Dizer vs. Falar: How to Say ‘Say’ and ‘Speak’ in Portuguese — Practice
A guided practice lesson with English explanations, Brazilian Portuguese examples, and answers you can check. Read the examples, recall the meaning, then say a version of your own.
Use dizer when the words or message matter
Dizer often means to say or tell something. It focuses on the information someone expresses. You can say what the person said, tell someone a detail, or report a short message with dizer.
In everyday Brazilian speech, falar que… can also introduce what someone said. The two verbs overlap, so learn the most common patterns without treating them as perfectly separate categories.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Ela disse que chega às oito. | She said she’ll arrive at eight. |
| Pode me dizer seu nome? | Can you tell me your name? |
| Ele falou que a loja está fechada. | He said that the store is closed. |
Use falar for a language or a conversation
Falar commonly means to speak a language, talk with someone, or talk about a subject. Typical patterns include falar português, falar com alguém, and falar sobre um assunto. The preposition and context help show what comes next.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Você fala português com seus colegas? | Do you speak Portuguese with your coworkers? |
| Quero falar com a gerente sobre a reserva. | I want to speak with the manager about the reservation. |
| A gente falou sobre a viagem ontem. | We talked about the trip yesterday. |
Remember: Start with dizer for the words or message, and falar for a language, conversation, or topic. Listen to Brazilian usage too; in casual speech the verbs can overlap.
Check your understanding
Choose the English meaning of each Portuguese example. Answer before looking back at the tables. These questions check the written examples in this guide; they are not a listening or proficiency test.
Recall the Portuguese, then say it
Read the English prompt and say a Portuguese version before opening the answer. The answer shows the example from the lesson; other natural translations may also work. Compare the meaning and the situation rather than counting a different word as automatically wrong.
She said she’ll arrive at eight.
Show a Portuguese answer
Ela disse que chega às oito.
Can you tell me your name?
Show a Portuguese answer
Pode me dizer seu nome?
He said that the store is closed.
Show a Portuguese answer
Ele falou que a loja está fechada.
Do you speak Portuguese with your coworkers?
Show a Portuguese answer
Você fala português com seus colegas?
I want to speak with the manager about the reservation.
Show a Portuguese answer
Quero falar com a gerente sobre a reserva.
We talked about the trip yesterday.
Show a Portuguese answer
A gente falou sobre a viagem ontem.
Make the phrase useful to you
Choose one example you could actually use. Say it once from memory, then change one detail that fits your life, such as the person, place, time, or object. Check whether your change also needs a different verb form, article, or adjective ending. If it does, compare it with the pattern in the explanation.
Start with dizer for the words or message, and falar for a language, conversation, or topic. Listen to Brazilian usage too; in casual speech the verbs can overlap.
Return to two prompts tomorrow without opening the answers first. If a phrase still feels difficult, shorten it to a useful chunk and build the complete sentence again.
Sources and your next lesson
This I Speak Portuguese practice guide builds on our Dizer vs. Falar: How to Say ‘Say’ and ‘Speak’ in Portuguese lesson on Real Life Portuguese, with written recall tasks and additional speaking practice. The explanations and examples are teaching material; the practice questions are exercises, not a transcript of a recording.
To add Brazilian audio to your routine, choose a lesson in the Real Life Portuguese app. The app offers its own lessons and practice; this page does not imply that every example here has an app recording.
Browse all learning guides
