Preservative vs. Preservativo: Read Food Labels in Portuguese — Practice

Use conservante for a food preservative

A food preservative is a conservante. The related verb conservar means to preserve or keep. This is the term to look for when reading an ingredient list or asking about food preparation.

Understand the everyday meaning of preservativo

In Brazilian Portuguese, preservativo usually means a condom. It is not the normal word for an additive that keeps food fresh, so using it while asking about ingredients can lead to a surprising misunderstanding.

Ask a clear question about ingredients

When checking a label, name the food and ask whether it contains conservantes. If you are concerned about an allergy or ingredient, ask the manufacturer or a qualified professional to confirm the label information.

Remember: Conservante is food preservative; preservativo commonly means a condom.

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. Does this product contain any preservatives?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Este produto tem algum conservante?

2. The package says it should be kept in the refrigerator.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A embalagem diz que deve ser conservado na geladeira.

3. I want to check the list of preservatives.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Quero conferir a lista de conservantes.

4. The pharmacy sells condoms.

   Show a Portuguese answer

   A farmácia vende preservativos.

5. Does this sauce contain artificial preservatives?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Esse molho leva conservantes artificiais?

6. Could you show me where the ingredients are on the label?

   Show a Portuguese answer

   Você pode me mostrar onde estão os ingredientes no rótulo?

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.

Conservante is food preservative; preservativo commonly means a condom.

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 Preservative vs. Preservativo: Read Food Labels 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.