Short messages to colleagues in Portuguese: chat and quick emails
Less formal than an email to Finanças (the tax office): how to ask, thank, apologise and follow up with colleagues in writing.
Starting
With colleagues, Olá or Olá, Marta is enough; in a quick chat message many people just write the question. Bom dia is a friendly start to an email in the morning.
Asking and following up
Consegues enviar-me o ficheiro até às três?
Could you send me the file by three?
Só para lembrar: precisamos da resposta hoje.
Just a reminder: we need the answer today.
Já tiveste oportunidade de ver isto?
Have you had a chance to look at this?
Thanking and apologising
Obrigado pela ajuda!
Thanks for the help!
Desculpa a demora.
Sorry for the delay.
Signing off
Cumprimentos (neutral, works with anyone), Obrigado/a, Abraço (informal, common between colleagues) or Até já (see you shortly). Beijinhos is only for colleagues you are close to.
Try thisConseguir (literally to manage) is a very common, soft way to ask a colleague for something: consegues…? sounds softer than podes…?
Quick check
The most neutral way to thank a colleague in writing is…
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