onde fica
In Portuguese, "where is" is expressed as onde fica when asking for the location of a place or building.
The phrase onde fica is used to ask for the physical location of a fixed establishment or landmark, such as a restaurant, hotel or street. For the colloquial meaning "where can we find", you can use onde dá para encontrar.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of onde (where) and fica (the third-person singular form of ficar, meaning to stay or to remain). Literally, it translates to "where stays/is located".
Which one should you use?
While onde fica is used for the permanent location of buildings or landmarks, onde está is used for the location of movable objects or people. You may also encounter the informal variation onde é que fica.
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask for the location of multiple buildings or places, change the verb to the plural form onde ficam.
Did you know?
- The word onde is a linguistic cousin to the English word 'whence', as both derive from the Latin 'unde' meaning 'from where'.
- While onde fica asks for a location, the verb ficar is also used to describe the feeling of being stuck or the result of an action, such as ficar triste for 'becoming sad'.
- In Brazil, people often replace onde with aonde when asking for directions, even though aonde should technically only be used with verbs of motion.
Examples in context
- Onde fica a loja?Where is the store?This example shows how to ask for the location of a store using onde fica.Tatoeba #6470448 by heo598, translation #2312520 by Adelpa
- Onde fica o banco?Where is the bank?This example shows how to ask for the location of a bank using onde fica.Tatoeba #952595 by alexmarcelo, translation #48623 by CK
- Onde fica o museu?Where is the museum?This example shows how to ask for the location of a museum using onde fica.Tatoeba #1220107 by alexmarcelo, translation #282553 by CK
- Onde se localiza o escritório de turismo?Where is the tourist office located?
- Onde tá o supermercado?Where is the supermarket?
- Onde é que fica o cinema?Where is the cinema?
- Oi, você sabe onde fica a praça?Hi, do you know where the square is?
- 82 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Camila is asking Rodrigo for directions to the pharmacy.
- CamilaRodrigo, onde fica a farmácia mais próxima?Rodrigo, where is the nearest pharmacy?
- RodrigoFica logo ali, depois daquela padaria.It's right there, after that bakery.
- CamilaÉ longe daqui?Is it far from here?
- RodrigoNão, você chega lá em dois minutos.No, you'll get there in two minutes.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries onde, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
