The most important phrase to know in Mozambique is ‘Dá licença?’ (May I?) Other than at tourist lodges, English is not widely spoken or understood anywhere in Mozambique, so be patient as misunderstandings can occur. Portuguese is widely used in the urban areas, while, in the rural areas ‘Funakalo’, the discredited language of South Africa’s mines, will be of more use to you than English. A simple ‘bom dia’ (good morning), ‘boa tarde’ (good afternoon) or ‘boa noite’ (good evening) will smooth your dealings with officials. Please is ‘faz (pronounced ‘fash’) favor’, thank you ‘obrigado’, how much? is ‘quanto custa?’ and write it down ‘escrever’ (pronounced ‘ishkrayva’).
Pronunciation
The following tips on how to pronounce commonly used words apply to Portuguese as spoken in Mozambique, as distinct from that which echoes around the hallowed halls of Lisbon universities.
Moçambique: ‘ç is usually translated as ‘z’, but sounds like ‘zsh’.
Como: this ‘c’ is the same as the English ‘c’, as in cat.
Bom: 'm’ usually sounds like °n’.
Café: ‘é’ is ‘eh’.
Chá ‘ch’ becomes ‘sh’.
Leite: this 'e’ is an ‘ay’ sound.
Jantar: the ‘j’ is like the ‘g’ in giant.
Agua: ‘á‘ sounds like an emphasised ‘ah!’.
Como está: for ‘s’ read ‘sh’.
Escrever, thus becomes ‘ishkrayvar’.
Amanhã: ‘hã’ together form ‘yaan’ (say the ‘n’ through the nose).
Blihete: ‘he’ is the same as the ‘ye’ as in yes.
Banho: the ‘ho’ becomes ‘yo’ as in yo-yo.
Camarão: ‘ão’ is similar to ‘ow’ as in now.
Thus pensão becomes ‘penshow’.
Quanto: ‘qu’, as in queen, is ‘kw’.
Quiosque: ‘qu’, as in quay, is 'k’.
Muito here the ‘ui’ should be ‘oo-een’.
Faz favor: ‘z’ here sounds like ‘zjh’.
Até logo: ‘é’ comes out as ‘ay’.
Speaking Portuguese
Outside of the cities, very few Mozambicans speak any English, so it is important to know a few useful words and phrases (the endings -o and -e are applied to males, and -a to females).
Aeroplane : Avião
Banknotes: Bilhete (notas)
Bed : Cama
Calculator (bargaining aid) : Machina
Customs : Alfandega
Danger/dangerous: Perigo/perigoso
Day: Dia
Excuse me! (Calling a waiter) : Faz favor!
Friend : Amigo
Good afternoon! Boa tarde!
Good evening! : Boa noite!
Good morning I Bom dial
Goodbye! : Adeus! (not used very often)
Goodbye! Ciao! (used in Maputo and Beira)
Have you got...?: Tem... ?
Here : Aqui
Hotel room/single/double: Quarto/simples/duplo
House : Casa
How are you (is it)?: Como esta?
How much (does this cost)?: Quanto custa?
I am a poor traveller: Eu sou viajante pobre
I am fine, thank you : Muito bem obrigado/a
I am from...: (Eu) sou de...
I am tired: Cansado estou
I do not understand : Não compreendo
I don’t speak Portuguese : Não falo Português
I have lost my passport : Perdi o meu passaporte
I would like that thing: (Eu) gostaria desta coisa
informal shops : Barracas
Journey: Via gem
Kiosk: Quiosque
Ladies’ (toilet) : Senhoras
Late: Tarde
Left : A esquerda
Letter: Carta
May I? (Used before entering private property, or taking photos, etc): Dá licença?
Men’s (toilet) : Senhors
Money: Dinheiro
Month : Mês
My name is...: (Eu) sou...
Near to,,, :Perto de.,.
No : Não
No problem! (Never mind!) : Não faz mal!
No way (never)! : Nada!
Now (these days) : Agora
OK! : Tudo bem!
Perhaps: Talvez
Please: Por/faz favor
Post-office box (P.O. Box): Caixa Postal (C.P.)
Rate of exchange?: Qual o cambio?
Rest well : Bom descanso
Right : A direita
Right now! : Agora mesmo!
Road : Rua
Room for married couples (often cheaper) Casal
See you later : Até logo
Sorry : Desculpe
Stay well : Fique bem
Thank you : Obrigado
The bill : Conta
There : Ali; lá
Ticket: Bilhete
To clean clothes: Limpar roupa
To write (e.g. for prices) : De o escrever
Today : Hoje
Toilet/paper: Casa de banho/papel
Toilets: Case da banho
Tomorrow : Amanhã
Train: Comboio
Traveller: Viajante
Until next time : Até a proxima
Until tomorrow : Até amanhã
Visa: Um visto
Wash : Lavar
We want to go to...: Queremos ir a…
Week : Semana
What is this thing?: 0 que esta coisa?
What’s your name?: Como se chama?
When? : Quando?
Where? : Onde?
Write it down : Escrever por favor
Year : Ano
Yes : Sim
Yesterday: Ontem
All that: Todos
Beer: Cerveja
Beer: local/imported : Cerveja: nacional/ importada
Beverage: Bebida
Boiled water : Agua fervida
Bread : Pão
Butter : Manteiga
Butterbean : Fava
Cashew nuts: Castanha de caju
Cheap: Barato
Cheese: Queijo
Chicken : Galinha, Frango (baby chicken) ,
Cooking oil : Azeite
Corn on the cob : Espiga de milho
Crab: Caranguejo
Crayfish : Lagostim
Dirty : Sujo
Eggs: Ovos
Fair price! : Bom preço!
Fish : Peixe
For sale?: Vende-se?
Fresh : Fresco
Fresh water : Água fresca
Fruit : Fruta
Garlic : Alho
Hot chips: Batata frita
Hot water : Água quente
How much?: Quanto custa?
I am hungry: Tenho fome
I like ... : Gosto…
I want to buy ... : Quero comprar
(pointing) - good to eat?/edible : bom para comer?/comestivel?
Jam : Compota
Less: Menos
Lobster : Lagosta
Maize meal : Farinha de milho
Meat: Carne
Milk : Leite
Mineral Water : Água mineral (água Vumba)
More: Mais
Olive oil : Azeite
Onions: Cebola
Peanut butter: Manteiga de
amendoim
Peanuts : Amendoim
Pepper: Pimento
Pineapple : Ananás
Potato: Batata
Prawn : Camarão
Rice : Arroz
Running water : Água corrente
Salt : Sal
Sauce : Molho
Snacks : Petiscos
Spices: Especiar/a
Spring water : Agua doçe
Sugar : Açúcar
That’s enough! : Chega!
The other: Outro
This is stale! : Isto está passado!
Tomatoes: Tomate
Too expensive! : Muito caro!
Vegetables: Legumes
When was this caught?: Quando foi capturado isto?
Breakfast: Pequeno almoço
Coffee: Um café
Fresh fruit : Fruta fresca
Glass/beer mug/cup: Copo/caneco/chávena
Hand-written menu : Ementa
I like my food really hot: Quero minha comida muito quente
I would like this ... : Quero isto
I would like to order now: Quero pedir agora
Ice cream : Gelado
Lunch Almoço
Plate/knife/fork/spoon Prato/faca/garfo/ colher
Printed menu : Cardápio
Restaurant: Restaurante
Roadside restaurant: Quiosque
Set menu Menu
Steak/well done/medium/rare : Filé bife/
bem passado/rnédio/mal passado
Supper : Jantar
Take-away food : Comida para levar/ Pronto-a -comer
Tea: Chá
The bill : Quanto
The receipt : Recibo
Water : Agua
Calamari (squid) : Lulas
Cheese: Queijo
Dried cod : Bacalhau
Fillet of fish : Filete de peixe
Fried eggs: Ovos estrelados
Grilled pork chops : Febras de porco na brasa
Ice cream sorbet: Gelado sorvete
Kebab (sosatie) : Espetada
Mixed salad : Salada mista
Mixed vegetables: Vegetais misturados
Pen-pen fried chicken : Galinha frita com peri-peri
Potato chips : Batata frita
Prawn crumbed rissoles : Rissois de camarão
Pudding : Pudim
Samoosas: Chamuças
Scrambled eggs: Ovos mexidos
Shellfish soup : Sopa de mariscos
Spicy sausage (black pudding): Chouriço
Steak roll : Prego
Stewed fish with ‘the works (vegetables and salads)’ : Peixe cozido 'com todos’
Stuffed crab : Caranguejo recheado
Avenue : Avenida
Beach : Praía
Bus: Ônibus (machimbombo)
Car: Carro
Corner : Esquina
Do you have a room?: Tem um quarto?
How far to ... by car? : Quantos kilometros ate ... com carro?
How far to ... on foot?: Quantos kilometros até... a pé?
I want to go to ... : Quero viajar parñ Main road : Estrada Nacional (E.N.)
May I camp here? : ermitido acampar aqui?
Name of next village? : Nome da proxima aldeia?
Name of this town? : Nome desta vila? Square (traffic circle) : Praça Street: Rua
Taxi (individual): Taxi Taxi (mass transport) : Chapacem To hike : Excursão
To the left : A esquerda To the right : A direita To walk : Andar
When does that bus leave? : Quando sai este machimbombo?
When does the bus arrive?: Quando chega este machimbombo?
Where is...?: Onde... ?
I (or point to someone else) feel sick : Estou doente
I am lost: (Eu) estou perdido
I need a mechanic/spares: Quero um mecánico/peças
My car is broken down : Meu carro está quebrado
Take me to the hospital please : Levar-me para hospital, faz favor
Where is a doctor?: Onde está um médico?
Where is the nearest village?: Onde próxima vila?
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