Portuguese at a Playground: Ask to Join and Take Turns — Practice

Ask what the children are playing

Parquinho is a playground, brincadeira is a game or play activity, and brinquedo is a toy. A child can ask Do que vocês estão brincando? to find out what others are playing.

For a young learner, practice the question together before approaching. It can be helpful to stay nearby while the children get used to one another.

Talk about taking turns and sharing

Minha vez means ‘my turn,’ and sua vez means ‘your turn.’ Dividir is to share or divide; esperar is to wait. These short phrases work for a ball, a swing, or a group game.

Take turns can also be expressed as esperar a vez: wait for one's turn. Use a calm reminder rather than trying to control another family's child.

Ask another adult for clarification

If a child does not understand the game, ask another adult to explain one rule at a time. Pointing to the equipment or watching a round can help make a new instruction clearer.

Stay attentive to the children and follow the playground's posted rules. Vocabulary can help you communicate, but the adults present should decide what is appropriate for their group.

Remember: Use one short question to join, teach minha vez and sua vez, and ask an adult to explain a rule when the game is unclear.

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.

1. What are you playing?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Do que vocês estão brincando?

2. Can I play too?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Posso brincar também?

3. How does this game work?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Como funciona esse jogo?

4. Now it's your turn.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Agora é a sua vez.

5. Can we share the ball?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Podemos dividir a bola?

6. Let's wait for each person's turn.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Vamos esperar a vez de cada um.

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 one short question to join, teach minha vez and sua vez, and ask an adult to explain a rule when the game is unclear.

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 Portuguese at a Playground: Ask to Join and Take Turns 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.