Learning Brazilian Portuguese can seem daunting when you think about the size of the dictionary. The good news is that just 100 words account for about 50% of everyday Portuguese. Mastering these words provides a powerful foundation: it allows you to understand many phrases, participate in simple conversations, and quickly build a functional vocabulary.
Why do these 100 words matter?
Language works by frequency. Some words appear repeatedly in conversations, texts, and everyday situations. By focusing on the most frequent words, you gain immediate results. However, memorizing lists isn’t enough. You need to learn how words combine, how they vary in gender and number, and how they fit into sentences.
Remember that your passive vocabulary (what you understand) tends to be larger than your active vocabulary (what you use). These 100 words quickly increase your comprehension and provide a framework for practicing active production.
The 100 essential words of Brazilian Portuguese
Below are 100 words divided into categories. Use this list as a reference and put each word into real sentences—it makes all the difference.
Nouns (1–20)
- thing
- house
- time
- year
- day
- time
- man
- woman
- lady
- sir
- hand
- word
- son / daughter
- night
- friend / female friend
- street
- life
- person
- young man / young woman
- boy / girl
Adjetivos (21–40)
- bom / boa
- ruim
- grande
- pequeno / pequena
- melhor
- pior
- certo / certa
- errado / errada
- velho / velha
- novo / nova
- difÃcil
- fácil
- bonito / bonita
- feio / feia
- forte
- fraco / fraca
- feliz
- triste
- diferente
- importante
Adjectives (21–40)
- good
- bad
- big
- small
- better
- worse
- right
- wrong
- old
- new
- difficult
- easy
- beautiful
- ugly
- strong
- weak
- happy
- sad
- different
- important
- Verbs (41–60)
- to be
- to have
- to go
- to say
- to do
- to be able to
- to see
- to give
- to come
- to want
- to seem
- to speak
- to stay
- to hear
- to think
- to leave
- to arrive
- to pass
- to ask
Verbs (41–60)
- to be
- to be (in a place)
- to have
- to go
- to say
- to do
- to be able to
- to see
- to have
- to come
- to want
- to seem
- to stay
- to hear
- to find
- to leave
- to arrive
- to pass
- to ask
Adverbs (61–80)
- no
- yes
- maybe
- very
- little
- also
- near
- far
- always
- never
- now
- before
- after
- here
- there
- only
- more
- less
- sooner
- later
Function words: articles, prepositions, pronouns and of Brazilian Portuguese
- o / a
- um / uma
- e
- ou
- mas
- de / da / do
- em / na / no
- para
- por
- com
- eu
- você
- ele / ela
- a gente
- esta / este
- minha / meu
- sua / seu
- que
- quem
- qual
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Useful examples of Brazilian Portuguese
Putting each word into simple sentences helps to reinforce meaning and grammar. Some examples:
- Eu sou professora — It uses the verb “to be” and the pronoun “I”.
- Estou em casa — It demonstrates the difference between being and existing.
- Vou ao Brasil no verão — It combines the verb “ir” (to go) with a preposition.
- Você quer mais café? — It combines verb, pronoun, and adverb.
How many words do I need to learn to speak well?
It depends on the goal. The 100 most used words provide an immediate gain in comprehension.
For:
Basic level: ~500 words — can communicate simple needs.
Intermediate level: 2,000–3,000 words — converses fluently on many topics.
Native speakers: use between 5,000 and 20,000 words daily, depending on their education and interests.
In addition to the number of words, it is crucial to learn verb conjugation, gender and number variations, and how to construct sentences. These 100 words are the ideal starting point for practicing these aspects.
How to take advantage of these 100 words to progress faster
Practical strategies of Brazilian Portuguese:
Active practice: write and speak short sentences with the new words.
Context: read short texts or dialogues where the words appear repeatedly.
Conjugation: study verbs in their most common forms (present, past, simple future).
Gender and number: transforms nouns and adjectives into phrases (the new car, the new cars).
Gradual expansion: after the 100 words, focus on the next 400 to reach the basic level.
Resources and next steps about Brazilian Portuguese
I provide a free PDF with the complete list and practical exercises to consolidate these 100 words. Using structured materials accelerates learning and helps transform passive vocabulary into active vocabulary. If the goal is to progress consistently, plan daily practice and look for real conversation opportunities.
Mastering these words makes a big difference in your journey in Brazilian Portuguese. Start using them every day and watch your comprehension improve rapidly.
