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8 Examples to Teach You to Use “Dá pra” in Portuguese

8 Examples to Teach You to Use “Dá pra” in Portuguese

posted on February 10, 2015

8 Examples to Teach You to Use "Dá pra" in Portuguese
“Dar para” is a very useful expression. Dá pra ir a pé? = “Can I walk there? In this lesson you will learn how to use this expression and speak like a Brazilian.

The verb Dar is incredibly versatile because it is used in numerous colloquial expressions in Brazilian Portuguese. In this lesson I will show you a very useful and commonly used expression with the verb Dar.

Dar is an irregular verb. By itself it means “to give”.

I very much encourage you to learn the conjugation of Dar. As I said, it is used in a great number of expressions.

Colloquial expression: Dar para…

The expression “Dar para” can be translated as “to be possible to…”.

In questions, it can also be translated as: “Can you…?”

And in answers, it can be translated as: “Yes, I can”. Or, in the negative: “I can’t.”

The real-life examples below will show you how to use this expression.

1)

A very common way to ask for a favor is to say:

Dá pra fazer um favor?

= Is it possible to do me a favor? / Can you do me a favor?

3 Tips:

  1. Notice that the verb is conjugated in the present tense of the third person singular (ele). In this kind of question, it will always be like this.
  2. Do not use a pronoun (eu, você, ele, etc.) before the verb Dar.
  3. “Pra” is short for “para”. In spoken Brazilian Portuguese we usually say “pra”. We also use it in informal writing, such as on Facebook. For business and academic correspondence, I suggest you stick with “para”.

2)

É longe? Dá pra ir a pé?

= Is it far away? Is it possible to walk there? /Can I walk there?

3)

Dá pra me pegar no aeroporto?

= Is it possible to pick me up at the airport? / Can you pick me up at the airport.

  • Você Pode me Pegar? Learn More About the Verb Pegar

4)

João: Dá pra me dar o orçamento na quarta?

Túlio: Na quarta, não dá. Dá pra entregar na sexta.

Translation:

João: Is it possible to give me the quote on Wednesday?

Túlio: On Wednesday it isn’t possible. I can give it to you on Friday.

8 Examples to Teach You to Use "Dá pra" in Portuguese

5)

Milena: Vamos passar o fim de semana fora?

Caio: Nesse fim de semana não vai dar. Podemos ir no outro.

Translation:

Milena: Let’s spend the weekend away.

Caio: This weekend it will not be possible. We can go on the other one.

6)

Cris: Você comprou pão?

Ana: Não deu pra parar na padaria. Desculpe.

Translation:

Cris: Did you buy bread?

Ana: I could’t stop at the bakery. Sorry.

Dá / Não dá

Sometimes the expression is used without the preposition “para”. This happens in short questions or answers, when the verb Dar is not followed by the action in reference:

7)

Tomás: Por que você foi não foi ao aniversário da Sônia?

Melissa: Não deu.

Translation:

Tomás: Why didn’t you go to Sônia’s birthday?

Melissa: It was’t possible.

  • Learn to sing the Brazilian birthday song and other birthday vocabulary

8)

Maria: Dá pra me ajudar a terminar esse relatório?

André: Dá, claro.

Translation:

Maria: Can you help me finish this report?

André: Yes, sure.

I also have a different lesson with another great expression using the verb Dar. It is about the phrase “Mal dá pra…”. It is very useful. Visit the lesson to keep learning.

Street Smart Brazil has complete Portuguese programs from beginner to completely fluent. Book a trial session to experience our lessons and see how we can help you speak Portuguese fluently.

Related Posts:

  • Valentine’s Day in Brazil - Dia dos Namorados
  • 4 Brazilian Portuguese Expressions with the Verb Levar –…
  • 12 Ways to Say You are Welcome in Brazil - Portuguese lesson

About Luciana Lage

I’m Luciana, founder of Street Smart Brazil. I am so happy to be able to help you in your Portuguese speaking journey! Teaching Portuguese as a foreign language was one of the best things that could have happened in my life. I’ve had the privilege of teaching Portuguese at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of San Francisco. Now I am fully dedicated to the Street Smart Brazil community.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anderson

    December 2, 2018 at 5:35 pm

    Procurando uma palavra em inglês achei seu site, tem muita gente querendo aprender português? Abraços.

    Reply
  2. Michael

    May 20, 2018 at 10:45 am

    Is this phrase correct? A janela dá pra na rua. The window faces the street?
    Is there is there any way to know the difference from can versus faces or do you have to just learn by context.
    One reason why I find Portuguese so confusing fewer words then English but Portuguese words have different meanings depending on the context: dar, ficar, mesmo, fazer, etc.

    Reply
    • Luciana Lage

      May 21, 2018 at 4:42 pm

      Oi, Michael, the correct sentence would be: A janela dá pra rua. In other words, you would not use the preposition “na”. Yes, often times it is the context that you will tell what a word means. It gets clear with practice.

      Reply
  3. Sara

    September 19, 2016 at 9:13 am

    The best site ever. It’s probably helped me the most in learning portuguese. I love the fact that you put a lot of colloquial phrases here, because they sure didnt teach us that in the portuguese classes at my college.

    Reply
    • Luciana Lage

      September 20, 2016 at 4:10 am

      Muito obrigada, Sara 🙂

      Reply
  4. Paulo Lefki

    February 12, 2015 at 7:32 am

    Gostei. Bem explicadinho.

    Reply
    • Luciana Lage

      February 12, 2015 at 8:31 am

      Obrigada 🙂

      Reply

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