How to Say Hello in Portuguese (and What Actually Sounds Natural)
Olá is the textbook answer, but Brazilians and Portuguese speakers use a much wider set of greetings depending on time of day, formality, and region. The full picture.
Last updated May 20, 2026.
The phrasebook answer is “olá.” The reality is much richer. Here are the greetings actually used, by Brazilian and Portuguese speakers, in real life.
The everyday greetings
Olá
“Hello.” Works anywhere, in any region, at any time of day, with any level of formality. Slightly more common in Portugal than in Brazil. If you’re going to memorise one greeting, make it this one.
Oi
“Hi.” Casual, friendly, default among Brazilians in informal contexts. In Portugal, oi exists but is much less common and can read as too casual when meeting someone for the first time.
Olá, tudo bem?
“Hello, all good?” The standard friendly question after a greeting. Reply: “tudo bem” or “tudo bom” (Brazilians often say “tudo bom” specifically as the reply to “tudo bem?”).
Time-of-day greetings
These are formal-neutral and work in both varieties. Portuguese speakers in Portugal use them constantly; Brazilians use them less consistently.
| Time | Greeting | Literal meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Bom dia | Good day |
| Afternoon | Boa tarde | Good afternoon |
| Evening / night | Boa noite | Good night |
A few notes:
- “Bom dia” runs until midday, sometimes until 1pm in casual usage.
- “Boa tarde” runs from midday until sunset, roughly 6pm.
- “Boa noite” doubles as both “good evening” (when arriving) and “good night” (when leaving). Context tells you which.
- In Portugal, walking into a shop or a café without saying bom dia or boa tarde reads as rude. In Brazil it’s a softer expectation.
Greetings with pronouns
Como vai? / Como vais? / Como está? / Como estás?
“How are you?” The pronoun changes which form you use.
- Brazilian (informal): Como você vai? or just Como vai? Often shortened in casual speech.
- European (informal): Como estás? or Como vais? Uses the second-person “tu” conjugation.
- European (formal): Como está? Uses the third-person “você” form, less casual than Brazilian.
Tudo bem? / Tudo joia? / Beleza?
Brazilian casual checks. Tudo bem is the most common. Tudo joia and Beleza are friendlier still, used between friends and family.
Regional flavour
- Brazil (Rio): “E aí?” (literally “and there?”) is the universal Carioca opener with friends. Reply: “E aí?” right back, or “Tudo bem.”
- Brazil (São Paulo): “Oi, tudo bem?” is the workhorse. “Beleza?” is common with friends.
- Brazil (Northeast): “Oi” plus a warm “tudo bem” lands well.
- Portugal (Lisbon): “Olá, bom dia / boa tarde” is the friendly default. “Tudo bem?” works but feels slightly Brazilian.
- Portugal (Porto and North): a bit more formal at first meetings; “Bom dia” and a handshake.
Saying goodbye
For symmetry, the most common parting phrases:
- Tchau / Tchau-tchau (very informal, Brazilian-leaning).
- Adeus (literally “to God”; works in both varieties).
- Até logo (“see you later”).
- Até amanhã (“see you tomorrow”).
- Bom dia / Boa tarde / Boa noite (same as greetings, used as farewells in Portugal especially).
What to read next
- Portuguese Alphabet: the sounds you need to pronounce greetings correctly.
- Brazilian vs European Portuguese: why the same word can sound very different.
- Numbers in Portuguese: the next vocabulary chunk to learn.
- Days of the Week in Portuguese: once greetings are solid.
Frequently asked
What is the most common way to say hello in Portuguese?
Olá works in both Brazilian and European Portuguese for any time of day and most contexts. Brazilians use Oi much more often in casual speech. Portuguese speakers in Portugal use Olá but lean on time-specific greetings (bom dia, boa tarde, boa noite) more than Brazilians do.
Is Oi formal or informal?
Informal. Oi is the equivalent of 'hi' in English and is used between friends, family, and casual acquaintances. In Portugal it can sound too casual for a first meeting with someone older or in a business context.
How do you greet someone in the morning, afternoon, and evening?
Bom dia (good morning) until midday. Boa tarde (good afternoon) from midday until sunset, typically around 6pm. Boa noite (good evening or good night) after dark. Brazilians often skip these and use Oi or Olá instead, but in Portugal time-of-day greetings are very common.
Do I shake hands or kiss when greeting someone?
It varies. In Brazil, women typically kiss once on each cheek when greeting friends, even on first introductions in social contexts. Between men, a handshake is normal. In Portugal, two kisses on the cheek is standard between women and between men and women in casual settings. Business contexts default to a handshake everywhere.