How to Say Thank You in Portuguese
Learn how to say thank you in Portuguese. 'Obrigado' (male) and 'Obrigada' (female) change with the SPEAKER's gender. Pronunciation guide + this unique Portuguese rule.
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Quick answer
To say thank you in Portuguese, say 'Obrigado' if you are male (oh-bree-GAH-doo) or 'Obrigada' if you are female (oh-bree-GAH-dah). This is Portuguese's most famous quirk: the word agrees with the GENDER OF THE SPEAKER, not the person being thanked. For thank you very much, say 'Muito obrigado/obrigada.'
Obrigado
/oh-bree-GAH-doo/ — Portuguese
How to Say Thank You in Portuguese
Portuguese gratitude comes with one of the most famous quirks in any language: the word for “thank you” changes depending on who is speaking, not who is being thanked.
The Phrase (and Its Famous Rule)
| Speaker | Portuguese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Male speaker | Obrigado | oh-bree-GAH-doo |
| Female speaker | Obrigada | oh-bree-GAH-dah |
Copy the Phrase
The Portuguese word for “thank you” is Obrigado (if you’re male) or Obrigada (if you’re female).
The Speaker-Gender Rule
This is Portuguese’s most distinctive feature, and it surprises everyone:
The word matches the gender of the SPEAKER, not the listener.
- A man always says Obrigado (even when thanking a woman)
- A woman always says Obrigada (even when thanking a man)
Why? Obrigado/obrigada literally means “[I am] obliged / much obliged / grateful.” It’s an adjective describing your own state. Since Portuguese adjectives agree with the gender of the person they describe — and here that’s you, the speaker — the ending matches your gender.
Think of it as: “I am grateful,” where “grateful” must match your own gender.
Pronunciation
| Word | Pronunciation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Obrigado | oh-bree-GAH-doo | Stress on GAH; soft ‘r’ |
| Obrigada | oh-bree-GAH-dah | Stress on GAH |
In casual Brazilian speech, it can shorten to “brigado/brigada.”
Levels of Thanks
| Portuguese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Obrigado / Obrigada | Thank you |
| Muito obrigado/a | Thank you very much |
| Muitíssimo obrigado/a | Thank you so very much |
| Obrigado/a por tudo | Thanks for everything |
| Agradeço | I thank you / I appreciate (formal) |
The speaker-gender rule applies no matter what intensifier you add.
How to Say You’re Welcome
| Portuguese | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| De nada | deh NAH-dah | You’re welcome (of nothing) |
| Por nada | por NAH-dah | For nothing |
| Não há de quê | now ah deh KEH | Don’t mention it |
| Imagina | ee-mah-JEE-nah | Don’t mention it (Brazil) |
| Disponha | dees-POHN-yah | At your service (warm) |
De nada is the standard, universal reply.
A Note on Brazil vs. Portugal
The word and rule are identical in both. The main difference is pronunciation — Brazilian Portuguese softens the final vowels (oh-bree-GAH-doo), while European Portuguese is more clipped. Both follow the speaker-gender rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Obrigado and Obrigada?
The word changes based on the GENDER OF THE SPEAKER (not the listener) — a unique and famous Portuguese rule. A man says 'Obrigado' (ending in -o); a woman says 'Obrigada' (ending in -a), regardless of who they're thanking. So a man thanking a woman still says 'Obrigado,' and a woman thanking a man still says 'Obrigada.' This is because 'obrigado/a' literally means '[I am] obliged/grateful,' agreeing with the speaker.
Why does Obrigado change with the speaker's gender?
'Obrigado/obrigada' literally means 'obliged' or 'much obliged' — it's an adjective describing the speaker's own state ('I am obliged/grateful to you'). Since Portuguese adjectives agree with the gender of the person they describe, and here that's the SPEAKER, the ending matches the speaker's gender. It's like saying 'I am grateful' where 'grateful' must match your own gender.
How do you pronounce Obrigado?
'Obrigado' is pronounced oh-bree-GAH-doo, with the stress on 'GAH.' In Brazilian Portuguese the final 'o' often softens to 'oo' (oh-bree-GAH-doo), and in casual speech it can shorten to 'brigado.' 'Obrigada' is oh-bree-GAH-dah. The 'r' is softer than English. Both have the stress firmly on the third syllable (GAH).
How do you say thank you very much in Portuguese?
'Muito obrigado' (male) or 'Muito obrigada' (female) = thank you very much ('muito' = very/much). 'Muitíssimo obrigado/a' is even more emphatic. 'Obrigado/a por tudo' = thanks for everything. You can also say 'Agradeço' (I thank/appreciate) for a slightly more formal tone. The speaker-gender rule still applies to 'obrigado/a' regardless of the intensifier.
How do you respond to Obrigado in Portuguese?
Common replies: 'De nada' (deh NAH-dah — you're welcome, literally 'of nothing'), 'Por nada' (for nothing), 'Não há de quê' (don't mention it), 'Imagina' / 'Imagine' (don't mention it / it's nothing — very common in Brazil), and 'Disponha' (at your service, warm). 'De nada' is the standard, universal response.