1
Listen to the episode
Áudio: COERLL · University of Texas at Austin · Também disponível no Apple Podcasts →
2
Read the dialogue
Two friends get confused trying to find the right subway line, so they ask a stranger for help.
A: Nossa, que confusão aqui nesse metrô!
Wow, there is so much confusion here at this subway!
B: Essa é a entrada para a linha verde ou a linha vermelha?
Is this the entrance to the green line or the red line?
A: Não sei, será que é a mesma para as duas.
I don't know, maybe it's the same for both.
B: Também não sei, vamos perguntar para alguém.
I don't know either, let's ask somebody.
A: Aqui, é aqui que cê entra para a linha verde?
Excuse me, is this the entrance to the green line here?
C: É. Passa por aqui, e logo à direita.
Yes, go in here, and then to the right.
3
Language focus
Focus 1
Será que...? — expressando incerteza
English: I wonder if... / maybe...
Será que + a statement or question expresses genuine uncertainty or wondering — very different from a confident guess like "vai ver que". Use it when you're truly not sure: "será que é a mesma para as duas?" = "I wonder if it's the same for both."
Não sei, será que é a mesma para as duas.
I don't know, maybe it's the same for both. Será que vai chover hoje?
I wonder if it's going to rain today.
I don't know, maybe it's the same for both. Será que vai chover hoje?
I wonder if it's going to rain today.
Focus 2
Cê — contração informal de "você"
English: you (informal spoken contraction)
Cê is an extremely common, casual spoken contraction of você, especially in fast, informal speech: "cê entra" = "você entra" (you go in). You'll hear it constantly in everyday conversation, though it's rarely written this way outside of dialogue transcripts.
É aqui que cê entra para a linha verde?
Is this where you go in for the green line? Cê já terminou o trabalho?
Have you already finished the work?
Is this where you go in for the green line? Cê já terminou o trabalho?
Have you already finished the work?
Focus 3
Vocabulário do metrô & "passa por aqui"
Subway vocabulary + the imperative passar (to go through)
Passa (from passar) joins vai and vira as another everyday informal imperative for giving directions: "go through/pass by here."
Passa por aqui, e logo à direita.
Go in here, and then to the right. Metrô — subway · Confusão — confusion, mess
Entrada — entrance · Linha — (subway) line · À direita — to the right
Go in here, and then to the right. Metrô — subway · Confusão — confusion, mess
Entrada — entrance · Linha — (subway) line · À direita — to the right
🚇 Culture note
Large Brazilian cities like São Paulo and Rio have subway systems with color-coded lines, much like this dialogue describes — and asking a stranger for quick directions inside a busy station is a completely normal, everyday interaction.
🔊 Phonology note
Cê is pronounced as a quick, single syllable — almost swallowing the "vo-" of "você" entirely. Listen for how naturally it blends into the rest of the sentence in fast speech.
4
Exercises
Exercise 1 — Comprehension check
Choose the correct answer based on the dialogue.
Exercise 2 — Será que ou cê?
Fill in each gap with será que or cê, as appropriate.
1. vai chover hoje?
2. já terminou o trabalho?
3. ele esqueceu da reunião?
4. sabe que horas são?
5. essa linha vai até o centro?
Exercise 3 — Vocabulário do metrô
Match each Portuguese word to its English meaning.
Exercise 4 — Your turn
Write 4–6 sentences in Portuguese about a time you got lost somewhere (a station, airport, etc.). Use será que to express uncertainty, cê in an informal question, and at least one word from Focus 3.
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