Onde você está?
neutral
The standard question is Onde você está? In everyday Brazilian speech people often say Cadê você? instead. It is also called Onde você tá?
Meaning: question asking for someone's location (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | Note |
|---|---|
| Onde você está? | neutral |
| Cadê você? | casual, Brazil |
| Onde você tá? | casual, spoken |
You hear Cadê você? on the phone and in chat messages when you are waiting for someone. It also works for objects, as in Cadê a chave? for "where is the key?"
Which one should you use?
Cadê is a Brazilian colloquial word that grew out of que é de. Onde você tá? uses the clipped spoken form of estar and sounds relaxed.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal people usually ask Onde estás?, so você and cadê point to Brazilian Portuguese.
Did you know?
- Cadê is so typical of Brazil that it is one of the words learners notice first when they leave a textbook and listen to real conversations.
Examples in context
- Onde você está agora?Where are you now?
- Cadê você? Estou te esperando.Where are you? I am waiting for you.
- Cadê a minha bolsa?Where is my bag?
Example conversation
Bruno phones his friend Carla, who is late to meet him at a shopping mall in Curitiba.
- BrunoOi, Carla. Cadê você?Hi, Carla. Where are you?
- CarlaEstou chegando, só mais cinco minutos.I am almost there, just five more minutes.
- BrunoTá bom, eu espero na entrada.Okay, I will wait at the entrance.
