Olá, queridos alunos!
In this lesson, you will learn how Brazilians use the expressions “pois não” and “pois é.”
I’ve prepared a PDF with exercises so you can practice what you’ve learned in this lesson.
Fill out the form below to download your worksheet.
What does “pois” mean?
The word “pois” is a conjunction that can have many uses in Portuguese. One of the most common uses of this word is similar to the use of the word “porque” (because). These words are synonymous when indicating an explanation or justification for something. For example:
– Não vou sair hoje, porque está chovendo. (I’m not going out today because it’s raining.)
– Não vou sair hoje, pois está chovendo. (I’m not going out today since it’s raining.)
Using “pois” here makes the language a bit more formal.
Idiomatic expressions with the word “pois”
When we talk about the expressions “pois não” and “pois é,” we must set aside the meaning of the individual words and focus on the new meaning of those words in an idiomatic expression.
Idiomatic expressions naturally develop in speech over many years and don’t always make much sense literally. This is the case with the expression “pois não,” which, despite including the word “não” (no), actually means the opposite.
POIS NÃO?
“Pois não” is a slightly formal expression, commonly used when one person is providing some type of service to another. You will hear this expression in hotels, restaurants, stores, and commercial establishments in general. Rarely, you will hear this expression being used among friends and family.
Let’s see how this expression is used in three common contexts in Brazil.
1. When used in the form of a question, “pois não?” means “can I help you?”
For example, when you arrive at a hotel to check in, a clerk might look at you and say:
– Pois não? Em que posso ajudar? (Pois não? How can I assist you?)
Another example, when you enter a clothing or shoe store, a salesperson might approach and say:
– Pois não? Posso ajudar? Você gostaria de provar algo? (Pois não? Can I help? Would you like to try something?)
2. The expression “pois não” is also used in responses in the sense of “yes” or “of course.”
For example, if you’re in a restaurant and ask for a glass of water, the waiter might respond:
– Pois não! Um minutinho. (Of course! Right away.)
3. The expression “pois não” can also be used to answer the phone, usually in companies or when you don’t know who is calling.
– Pois não? Em que posso ajudar? (Hello? How can I assist you?)
In informal contexts, the most natural way to answer the phone in Brazil is with “alô” (hello) or “oi” (hi).
POIS É!
Unlike the expression “pois não,” “pois é” is an informal expression widely used with friends and family. Generally, we use this expression to indicate confirmation, agreement, or resignation. It can have a positive or negative sense, depending on the context. Let’s look at three common uses:
1. “Pois é” can be used to confirm something, in the same sense as “indeed.” For example:
– O dia está lindo! (The day is beautiful!)
– Pois é! Vamos sair para dar uma volta no parque? (Indeed! Shall we go out for a walk in the park?)
2. “Pois é” can be used to indicate resignation. We might say it has the sense of “unfortunately yes.” For example:
– Ah, que pena, começou a chover. (Oh, what a pity, it started raining.)
– Pois é. Vamos ter que cancelar nossos planos de hoje. (Unfortunately yes. We’ll have to cancel our plans for today.)
3. We also use this expression in the sense of “I told you so.” For example:
– Perdi o trem e cheguei atrasada para a aula. (I missed the train and was late to class.)
– Pois é. Você deveria ter saído mais cedo de casa. (I told you so. You should have left home earlier.)
To assimilate what we’ve studied today, you need to keep practicing. That’s why I’ve prepared a PDF with exercises so you can practice what you learned in this lesson. Fill out the form below to download your worksheet.
Até a próxima!
Speaking Brazilian Team
