How to Say ‘I Feel Like’ in Portuguese: Estou com Vontade de — 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 estar com vontade de for a desire
Estar com vontade de means to feel like doing or having something. Follow de with a noun or infinitive. The phrase describes a current desire rather than a permanent preference.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Estou com vontade de comer comida japonesa. | I feel like eating Japanese food. |
| A gente está com vontade de viajar. | We feel like traveling. |
Use ter vontade de for a general wish
Ter vontade de also means to feel like or want to. It can describe a current urge or a more general wish, depending on the time expression and context.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Tenho vontade de conhecer o Nordeste. | I feel like visiting the Northeast someday. |
| Hoje ela teve vontade de ficar em casa. | Today she felt like staying home. |
Do not translate every English ‘feel’ literally
When feel means an emotion or physical sensation, Portuguese often uses sentir: sinto saudade (I miss), sinto frio (I feel cold). Use estar com vontade when you mean that you want to do something.
| Brazilian Portuguese | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Estou com vontade de tomar um café. | I feel like having a coffee. |
| Sinto falta dos meus amigos. | I miss my friends. |
Remember: Use estar or ter vontade de for ‘feel like doing,’ and sentir for an emotion or physical sensation.
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.
I feel like eating Japanese food.
Show a Portuguese answer
Estou com vontade de comer comida japonesa.
We feel like traveling.
Show a Portuguese answer
A gente está com vontade de viajar.
I feel like visiting the Northeast someday.
Show a Portuguese answer
Tenho vontade de conhecer o Nordeste.
Today she felt like staying home.
Show a Portuguese answer
Hoje ela teve vontade de ficar em casa.
I feel like having a coffee.
Show a Portuguese answer
Estou com vontade de tomar um café.
I miss my friends.
Show a Portuguese answer
Sinto falta dos meus amigos.
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.
Use estar or ter vontade de for ‘feel like doing,’ and sentir for an emotion or physical sensation.
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 How to Say ‘I Feel Like’ in Portuguese: Estou com Vontade de 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.
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