Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| encomendar | /ẽ.ko.mẽˈda(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /ĩ.ko.mẽˈda(ʁ)/ (Brazil) |
| pedir | /peˈd͡ʒi(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /peˈd͡ʒi(ɾ)/ (São Paulo) |
The phrase is used when requesting a product or a service.
Which one should you use?
Use pedir for general ordering, such as when ordering food or drinks at a restaurant or simply asking for something. Use encomendar when you are specifically commissioning goods to be delivered or ordered via mail or online, such as a package or custom-made furniture.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal, a common way to say 'order' is the phrase fazer o pedido. In Brazil, the noun pedido means 'order' and you may use the expression fazer um pedido to mean 'make an order'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb pedir is a regular -ir verb in the present tense. It is frequently used with a direct object, which is the thing being requested and an indirect object, which is the person being asked.
How do you pronounce it?
The word encomendar has four syllables and the stress is on the fourth syllable: /ẽ.ko.mẽˈda(ʁ)/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using ordenar to mean ordering food. In Portuguese, ordenar typically means 'to command' or 'to arrange' and carries a much more formal or authoritative tone.
When do people say it?
When ordering in a restaurant, you can use the phrase Pode me trazer…? to mean 'Can you bring me…?' It is also helpful to use Por favor to say 'Please'.
Did you know?
- The verb encomendar shares its roots with the English word 'commend', as both stem from the Latin 'commendāre'.
- Using the verb ordenar to order food can make you sound like a military officer or a judge giving a legal decree.
- Because encomendar is used for custom-made items, it is the standard term for commissioning a piece of art or a tailor-made suit.
Examples in context
- O que devo pedir?What should I order?This sentence is useful for asking what should be ordered using pedir.Tatoeba #5838097 by bill, translation #3413037 by CK
- Eu vou pedir comida.I'll order food.This sentence shows how to use pedir when stating you will order food.Tatoeba #5055465 by Ricardo14, translation #2247795 by CK
- Não sei o que pedir.I don't know what to order.This sentence uses pedir to express uncertainty about what to order.Tatoeba #7090112 by alexmarcelo, translation #436519 by lukaszpp
- Posso pedir uma pizza, por favor?Can I order a pizza, please?
- 45 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Mariana are talking about a package delivery.
- GabrielVocê já encomendou o presente dela?Have you already ordered her gift?
- MarianaAinda não, vou encomendar hoje.Not yet, I will order it today.
- GabrielA encomenda vai demorar muito?Will the order take a long time?
- MarianaAcho que chega na semana que vem.I think it arrives next week.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “order” translations and entries encomendar, pedir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries encomendar, pedir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
