How to Say Thank You in Portuguese

Thank You Differs According to the Person Saying It

A man says obrigado, whereas a woman says obrigada. The literal sense is "obliged", similar to the old English "much obliged".

The Same Word Can Be Used in Portugal and Brazil

Obrigado and obrigada are correct in both Portugal and Brazil, however the pronunciation is often different. In Portugal the unstressed vowels are clipped, whereas in Brazil the word is more open. Please check the audio to hear the difference.

The Usual Response to Obrigado & Obrigada

The most common reply is de nada, "of nothing". Não tem de quê, roughly "there is nothing to thank me for", is a little more formal and quite common in Portugal.

• Muito obrigado

  MOOY-too oh-bree-GAH-doo

  Thank you very much. The agreement rule still applies: a woman says muito obrigada.

• Bem haja

  baym AH-zhah

  A warm and slightly old-fashioned thanks, heard in Portugal and more often from older speakers.

• Agradeço

  ah-grah-DEH-soo

  I am grateful. More considered than obrigado, and it takes no gender ending.