Portuguese · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 14
Onde fica o banheiro?Where is the bathroom?
To say where something is, Portuguese has two verbs. "ficar" for fixed places: Onde fica o banheiro? — Fica ali. "estar" for things and states: O gato está em cima da mesa. Neither one is "ser". This is a preview: the full ser/estar/ficar contrast comes in Book 2. Place words: aqui, lá, em cima, embaixo, perto, longe, ao lado. New vocabulary: ficar, fica, estar, lá, banheiro, em cima, embaixo, perto, longe, ao lado.
Dialogue
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É ou fica?— é or fica?
- MikeLucas, onde é o banheiro?Lucas, where's the bathroom? (slip: a fixed place uses ficar — say "onde fica o banheiro?")
- LucasPara um lugar fixo a gente usa "ficar": onde fica o banheiro?For a fixed place we use "ficar": onde fica o banheiro?
- MikeAh. Onde fica o banheiro?Ah. Where's the bathroom?
- LucasFica ali, ao lado da porta.It's over there, next to the door.
Dialogue
i
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Onde está o gato?— Where's the Cat?
- BiaLucas, onde está o gato?Lucas, where's the cat?
- LucasEstá em cima da mesa. E o cachorro está embaixo.It's on the table. And the dog is underneath.
- BiaE minha bolsa? Está perto?And my bag? Is it near?
- LucasEstá, está aqui, ao lado da cadeira.It is, it's here, next to the chair.
Vocabulary
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- ficar
verbto be located
- fica
verb(it) is located
- estar
verbto be (state/location)
- lá
adverbthere (over there)
- banheiro
n.m.bathroom (m)
- em cima
phr.on top
- embaixo
adverbunder, below
- perto
adverbnear
- longe
adverbfar
- ao lado
phr.next to
Grammar
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ficar and estar for location
Explanation
Until now everything was "ser". For location, Portuguese uses two other verbs. "ficar" is for fixed places — buildings, rooms, cities: Onde fica o banheiro? — Fica ali. "estar" is for things and people (that can move) or states: O gato está em cima da mesa. O cachorro está embaixo da cadeira. The classic English mistake is using "ser" for location: "Onde é o banheiro?" — instead, say "Onde fica o banheiro?". Simple Book 1 rule: fixed place = ficar; thing/person = estar; identity = ser. The full contrast is the big topic of Book 2.
Examples
- Onde fica o banheiro? — Fica ali.Where's the bathroom? — It's over there.
- O gato está em cima da mesa.The cat is on the table.
- O cachorro está embaixo da cadeira.The dog is under the chair.
- Minha casa fica perto, não fica longe.My house is near, not far.
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