Numbers and prices in Portuguese (and why “dois” can be “duas”)
Two numbers have a feminine form, Portugal spells three of its teens differently from Brazil, and prices have their own rhythm.
One and two change with gender
Um / uma and dois / duas agree with the noun: um café, uma água, dois cafés, duas águas. So do the hundreds from 200: duzentos euros, duzentas pessoas.
16, 17, 19
Portugal says dezasseis, dezassete, dezanove; Brazil says dezesseis, dezessete, dezenove. Spot one in a text and you'll know which variety it's written in.
Prices
São três euros e cinquenta.
That's €3.50.
Quanto é ao todo?
How much is it altogether?
Cents are cêntimos (Brazil: centavos). Portugal writes 3,50 €, with a decimal comma, and uses a space or dot for thousands (1 000 or 1.000).
Try thisPractise prices out loud at the market: dois quilos de laranjas, duas alfaces.
Quick check
“Two coffees and two waters, please.”
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