Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| menu | /meˈnu/ (Brazil) /mɨˈnu/ (Portugal) |
|
| cardápio | /kaʁˈda.pju/ (Brazil) /kaɾˈda.pju/ (São Paulo) |
|
| ementa | /eˈmẽ.tɐ/ (Brazil) /iˈmẽ.tɐ/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
All these terms refer to a list of dishes offered in a restaurant.
Which one should you use?
While menu is used, cardápio is the most common and standard word for a restaurant menu in Brazil. Ementa is often used in more formal contexts or to refer specifically to the list of items included in a set meal or a specific course.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, cardápio is the standard choice for a restaurant menu. In Portugal, ementa is used for a formal menu and carta is an acceptable term for a menu, though it is more common when referring to wine or drinks menus.
How does it change in a sentence?
Cardápio is a masculine noun and uses the article o. Ementa is a feminine noun and uses the article a.
How do you pronounce it?
/meˈnu/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may mistakenly use menu in all contexts, but in many Brazilian restaurants, cardápio is the more natural choice for the physical list of food.
Did you know?
- The term cardápio is a linguistic hybrid created from the Latin words charta, meaning 'paper', and daps, meaning 'meal'.
- The word ementa can also be used in legal contexts to describe a summary or syllabus of a court ruling.
Examples in context
- Isto é um menu.This is a menu.This sentence shows how to identify a menu using menu.Tatoeba #11252617 by carlosalberto, translation #3712210 by ddnktr
- Posso ver o menu?May I look at the menu?This sentence is useful for asking to see the menu.Tatoeba #880544 by alexmarcelo, translation #880542 by CK
- O menu, por favor.The menu, please.This sentence is useful for requesting the menu.Tatoeba #13768995 by Covered, translation #12273065 by sundown
- Por favor, poderia trazer o cardápio?Could you please bring the menu?
- Posso ver a carta de vinhos?Can I see the wine menu?
- Podemos ver o menu?Can we see the menu?
- Quais são os cardápios disponíveis?What menus are available?
- Por favor, me traga o cardápioPlease bring me the menu
- Até a próxima!Until next time!
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana and Gabriel are sitting at a table in a restaurant.
- JulianaVocê já escolheu o que quer no menu?Have you already chosen what you want from the menu?
- GabrielAinda não, estou olhando o menu agora.Not yet, I am looking at the menu now.
- JulianaO menu parece ter ótimas opções de peixe.The menu seems to have great fish options.
- GabrielÉ verdade, vou pedir o salmão.That's true, I will order the salmon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “menu” translations and entries menu, cardápio, ementa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cardápio, ementa, menu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
