Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| obrigado | /o.bɾiˈɡa.du/ (Brazil) /ɔ.bɾiˈɡa.du/ (Portugal) |
|
| obrigada | /o.bɾiˈɡa.dɐ/ (Brazil) /ɔ.bɾiˈɡa.dɐ/ (Portugal) |
|
| valeu | /vaˈlew/ (Brazil) /vɐˈlew/ (Portugal) |
Brazil, informal |
The primary way to express gratitude is through the forms obrigado and obrigada, or the shorter valeu for a more casual 'thanks'. You might also use grato to say 'grateful'. If you want to convey a sense of 'big thanks', you can use obrigadão or brigadão.
What does it mean word for word?
The word obrigado literally translates to 'obligated' or 'bound', which implies that the speaker feels a sense of obligation due to the favor received.
Which one should you use?
The forms obrigado and obrigada are the standard ways to say thank you, whereas valeu is an informal alternative.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Obrigado and obrigada are the standard forms, while valeu is an informal way to say thanks, commonly used among friends or in casual settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the term valeu is a common informal way to say thanks. In Portugal, you may hear the word obrigadinho to convey a sense of slightly softer gratitude.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form used depends on the gender of the person speaking: a male speaker must use the masculine form obrigado, and a female speaker must use the feminine form obrigada.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /o.bɾiˈɡa.du/. The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The slang valeu is so versatile that it can be used both to say 'thanks' and as a way to say 'goodbye' among friends.
- The diminutive obrigadinho in Portugal can sometimes be used with a touch of irony or to be playfully cute, depending on the tone.
- In very casual Brazilian speech, the initial 'o' is often dropped, making the word sound like brigado.
Examples in context
- Eu vou bem, obrigado.I am fine, thank you.This sentence is useful for saying you are fine, thank you, using obrigado.Tatoeba #1255934 by alexmarcelo, translation #926934 by zvaigzne
- Bem, obrigado. E você?Well thank you. And you?This sentence is useful for a response to a question, using obrigado.Tatoeba #1571528 by alexmarcelo, translation #8196754 by josivangoncalves
- Obrigado a todo mundo.Thank you very much, everyone.This sentence is useful for thanking everyone, using obrigado.Tatoeba #2100065 by MarlonX19, translation #2099711 by LanguageExpert
- Obrigado/a pela sua ajudaThank you for your help
- Obrigado/a pela gentilezaThank you for your kindness
- Obrigado/a pelo presenteThank you for the gift
- Muito obrigado/a pela atençãoThank you very much for your attention
- Grato/a pela ajudaGrateful for the help
- 405 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries obrigado, obrigada, valeu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
