At a Brazilian Steakhouse: Ask How Meat Is Cooked in Portuguese — Practice

Describe how you want the meat cooked

Ponto da carne means how cooked the meat is. Common requests include malpassada (rare), ao ponto (medium), and bem passada (well-done). Preferences and exact results can vary, so ask the server to confirm your request.

Ask which cut is being served

Corte is a cut of meat. If you do not recognize the name, ask which part it is and whether it is especially fatty. Picanha is a well-known Brazilian cut, but a restaurant may serve several different cuts.

Clarify your request if it arrives differently

If the meat is not cooked as requested, describe the difference rather than criticizing the staff. Ainda está crua means it is still raw; passou do ponto means it is more cooked than intended.

Remember: Say the doneness you prefer, then ask the server to confirm the cut and preparation.

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. I’d like the meat well-done, please.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Quero a carne bem passada, por favor.

2. Could you bring a medium portion?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você pode trazer uma porção ao ponto?

3. What cut is this?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Qual é esse corte?

4. Is it a leaner cut, or does it have quite a bit of fat?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   É um corte mais magro ou tem bastante gordura?

5. I ordered it medium, but this portion is well-done.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Eu pedi ao ponto, mas esta porção está bem passada.

6. Could you replace it with a less-cooked portion?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você poderia trocar por uma porção menos passada?

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.

Say the doneness you prefer, then ask the server to confirm the cut and preparation.

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 At a Brazilian Steakhouse: Ask How Meat Is Cooked 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.