Portuguese Phrase
Me emprestas um pouco de dinheiro?
Meaning
A polite, informal request asking someone to lend you a small amount of money. The speaker uses the familiar "tu" form, which is common among friends or family.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual settings with people you know well—friends, classmates, or relatives—when you need a short‑term loan. Avoid it in formal or professional contexts; switch to a more formal construction with "você" or "poderia".
✦Grammar Breakdown
Meemprestasumpoucodedinheiro?
Clitic pronoun (me)
The pronoun "me" is an indirect object clitic placed before the verb in informal questions, meaning "to me".
Verb conjugation (emprestar)
"emprestas" is the second‑person singular (tu) present indicative of the verb "emprestar" (to lend).
Quantifier phrase (um pouco de)
"um pouco de" literally means "a little of" and is used to indicate a small, indefinite amount.
Noun gender (dinheiro)
"dinheiro" is a masculine noun meaning "money"; it takes the masculine article "o" in other contexts.
🗨In Conversation
Me emprestas um pouco de dinheiro?
Can you lend me a little money?
Claro, quanto você precisa?
Sure, how much do you need?
✕Common Mistakes
Me empresta um pouco de dinheiro?
If you keep the verb in the second‑person singular ("emprestas"), the pronoun must stay "me" and the verb form must match the subject "tu". "Me empresta" pairs with "você" (third‑person singular).
Me emprestas dinheiro?
Leaving out the quantifier makes the request sound demanding. Use "um pouco de" or another amount indicator.
Me emprestas um pouco de dinheiro?
When speaking to someone you address with "você", the verb should be "empresta" (third‑person singular).
↔Alternatives
Você pode me emprestar um pouco de dinheiro?
Could you lend me a little money?
Me empresta um troco?
Can you lend me some change?
Pode me dar um dinheiro?
Can you give me some money?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, directly asking for money can feel abrupt. Adding "por favor" or softening the request with "poderia" makes it more courteous. Also, be aware of regional pronoun preferences: in the South and parts of the Northeast people often use "tu" (as in this phrase), while in most of the country "você" is the default.