Pedir vs. Perguntar: How to Say “Ask” in Portuguese — Practice

Use perguntar to ask a question

Use perguntar when you ask a question or seek information, and pedir when you request something or ask someone to do something. English “ask” covers both actions, which is why translating it word for word can cause confusion.

Use pedir to request something

Pedir means to request or ask for something. It is the verb you need when asking for help, permission, an item, or a favor. At a café, for example, you pedir a drink or food; you perguntar about the menu or ingredients.

Compare the information with the request

A useful question to ask yourself is: do I want an answer, or do I want someone to give or do something? An answer points toward perguntar. An item, favor, or action points toward pedir. English “ask” alone cannot tell you which Portuguese verb to choose.

• Ask a question: perguntar o nome, perguntar onde fica.
• Ask for a thing: pedir a conta, pedir um copo d’água.
• Ask for an action: pedir para alguém ligar mais tarde.

Remember: Build a pair of sentences from one real situation: ask a question about a café, then request what you want to order. The contrast makes both verbs easier to remember.

Compare asking for information and asking for action

“Perguntei o preço” means you asked what the price was. “Pedi um desconto” means you requested a discount. One seeks information, while the other seeks a change or an item. At a restaurant, asking what a dish contains is perguntar; ordering the dish is pedir.

Before a question word, perguntar is often useful: “Perguntei onde fica a estação.” Before a requested item, use pedir: “Pedi um café.” To request an action, a common conversational pattern is pedir para alguém + infinitive: “Pedi para ele esperar.” More formal writing also uses patterns with que and a subjunctive verb.

Avoid adding for after every use of pedir

English “ask for a coffee” corresponds to “pedir um café.” There is no need for por before the item. In “pedi para ela repetir,” para introduces who should perform an action; it is not a general translation of the English word for.

Practice by separating six everyday requests into two groups: information you want and action or items you want. Say a complete sentence for each. The verb choice becomes easier when you name the intended result: an answer, an object, or an action.

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.

Choose the language for the situation

Now use the explanation to decide what fits the situation. Check the reason for the answer, not just the option you chose.

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. Can I ask something?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Posso perguntar uma coisa?

2. I asked her where the station is.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Perguntei para ela onde fica a estação.

3. He asked about the schedule.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ele perguntou sobre o horário.

4. I ordered a coffee without sugar.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Pedi um café sem açúcar.

5. She asked the teacher for help.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Ela pediu ajuda ao professor.

6. Can I ask you to wait a minute?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Posso pedir para você esperar um minuto?

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.

Build a pair of sentences from one real situation: ask a question about a café, then request what you want to order. The contrast makes both verbs easier to remember.

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 Pedir vs. Perguntar: How to Say “Ask” 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.