textbook, use "oi." It's the most common informal greeting used in Brazil.

In Portugal, they'll understand you, but it's not as common. European Portuguese speakers tend to stick with "olá." Not a big deal either way, but if you want to greet like Portuguese speakers actually do in their respective countries, match the regional preference.

One weird thing about "oi" in Brazilian Portuguese: depending on how you say it, it can also mean "excuse me?" or express surprise. Context matters. But as a greeting, just say it with a friendly and informal tone and you're good.

This is your informal Portuguese go-to. Friends, family, casual situations—"oi" works. It's the Brazilian equivalent of "hi" in English.

Time-Specific Portuguese Greetings (Because There Are Different Ways to Say Hello)

The Portuguese language changes greetings based on time of day. And no, you can't just use "bom dia" all day and hope for the best. Portuguese speakers notice.

"Bom Dia" — How to Say "Good Morning" in Portuguese

"Bom dia" (good morning)
Use this from when you wake up until around noon or after lunch. The exact cutoff is fuzzy, but once it's afternoon, switch to the next one. When you want to say "good morning" in Portuguese, this is it.

Portuguese pronunciation tip: Brazilians pronounce "dia" like "jee-ah" with a soft D sound. European Portuguese speakers pronounce "dia" like "dee-ah" with a hard D. Both are correct for their respective dialects.

"Bom dia" literally means "good day," but it functions like "good morning." You'll use "bom dia" constantly if you're in Portugal or Brazil.

Ways to Say "Good Afternoon" and "Good Evening" in Portuguese

"Boa tarde" (good afternoon)
From noon-ish until sunset. Probably around 12 PM to 6 PM, but again, it's not an exact science. "Boa tarde" is one of those Portuguese phrases you'll use constantly when connecting with native speakers during afternoon hours.

Brazilians pronounce it like "boa TAHR-g" (they kind of drop the final D). Portuguese people from Portugal pronounce it like "boa TAHR-d" (they actually pronounce the D).

"Boa noite" (good evening/good night)
After sunset. This is the only greeting that pulls double duty—you use "boa noite" both when you arrive somewhere in the evening and when you're saying goodbye at night. The Portuguese language doesn't distinguish between evening and night the way English does.

Portuguese speakers use "boa noite" as both "good evening" and "good night." It's one word covering both, which is actually simpler than English once you get used to it.

These time-based greetings work in formal and informal situations. Your boss, your friend, the person at the coffee shop. They're more formal than "oi" but less formal than you might think. You can use these basic phrases with pretty much anyone.

Casual Portuguese Greetings Your Friends Will Actually Use

Once you're comfortable with the formal and informal basics, here are ways to greet people that actual Brazilians use with friends in informal contexts:

"E aí?" (What's up?)
This is Brazilian slang. Literally translates to "and there?" but functions like the English "what's up?" Don't use this in formal situations. Friends only. This is colloquial Portuguese at its finest.

"Beleza?" (All good?)
Another common informal greeting in Brazilian Portuguese. Literally means "beauty?" but functions like "everything good?" You can answer with just "beleza" (all good) or launch into an actual conversation.

"Tudo bem?" / "Tudo bom?" (Everything well/good?)
This one's interesting because it works as both a greeting and a question about how someone's doing. You can use "tudo bem" in formal and informal situations, which makes it super versatile. It's one of the most flexible Portuguese greetings you'll learn.

Similar to how you might say "Como vai?" (How are you?) in more formal situations, "tudo bem" works everywhere. You can even use it as a standalone greeting, skipping the "oi" entirely. Just walk up and say "tudo bem?" and you're good.

How to Answer the Phone in Portuguese (Because This Changes Everything)

If you're trying to answer the phone in Brazil, you say "Alô?" (ah-LOH). It's borrowed from English "hello," and it's ONLY used on the phone. If you say "alô" to someone face-to-face, they'll look at you weird. This isn't a way to say hello in person—it's phone-specific.

In Portugal, Portuguese speakers answer the phone with "Está lá?" (are you there?) or just "Estou" (I am here). Different vibe entirely. European Portuguese greetings for phone calls are more formal.

When you're the one making the call, start with the time-appropriate greeting (bom dia, boa tarde, boa noite) and then say who you are. European Portuguese phone etiquette is more formal than Brazilian.

Brazilian Portuguese vs. European Portuguese: Understanding the Key Differences

Look, these are technically the same language, but European and Brazilian Portuguese sound completely different. And not just in pronunciation—European Portuguese greetings have different preferences and usage patterns too.

Brazilian Portuguese:

European Portuguese:

The Portuguese pronunciation differences between European and Brazilian Portuguese are significant. That final "S" in words? Brazilians pronounce it like "ss," but Portuguese people pronounce it like "sh." The letter "L" at the end of syllables sounds like a weak "U" in Brazil, but it's pronounced clearly in Portugal.

If you're learning Portuguese, pick one variant and stick with it. Don't try to mix European and Brazilian Portuguese—you'll just confuse yourself and sound weird to native speakers. Choose your path early: are you learning the Portuguese used in Brazil or used in Portugal?

What Actually Matters When You Learn Portuguese Greetings

Here's my honest take: You don't need to memorize 15 ways to say "hello" in Portuguese. You need to learn the basics really well and understand when to use each one.

Start with these essential Portuguese words and phrases:

That's it. Those four basic phrases will get you through 90% of situations when you need to say hello in Portuguese.

Once you're comfortable with those, add the casual stuff (e aí, beleza) if you're learning Brazilian Portuguese. But don't stress about it early on. Master the fundamentals first.

The real skill isn't knowing every possible salutation. It's understanding which one fits depending on the context. And you only learn that through exposure to actual Portuguese—watching shows, listening to podcasts, connecting with native speakers in real conversations.

This is where learning from real content makes a huge difference. You can memorize that "bom dia" means "good morning," but until you hear it used naturally in context a dozen times, you won't really internalize when to use it versus "oi" or "olá." Context is everything when you greet someone.

How Physical Greetings Work (Because Portuguese Speakers Do More Than Just Talk)

Portuguese-speaking cultures are physical with greetings. In Brazil, friends kiss on the cheek (one kiss on each cheek). In Portugal, it's two kisses, starting with the right cheek. Get the order wrong and you might accidentally kiss someone on the mouth. Fun times.

Handshakes are standard in formal situations—first meetings, professional contexts, older people you don't know well. The formal way of greeting someone you don't know involves a handshake.

Hugs are common among friends used in Brazil. Portugal is slightly more reserved, but still warmer than, say, Germanic cultures.

The main thing: match what the other person does. If they go in for a cheek kiss, go with it. If they extend a hand, shake it. Portuguese speakers will guide you through the physical greeting—just follow their lead.

The Mistakes Everyone Makes When Learning to Say Hello in Portuguese

Don't use Spanish greetings. Seriously. I know Portuguese and Spanish look similar—they're both Romance languages—but saying "hola" when you should say "olá" is disrespectful. It's like telling Portuguese speakers you didn't care enough to learn their actual language.

Don't use "alô" face-to-face. It's only for when you answer the phone. That's it. This isn't a way to say hello in person, despite what you might think from the English "hello" it's borrowed from.

Don't stress too much about formal versus informal. Better to be slightly too formal than too casual, especially as a learner when you speak Portuguese for the first time. Native speakers will give you grace. Just avoid using super informal greetings in formal situations and you'll be fine.

Don't skip the time-based greetings. Yeah, it's an extra thing to remember, but Portuguese speakers use them constantly. If it's 3 PM and you say "bom dia," people will notice. Learn when to say "good morning," when to switch to "boa tarde," and when to use "boa noite."

Saying Goodbye in Portuguese (Because You Can't Just Greet and Ghost)

You can't just greet people and then ghost them. Here are the basic ways to wrap up a conversation in Portuguese:

"Tchau" (chow)
The most common informal way of saying "goodbye." Works for casual situations with friends and people you know. Translation in Portuguese: "bye." Simple, effective, used constantly.

"Adeus" (ah-day-oosh)
More formal "goodbye" in Portuguese. This is like "farewell" in English when you're parting ways for a long time. It has a more permanent feeling than "tchau." Not used as casually.

"Até logo" (until later) or "Até amanhã" (until tomorrow)
Casual ways to say you'll see someone soon. Good for ending conversations when you know you'll see the person again. These are the equivalent of "see you later" or "see you tomorrow."

Saying goodbye in Portuguese is just as context-dependent as the greetings. Match the formality of your goodbye to how you greeted the person.

Learning Portuguese Greetings Like a Pro (Not From a Pronunciation Guide)

Textbooks will give you the words and phrases. Flashcards will help you memorize them. But neither will teach you the feel of when to use each greeting or how native speakers actually talk. No free pronunciation guide or pronunciation guide alone will get you there.

You need input. Lots of it. Real Portuguese content where people are actually greeting each other—shows, YouTube videos, podcasts, whatever. This is how you actually learn a new language.

Immersion learning is the only way to develop natural instincts about language. You can't logic your way into knowing whether to use "oi" or "olá" in a specific situation. You need to see it used as a greeting in context over and over until it clicks.

That's why focusing on greetings as isolated vocabulary items doesn't work. They're social tools, not just words. You learn them through observation and practice in real interactions. Same way you'd learn colloquial expressions or slang—through exposure, not memorization.

Think about many different ways to greet people that exist in English. You wouldn't learn those from a pronunciation guide or a list of formal and informal situations. You'd learn by hearing people use them, like in English conversations you've had your whole life.

Portuguese works the same way. Whether you're learning European Portuguese or Brazilian Portuguese, the path is the same: immersion in real content where you can see how Portuguese speakers naturally greet people. Watch how Como (how) is used in questions, when "tudo bem" makes sense, when "boa" or "bom" time greetings are appropriate.

You'll also start picking up on language exchange patterns—how Portuguese speakers transition from greeting to conversation, when they use which Portuguese phrases depending on the context. This isn't something you can get from a list of words and phrases.

If you want to actually use these Portuguese greetings naturally and speak Portuguese like Portuguese speakers do, you need exposure to real Portuguese content. Not textbook dialogues—actual shows, videos, and conversations where people greet each other the way they really do.

That's what Migaku does. Our browser extension lets you watch Portuguese Netflix shows, YouTube videos, or read Portuguese articles while looking up words instantly. When someone in a Brazilian show says "e aí?" to their friend, you see it in context. When a character uses "bom dia" with their boss, you understand why that greeting made sense. You're connecting with native content, not sterile examples.

You're not memorizing greeting rules. You're absorbing ways to greet someone that Portuguese speakers actually use. The Portuguese words you look up automatically become flashcards, so you review them later through spaced repetition. Everything syncs across desktop and mobile, which means you can watch a Portuguese show at home and review the vocabulary on your phone during your commute.

This is how you master Portuguese greetings—not through drills or lists, but by seeing them used naturally hundreds of times. You'll start to feel when "oi" is right versus when you should use "olá." You'll know instinctively when to switch from "bom dia" to "boa tarde." That's what real language acquisition looks like.

Way more effective than drilling greetings from a list or trying to learn Portuguese online through disconnected exercises. This is how you actually speak Portuguese—by learning from how people really talk, not how textbooks say Portuguese would sound in artificial situations.

There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.