falar
/faˈla(ʁ)/
To talk in Portuguese is to say falar. Wiktionary also lists conversar.
Meaning: to communicate by speech (verb)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| falar | /faˈla(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /faˈla(ɾ)/ (São Paulo) |
| conversar | /kõ.veʁˈsa(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /kõ.veɾˈsa(ɾ)/ (São Paulo) |
The verb falar is used when the focus is on the act of producing speech or the ability to speak a language. When you want to express that you are talking 'to' or 'with' someone, use the preposition com after the verb.
Which one should you use?
While falar refers to the general act of speaking, conversar is used when the focus is on a two-way exchange or a social interaction between people. For more specific contexts, you might use discutir to mean 'to discuss' in formal settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the word papo is frequently used to refer to a casual conversation or chat.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular present indicative of falar is fala (he/she speaks), and its past participle is falado (spoken).
How do you pronounce it?
/faˈla(ʁ)/
Did you know?
- The phrase falar pelos cotovelos literally means 'to talk through one's elbows' and describes a person who speaks incessantly.
- The Portuguese word papo for a casual chat literally means 'crop', referring to the pouch in a bird's throat used to store food.
- In English, 'to discuss' is often used for debates, but in Portuguese, the verb discutir can actually mean 'to argue' or 'to fight' in many contexts, even if it translates to 'to discuss'.
Examples in context
- Vá falar com Tom.Go talk to Tom.This sentence is useful for telling someone to go talk to a specific person using falar.Tatoeba #5532829 by bill, translation #3113259 by CK
- Vá falar com ele.Go talk to him.This sentence is useful for telling someone to go talk to him using falar.Tatoeba #5532834 by bill, translation #3906606 by CH
- Vá falar com ela.Go talk to her.This sentence is useful for telling someone to go talk to her using falar.Tatoeba #5532836 by bill, translation #3906607 by CH
- Preciso conversar com o diretor da empresa.I need to talk to the company's director.
- É preciso dialogar sobre o futuro desse projeto.We need to talk about the future of this project.
- Vamos discutir as possibilidades de colaboração.Let's talk about collaboration possibilities.
- Podemos falar sobre o evento de hoje à noite?Can we talk about tonight's event?
- Vamos marcar um papo para discutir o assunto.Let's schedule a chat to discuss the matter.
- Ela adora tagarelar sobre suas viagens.She loves to talk about her travels.
- 1407 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Gabriel are at a cafe.
- MarianaGabriel, podemos falar um pouco?Gabriel, can we talk a little?
- GabrielClaro, Mariana. O que houve?Of course, Mariana. What happened?
- MarianaEu preciso falar sobre o trabalho.I need to talk about work.
- GabrielTudo bem, eu estou ouvindo.Alright, I'm listening.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “talk” translations and entries falar, conversar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
