Prices, money, change — the essentials of any shopping trip. Today you'll master numbers 100 to 1000, the verb 'custar' (to cost), and Brazil's favorite payment method: Pix. By the end, you'll handle a mercearia (corner shop) transaction without breaking a sweat.
Learning tips
- 'Cem' (100) and 'cento' (101+) are the same number — but Portuguese distinguishes them. Say 'cem reais' for exactly 100, 'cento e um' for 101.
- Hundreds agree with gender: 'duzentos reais' (masc.), 'duzentas pessoas' (fem.). A Brazilian oddity that trips up Spanish speakers.
- 'Custar' agrees with the thing being sold: singular things 'custam' (custa), plural things 'custam'.
- Pix is king in Brazil — instant, free, 24/7 transfers by phone number, email, or QR code. Cash is increasingly rare, even at feiras.
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| comprar | to buy |
| a fruta | the fruit |
| a verdura | the vegetable |
| a batata | the potato |
| a banana | the banana |
| o tomate | the tomato |
| a cebola | the onion |
| o arroz | the rice |
| fresco | fresh |
| maduro | ripe |
Dialog
Thiago stops by 'Seu João's' mercearia — the classic Brazilian corner shop. Watch how he asks prices ('quanto custa?'), uses 'levar' to mean 'take it / buy it', and pays by Pix. Also notice how 'em promoção' (on sale) and 'hoje em dia' (these days) fit into everyday conversation.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| quanto custa | /ˈkwɐ̃.tu ˈkus.tɐ/ | how much does it cost | The most common price question in Portuguese |
| o preço | /u ˈpɾe.su/ | the price | Masculine noun |
| barato | /baˈɾa.tu/ | cheap | Agrees: barato / barata |
| caro | /ˈka.ɾu/ | expensive | Agrees: caro / cara |
| pagar | /paˈɡaʁ/ | to pay | Regular -ar verb: pago, paga, pagamos, pagam |
| o dinheiro | /u dʒiˈɲej.ɾu/ | the money | Masculine — note the 'nh' in /dʒiˈɲej.ɾu/ |
| o cartão | /u kaʁˈtɐ̃w̃/ | the card | 'Cartão' covers credit, debit, store cards |
| o troco | /u ˈtɾo.ku/ | the change | The money you get back after paying |
| o real | /u ʁeˈaw/ | the real (Brazilian currency) | Symbol R$. Plural: reais |
| custar | /kusˈtaʁ/ | to cost | Usually used in 3rd person: custa (sg.), custam (pl.) |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| a moeda | /a moˈe.dɐ/ | the coin | Also means 'currency' in general |
| a nota | /a ˈnɔ.tɐ/ | the banknote / bill | Brazilian bills come in 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 |
| o desconto | /u dʒisˈkõ.tu/ | the discount | Masculine |
| a promoção | /a pɾo.moˈsɐ̃w̃/ | the sale / promotion | 'Estar em promoção' = to be on sale |
| grátis | /ˈɡɾa.tʃis/ | free (of charge) | Invariable adjective |
| à vista | /a ˈvis.tɐ/ | in cash / up front | As opposed to 'parcelado' (installments) |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| quanto custa? | how much does it cost? |
| pagar no Pix / no cartão | to pay by Pix / by card |
Grammar: Numbers 100-1000 and the verb 'custar' (to cost)
| Número | Em português |
|---|---|
| 100 | cem (exato) / cento (+ outra coisa) |
| 101 | cento e um |
| 150 | cento e cinquenta |
| 200 | duzentos / duzentas |
| 300 | trezentos / trezentas |
| 400 | quatrocentos / quatrocentas |
| 500 | quinhentos / quinhentas |
| 600 | seiscentos / seiscentas |
| 700 | setecentos / setecentas |
| 800 | oitocentos / oitocentas |
| 900 | novecentos / novecentas |
| 1000 | mil |
Regra importante: '100' sozinho é cem (R$ 100 = cem reais). Mas '100 + qualquer outro número' usa cento (R$ 101 = cento e um reais).
Centenas com gênero: duzentos reais / duzentas pessoas — as centenas concordam com o gênero do substantivo.
'Custar':
| Pronome | Custar |
|---|---|
| (Isso / Esse livro) | custa (singular) |
| (Essas frutas) | custam (plural) |
- Quanto custa o arroz? — Custa doze reais.
- Quanto custam as frutas? — Custam quinze reais.
Dinheiro brasileiro: A moeda é o real (R$). Plural: reais. Pagamentos: dinheiro (cash), cartão (debit/credit), Pix (instant transfer — o favorito no Brasil!).
Numbers 100–1000:
| Number | In Portuguese |
|---|---|
| 100 | cem (exactly 100) / cento (before more digits) |
| 101 | cento e um |
| 150 | cento e cinquenta |
| 200 | duzentos / duzentas |
| 300 | trezentos / trezentas |
| 400 | quatrocentos / quatrocentas |
| 500 | quinhentos / quinhentas |
| 600 | seiscentos / seiscentas |
| 700 | setecentos / setecentas |
| 800 | oitocentos / oitocentas |
| 900 | novecentos / novecentas |
| 1000 | mil |
Rule 1 — 'cem' vs. 'cento': Exactly 100 = cem. Anything from 101–199 = cento e... (never 'cem e cinquenta'!).
Rule 2 — hundreds agree with gender:
- duzentos reais (masc.) / duzentas pessoas (fem.)
- quinhentos reais / quinhentas mulheres
- This is unique to Portuguese — Spanish uses 'doscientos/doscientas' similarly, but English just has 'two hundred' either way.
Rule 3 — the connector 'e': Use 'e' between every level:
- 125 = cento e vinte e cinco
- 347 = trezentos e quarenta e sete
- 1000 = mil (no 'e')
'Custar' (to cost) agrees with what's being sold:
| Subject | Custar |
|---|---|
| Isso / esse livro | custa (singular) |
| Essas frutas / os sapatos | custam (plural) |
- Quanto custa o arroz? — Custa doze reais.
- Quanto custam as bananas? — Custam cinco reais o quilo.
Brazilian money (R$): The currency is the 'real' (R$), plural 'reais'. Payment options:
- Dinheiro (cash) — increasingly rare
- Cartão (card) — debit or credit, often with installments ('parcelado em 3x')
- Pix — instant transfer via phone number, email, or QR code. Free, 24/7, and dominant.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete with the correct form of 'custar', a number, or a vocabulary word.
- Quanto esse arroz? (custar, singular)(custar, singular subject)
- As frutas quinze reais. (custar, plural)(custar, plural subject)
- R$ 500 = reais.(number 500 in words)
- Esse óleo está muito , quase 20 reais!(opposite of cheap)
- Eu pago Pix. (preposição + artigo)(em + o = contraction)
Grammar Application — Numbers in Words
Write each amount in Portuguese words.
- Escreva em português: R$ 100(exactly 100 — which form?)
- Escreva em português: R$ 250(two hundreds plus fifty)
- Escreva em português: R$ 780(seven hundreds + eighty)
- Escreva em português: R$ 1000(a thousand)
- Conjugue 'custar' com 'os livros': Os livros (custar agrees with 'os livros' — plural)
Translation (English → Portuguese)
Translate each sentence into Brazilian Portuguese.
- How much does this cost?
- It costs two hundred reais.
- This is very cheap!
- Can I pay with card?
- Here is your change.
Creative Construction
Write a short exchange at a mercearia or feira involving prices and payment.
Takeaway
Numbers 100-1000: cem (exact 100), cento + ... (101+), hundreds agree with gender (duzentos/duzentas). 'Custar' agrees with subject (custa/custam). Pay with dinheiro, cartão, or Pix.