Ready-made phrases
Which expressions can you use as a whole?
Significado
A ready-made phrase is a familiar group of words you can use as a whole in a common situation. It can greet someone, make an offer, or provide a sentence frame with space for new information. Languages have their own phrases, and a phrase in one language may have no fixed counterpart in another. Unlike Words that go together, this block focuses on a complete familiar expression or a reusable sentence frame.
Como identificar
Notice expressions that speakers repeatedly use for the same everyday task, sometimes keeping the whole phrase and sometimes changing just one part.
Na tua língua materna
Brazilian Portuguese uses familiar expressions for greetings, thanks, apologies and other everyday exchanges. Some work as complete responses, while others provide a reusable frame, such as Que tal followed by a suggestion. Their conventional use matters more than a word-by-word interpretation.
Com licença, posso passar?
Com licença is a conventional way to ask for room or permission.
Que tal pedir uma pizza?
Que tal provides a frame for a suggestion.
De nada!
This is a complete conventional response to thanks.
Na tua língua de aprendizagem
English uses familiar phrases for greetings, offers, thanks, and other everyday exchanges. Some are complete messages, while others are frames such as Would you like followed by the thing offered. Their usual wording and the situation both matter.
Nice to meet you.
A usual phrase when you are introduced to someone.
Would you like some tea?
A familiar polite offer frame; the thing offered can change.
As far as I know, the store is open.
This phrase introduces information that may be limited by what the speaker knows.
Learners whose language uses different greetings or polite formulas may translate each word and choose a phrase that does not fit the situation. Learn both the whole phrase and when to use it.