Portuguese for a Graduation in Brazil: Congratulate the Graduate — Practice

Say congratulations and name the achievement

Formatura means graduation or a graduation ceremony, depending on context. Parabéns pela formatura is a direct, friendly way to congratulate someone. You can also mention the degree or course when you know it.

Avoid assuming that every graduate wants the same next step. Ask an open question and let the person decide what they want to share.

Ask about the course and celebration

If you want to continue the conversation, ask how long the course took or what the graduate enjoyed most. Open questions invite more than a yes/no answer and keep attention on the person's experience.

At a crowded event, keep questions brief so the graduate can greet other guests too.

Wish the graduate well in what comes next

Use boa sorte if the person tells you about an upcoming application, job, or project. Use felicidades for a broader wish. Let the graduate introduce future plans rather than treating one path as expected.

A supportive message can recognize the work already completed, whether or not the person has decided what to do next.

Remember: Say parabéns pela formatura, ask about the graduate's experience, and leave the next-step conversation open.

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. Congratulations on graduating!

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Parabéns pela formatura!

2. What an achievement! You must be very happy.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Que conquista! Você deve estar muito feliz.

3. What did you graduate in?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você se formou em quê?

4. What did you most enjoy studying?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   O que você mais gostou de estudar?

5. How long did the course last?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Quanto tempo durou o curso?

6. Was the ceremony nice?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A cerimônia foi bonita?

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 parabéns pela formatura, ask about the graduate's experience, and leave the next-step conversation open.

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 for a Graduation in Brazil: Congratulate the Graduate 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.