At a Nail Salon in Brazil: Book a Manicure and Choose a Color — Practice

Book an appointment and name the service

Manicure is manicure and pedicure is pedicure. In casual Brazilian Portuguese, fazer a mão means to get a manicure, while fazer o pé means to get a pedicure. Ask whether the salon has an opening and name the day or time you prefer.

Explain the finish or color you want

Esmalte is nail polish. Ask to see the available colors or say whether you want polish removed or reapplied. If you want a simple service, say só tirar a cutícula e passar esmalte, then confirm that this is included in the appointment.

Check the duration and price before starting

Ask quanto tempo demora (how long it takes) and quanto custa (how much it costs). A service can take longer when it includes removal or nail art, so repeat the full service before the technician begins.

Remember: Use fazer a mão, fazer o pé, and esmalte to describe a nail appointment naturally.

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. Do you have an opening for a manicure this afternoon?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Vocês têm horário para fazer a mão hoje à tarde?

2. I’d like to book a manicure and pedicure for Saturday.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Queria marcar manicure e pedicure para sábado.

3. Could you show me the nail polish colors?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você pode me mostrar as cores de esmalte?

4. I’d like a light color, without nail art.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Quero uma cor clara, sem decoração.

5. Does this service include removing the old polish?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Esse serviço inclui a remoção do esmalte antigo?

6. How long does it take, and what is the price?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Quanto tempo demora e qual é o valor?

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 fazer a mão, fazer o pé, and esmalte to describe a nail appointment naturally.

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 Nail Salon in Brazil: Book a Manicure and Choose a Color 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.