🇵🇹 Portuguese A1/A2 – “I Don’t Understand!”

Topic: Communicating when Portuguese is too fast, unclear or unfamiliar

Level: A1–A2

Length: 60 minutes

Main goal: Students can confidently ask Portuguese speakers to slow down, repeat, explain or use different words.

1. WARM-UP – “HELP!” 🇵🇹

Teacher says quickly in Portuguese:

Bom dia! Então, como está? O que fez ontem? Foi ao supermercado? E hoje, o que vai fazer?

→ Good morning! So, how are you? What did you do yesterday? Did you go to the supermarket? And today, what are you going to do?

Students probably understand only some of it.

Ask:

What can you say when you don't understand?

Students brainstorm in English first, then try Portuguese.

2. YOUR SURVIVAL PHRASES – When you don't understand
English
  • Sorry, I didn't understand.
  • I didn't understand.
  • I didn't hear you.
  • I didn't hear that well.
  • Can you repeat, please?
  • Can you speak more slowly?
  • A little more slowly, please.
  • Can you say that again?
  • Can you explain?
  • I don't understand this word.
  • What does this mean?
  • What does ___ mean?
  • How do you say ___ in Portuguese?
  • Can you say it another way?
  • Can you speak English?
  • My Portuguese isn't very good.
  • I don't speak Portuguese very well.
  • I don't speak Portuguese.
  • I'm still learning Portuguese.
  • Sorry, I'm learning Portuguese.
European Portuguese
  • Desculpe, não percebi.
  • Não percebi.
  • Não ouvi.
  • Não ouvi bem.
  • Pode repetir, por favor?
  • Pode falar mais devagar, por favor?
  • Mais devagar, por favor.
  • Pode dizer outra vez?
  • Pode explicar?
  • Não percebo esta palavra.
  • O que é que isto quer dizer?
  • O que é que ___ quer dizer?
  • Como se diz ___ em português?
  • Pode dizer de outra maneira?
  • Fala inglês?
  • O meu português não é muito bom.
  • Não falo português muito bem.
  • Não falo português.
  • Ainda estou a aprender português.
  • Desculpe, estou a aprender português.
⭐ MOST IMPORTANT 5
  1. Não percebi. → I didn't understand.
  2. Pode repetir, por favor? → Can you repeat it, please?
  3. Pode falar mais devagar, por favor? → Can you speak more slowly, please?
  4. O que é que isto quer dizer? → What does this mean?
  5. Ainda estou a aprender português. → I'm still learning Portuguese.
3. QUICK PRONUNCIATION DRILL

Activity: Teacher says the English phrase. Students race to say the Portuguese version.

Example:

  • Teacher: “Can you repeat, please?”
  • Students: “Pode repetir, por favor?”

Then progressively faster: teacher → normal speed → faster → students respond automatically.

Repeat with all 5 survival phrases.

4. ROLE-PLAY 1 – THE FAST PORTUGUESE PERSON

Work in pairs.

Student A: Portuguese local
Student B: English-speaking learner

Student A reads a question very quickly. Examples:

  • Quer um café ou um galão? → Want a coffee or a coffee made with milk?
  • Vai querer alguma coisa para comer? → Will you want something to eat?
  • Tem marcação? → Do you have an appointment?
  • Onde é que mora? → Where does he live?
  • Já conhece Albufeira? → Do you already know Albufeira?
  • Quer pagar com cartão ou dinheiro? → Want to pay by card or cash?

Student B must NOT answer immediately. They must use one of the survival phrases:

  • Desculpe, não percebi. → I didn't understand.
  • Pode repetir, por favor? → Can you repeat it, please?
  • Pode falar mais devagar, por favor? → Can you speak more slowly, please?

Then they try to answer.

Change roles after every question.

5. ROLE-PLAY 2 – “WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?”

Student A chooses an unfamiliar Portuguese word:

talho / mercearia / troco / bilhete / balcão / fatura / levantamento / esquina / reforma / morada

→ Butcher / Grocery / Change / Ticket / Counter / Invoice / Pick-up / Corner / Renovation / Address

Student B asks:

O que é que isso quer dizer? → What does that mean?

Student A explains the word in simple Portuguese.

Example:

  • A: “O que é ‘troco’?” → "What is 'change'?"
  • B: “É o dinheiro que recebe quando paga mais do que o preço.” → "It's the money you get when you pay more than the price."

Then swap.

Challenge: Students are NOT allowed to use English for the explanation.

6. ROLE-PLAY 3 – REAL-LIFE SURVIVAL 🇵🇹

Choose one situation:

  • ☕ Café: The waiter speaks quickly.
  • 🛒 Supermarket: You don't understand where something is.
  • 🏠 Landlord: They explain something about the apartment.
  • 🚌 Bus: You don't understand where or when the bus leaves.
  • 💊 Pharmacy: The pharmacist explains something too quickly.
  • 👋 Meeting a Portuguese neighbour: They start speaking very fast.

Students must have a conversation of at least 2 minutes.

The Portuguese speaker must deliberately:

  • Speak too quickly
  • Use one unfamiliar word
  • Repeat something differently
  • Ask a follow-up question

The learner must successfully use at least 3 survival phrases.