Hi, folks! Here in Brazil, it’s common to buy food to go instead of eating at restaurants or diners. So today we will teach you everything about take away in Portuguese and how to order food to go in Portuguese. Ready to learn? Come on!
How to say Take Away in Portuguese
When we want to order food to go in Portuguese we say the sentences Para levar, Para viagem or Pode pôr para viagem. We have too the informal way for the first to sentences Pra levar and Pra viagem.
But when we want to eat in the restaurant where we are we use the expression Para agora. Let’s explain everything better:
Para Agora in Portuguese
Para agora: This phrase translates to “for now” or “to have now.” It is used when you intend to consume the food or drink at the place where you bought it. It indicates immediate consumption on-site.
- Eu vou querer um sanduíche para agora, por favor
- I would like a sandwich to have now, please.
To Take Away in Portuguese
As we saw we have two main ways to say (and then its variations):
Para viagem: This phrase translates to “for travel” or “to go.” It is used when you intend to take the food or drink with you and consume it elsewhere. It is the equivalent of “take away” or “to go” in English.
- Eu vou querer um sanduíche para viagem, por favor.
- I would like a sandwich to go, please.

Para levar: This phrase translates to “to take away” or “to go.” It is used when you intend to take the food or drink with you and consume it elsewhere. It is synonymous with “para viagem.”
- Eu vou querer um suco para levar, por favor.
- I would like some juice to take away, please.
Pode pôr para viagem: This phrase translates to “Could you put it to go?” It is a polite request asking if the food or drink can be packaged for takeaway. It is equivalent to “Could you make it to go?” in English.ta
- Example in Portuguese: “Pode pôr para viagem, por favor?”
- Translation: “Could you put it to go, please?”
| Para agora | For now / To have now | |
| Para viagem | To take away | |
| Para levar | To take away | |
| Pode pôr para viagem? | Could you put it to go? |
More Examples in Context
- Para agora:
- Portuguese: “É para levar ou é para agora?”
- English: “Is it to go or for now?”
- Para viagem:
- Portuguese: “Gostaria de pedir um café para viagem.”
- English: “I would like to order a coffee to go.”
- Para levar:
- Portuguese: “Gostaria de pedir um sanduíche para levar.”
- English: “I would like to order a sandwich to take away.”
- Pode pôr para viagem:
- Portuguese: “Esse prato é delicioso. Pode pôr para viagem?”
- English: “This dish is delicious. Could you put it to go?”
In summary, “para agora” is used when you plan to eat or drink immediately at the location, while “para viagem” is used when you plan to take the food or drink with you.
Other Useful Concepts for Take Away Food in Portuguese
We have related vocabulary and explanations that will be very helpful for you to know how to move around when you want to take away food in Portuguese.
Takeaway as a Restaurant in Portuguese
In English, a “takeaway” would be a restaurant for food to go. In Brazil, this kind of restaurant is not a traditional thing and more a new concept, so we don’t have really an expression for this takeaway restaurant, so you will need to say: um restaurante de comida para levar.
Take Away Food in Portuguese
Take away food in Portuguese can be translated as “comida para levar” or “comida para viagem”. This refers to food that is prepared and packaged for customers to take with them.
Let’s see an example:
Vamos pedir comida para levar esta noite.
Let’s order take away food tonight.
| Comida para levar | Take away food | |
| Comida para viagem | Take away food |
To use Take away food in Portuguese we have some important concepts:
Quentinha in Portuguese
Quentinha: This term refers to a take-out meal that is typically packaged in a foil or plastic container. It is a common way to describe meals that are prepared and packaged to be eaten elsewhere, often associated with economical and convenient meals. So, when we ask for food to go in Portuguese, the restaurant will give a quentinha for us to eat away.
Eu vou levar uma quentinha para o trabalho.
I will take a take-out meal to work.
And a quentinha can come with disposable cutlery and some paper napkins (guardanapo de papel). Be sure that they give you these items if you are going to need them, and if you don’t need them… much better!! Inform the restaurant in order not to make unnecessary waste. Let’s be ecological!! See how we talk about these items in Portuguese:
Talheres descartáveis: This phrase translates to “disposable cutlery.” It refers to utensils like forks, knives, and spoons that are made of plastic or other disposable materials, intended for single use.
Você pode me dar talheres descartáveis com a minha quentinha?
Can you give me disposable cutlery with my take-out meal?
In summary, “quentinha” refers to a take-out meal typically packaged in a container, while “talheres descartáveis” refers to disposable cutlery used for eating such meals.
In Brazil, it is very common when you don’t finish your food at the restaurant to ask the waiter to prepare a quentinha in order they don’t waste the food. Then you can eat it later on another meal at home. Unfortunately, as some of us, we are so lucky that we can go to a restaurant, in Brazil, a lot of people live on the streets or don’t have money to eat. So even if you are not eating your food from the restaurant later it is common to take it in a quentinha to give it to some people who need it or that ask you for it on the streets. Gentileza gera gentileza (Kindness begets kindness) as we say!
| Quentinha | Take-out meal in a disposable container | |
| Talheres Descartáveis | Disposable cutlery | |
| Guardanapo de papel | Paper napkins | |
| Gentileza gera gentileza | Kindness begets kindness |
Para Retirar in Portuguese
Para retirar: This phrase translates to “for pick-up” or “to pick up” in English. It is used in the context of ordering food or goods that you will collect from the store or restaurant yourself, rather than having them delivered or consuming them on the premises.
Eu fiz um pedido para retirar no restaurante.
I placed an order for pick-up at the restaurant.
| Para retirar | For pick-up |
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Examples of how to order food to go in Portuguese

Igor: Um açaí, por favor.
Atendente: É para agora ou é para viagem?
Igor: É para viagem.
Igor: One açaí, please.
Attendant: For here or to go?
Igor: It’s to go.

Luana: Oi, amigo! Pode pôr para viagem?
Atendente: Sim, senhora!
Luana: Hey buddy! Can I have this to go?
Attendant: Yes mam!
Now it’s your turn to use this expression!
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Click on the links below to see more related Dicas
Restaurant Vocabulary in Portuguese
How to order coffee in Brazil
“The Bill, please” in Portuguese
Lanchonete in Brazil
Online Academic Coordinator at Rio & Learn Portuguese School.
Experienced educational coordinator and teacher since 2007, adept in curriculum development, creating physical and digital educational materials, and leveraging online platforms to enhance learning outcomes