At a Gas Station in Brazil: Fuel, Payment, and Directions — Practice

Name the fuel and amount you want

A gas station is a posto de combustível or simply posto. Gasoline is gasolina; ethanol is etanol or álcool. Brazil has flex-fuel vehicles that can run on either, but check the vehicle’s fuel requirements before choosing.

The attendant may ask how much you want or whether you want a full tank. Cheio means full. You can also specify a fixed amount in reais, but confirm the fuel type before the attendant starts.

Ask how to pay and get a receipt

Some stations let you pay with a card, cash, or Pix, but payment options vary. Ask before filling if you need a particular method. Comprovante means receipt or proof of payment.

If you are driving in Brazil, useful nearby services include calibrar os pneus (check tire pressure) and verificar o óleo (check the oil). A staff member can explain what is available at that station.

Remember: Say the fuel type before the amount, confirm the vehicle accepts it, and ask which payment methods are available at that station.

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. Could you fill it up with gasoline, please?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Pode completar com gasolina, por favor?

2. I’d like one hundred reais of ethanol.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Quero colocar cem reais de etanol.

3. Does this car take ethanol?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Este carro aceita etanol?

4. Do you accept cards?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Aceita cartão?

5. Can I pay by Pix?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Posso pagar por Pix?

6. Could you give me the receipt?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Pode me dar o comprovante?

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 fuel type before the amount, confirm the vehicle accepts it, and ask which payment methods are available at that station.

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 Gas Station in Brazil: Fuel, Payment, and Directions 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.