How to Say Thank You in Portuguese: 10 Ways to Express Gratitude
Say obrigado or obrigada for a standard thank-you in Portuguese. In a casual Brazilian conversation, valeu means thanks. Add muito to say thank you very much, and choose the tone that fits your relationship.
By Bruno Lopes · Brazilian Portuguese teacher
Host of I Speak Portuguese · Updated
Meet Bruno and the teaching teamObrigado / obrigada is a useful starting point. Choose a casual, polite, emphatic, or personal expression according to what happened and who you are speaking to. You do not need a different phrase every time you thank someone.
Below are ten options with examples and guidance on tone. The numbers organize the guide; they are not a frequency ranking or a scale of how sincere a thank-you sounds.
How to use the stress cues
Capital letters below identify the stressed part of each written word. These are stress cues, not English phonetic spellings or complete pronunciation transcriptions. Brazilian accents vary. Use the original valeu recording below to listen and repeat, and consult our alphabet and pronunciation guide for sound patterns.
Obrigado / Obrigada
The classic "thank you." In the standard agreement pattern, obrigado is masculine and obrigada feminine, referring to the speaker rather than the listener. A useful neutral choice in everyday and polite conversation.
Example: "Obrigado pela ajuda!" — Thanks for the help!
Valeu
The Brazilian equivalent of "thanks!" or "cheers!" Use it for a casual thanks when the relationship and setting suit an informal tone. Choose obrigado or obrigada when you want a more neutral or formal tone. Familiarity matters more than the other person's age.
Example: "Valeu, cara!" — Thanks, dude!
Brigado / Brigada
A relaxed, spoken version of obrigado. You may hear the initial vowel dropped in relaxed speech. Don't write it in formal contexts, but feel free to say it.
Example: "Brigada, viu?" — Thanks, okay?
Muito obrigado / Muito obrigada
"Thank you very much." Adds weight to the thanks — great when someone really helped you or in slightly formal situations.
Example: "Muito obrigada pela atenção." — Thank you very much for your attention.
Obrigadíssimo / Obrigadíssima
The superlative form — "thanks SO much." Use when someone goes above and beyond. An emphatic option; how it feels depends on your tone and the situation.
Example: "Obrigadíssima por tudo!" — Thank you so much for everything!
Agradeço
"I thank you" / "I appreciate it." Use in professional emails, customer service, or when speaking to authority figures. Often paired with muito: "agradeço muito."
Example: "Agradeço a sua compreensão." — I appreciate your understanding.
Grato / Grata
"Grateful." Suitable in a polite written message — "Fico grato pela atenção." A polished, business-friendly way to sign off thanking someone.
Example: "Fico grata pela oportunidade." — I am grateful for the opportunity.
Gratidão
"Gratitude." Names the feeling of gratitude. In a sentence, it can express appreciation — closer to "I'm so grateful" than a quick thanks.
Example: "Gratidão por você existir." — Grateful that you exist.
Te agradeço
"I thank you" (informal, directed at one person). Feels personal and warm — perfect for thanking a friend or family member in a meaningful way.
Example: "Te agradeço de coração." — I thank you from the heart.
Deus te pague / Deus lhe pague
"May God repay you." An expression of thanks with a religious reference. Use it only when that wording fits your beliefs and the relationship; it is not a neutral substitute for every situation.
Example: "Deus te pague, minha filha!" — May God repay you, dear!
Listen, then try it yourself
These phrase recordings are by Bruno. Play one, listen again, and repeat it aloud. The dialogue below is an original written practice example; the recordings cover the individual phrases shown here.
Practice a short conversation
- Your friend: Aqui está seu café.
- Here's your coffee.
- You: Valeu!
- Thanks!
- Your friend: Imagina!
- Don't mention it!
Your turn
Say your answers aloud before opening the suggestions. Other answers can work too.
- Say thank you in a neutral way using the form that fits you.
- Thank a friend who brought you a coffee.
- Thank someone very much for their help.
Show suggested answers
- Obrigado / Obrigada. — Thank you.
- Valeu pelo café! — Thanks for the coffee!
- Muito obrigado pela ajuda! / Muito obrigada pela ajuda! — Thank you very much for your help!
Keep practicing everyday phrases and Brazilian audio in the Real Life Portuguese app. For feedback on your own conversations, explore lessons with our Brazilian teaching team.
Which one should you use?
Start with obrigado / obrigada for a neutral thank-you. Drop in valeu with friends, reach for agradeço or grato in writing, and save gratidão or obrigadíssimo for moments that really matter. Choose the expression that fits your message and relationship.
Want to practice these in real conversations? Book a free trial lesson and start speaking from day one.
Obrigado or obrigada: who determines the ending?
In the standard agreement pattern, obrigado is the masculine form and obrigada the feminine form referring to the person giving thanks. The ending does not change because you are thanking a man or a woman. If you prefer an expression without that ending choice, agradeço can work in a polite message and valeu in an informal exchange.
Sources and teaching notes
Reviewed on October 12, 2026. Priberam’s obrigado entry explains its thanking function and muito obrigado; its gratidão entry identifies the noun for gratitude. Caldas Aulete’s valer entry includes valeu as a Brazilian informal formula of thanks. The Duvidário language guide in the Polytechnic of Leiria repository explains the standard speaker-agreement pattern. These sources establish meanings and grammar, not regional popularity or usage counts. The examples are teaching material, and the player uses Bruno’s existing recording.
Practice how to open the same conversation with our greetings guide, or use these phrases during a first conversation with your partner’s family.
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Try a free Brazilian Portuguese trial lesson with one of our teachers and start using these expressions in real conversation.
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