So, you're probably not going to be able to pick up Portuguese before the Olympic Games kick off next month in Rio. But there are a few essential and easy-to-learn words you can add to your vocabulary so you can feel just a tad more Brazilian. 

Maravilhosa (mahr-a-vil-YO-sah)

Rio de Janeiro's nickname is Cidade Maravilhosa, or, the Marvelous City. Maravilhosa is an easy way to say "fantastic". And if you get tongue-tied, downshift to the shortened and more colloquial mara.

Legal (lay-GOW)

Believe it or not, this is how Brazilians say "cool"!

Por Favor (pohr faw-VOHR)

Just like in Spanish, por favor means please in Brazil. The only difference is that Brazilians pronounce their “r" more like an “h," ending with a lighter touch than Spanish speakers.

Obrigado/a (o-bree-GAW-doh/da)

"Thank you" in Brazil changes depending on the speaker's gender. If you're a man, you say obrigado, and if you're a woman, you say obrigada.

Gelada (je-LAH-dah)

Gelado means "cold" in Portuguese, which comes up a lot because Brazilians care a lot about having super-chilled drinks. To ask for an ice-cold Coke, add a bem (BAYM) to the beginning, as in: Uma agua bem gelada, por favor. ("An ice-cold water, please.")

Tudo Bem (too-doh BAYM)

This phrase is a catch-all Brazilians use every day. Asked as a question it means “All good?" or “How are you?" Said as a statement it translates to “No worries."

Liçenca (lee-SEN-sa)

This is the Brazilian way of saying, “Excuse me." Literally, it means, “Give me license." It's simple and, if said politely, will ease any interaction.

Joia (ZHOY-ah)

Similar to tudo bem, joia can be used as a question or as a statement to mean, “All good?" What's different about joia is that it also comes with a hand symbol: a thumbs up, which you'll see used all around Brazil as a showing of goodwill.

Saudade (sow-DAW-jee)

The iconic Portuguese word that doesn't really translate, saudade captures a sense of longing, of missing something fondly, as in “I feel so much saudade for Rio after my trip."

Beijos (BAY-jos)

Brazilians have never been called unaffectionate, and this words captures that. Beijos literally means “kisses," and it's how Brazilians say goodbye in emails or on the phone – even Brazilians you might not know very well!