Portuguese Phrase
Põe isso na esteira rolante.
Meaning
The speaker is telling someone to place the indicated item onto the moving walkway, typically found in airports or large shopping centers. It’s a direct, informal command.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to ask a friend, colleague, or a staff member to put something on a moving walkway – for example, a suitcase, a cart, or a piece of equipment that needs to be moved quickly.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Põeissonaesteirarolante
Imperative of pôr (tu)
‘Põe’ is the informal singular (tu) imperative of the verb ‘pôr’, used for giving direct commands.
Contraction ‘na’
‘na’ = ‘em’ + ‘a’, the preposition ‘in/on’ combined with the feminine article ‘a’.
Compound noun ‘esteira rolante’
A fixed expression meaning ‘moving walkway’; both words stay together and agree in gender (feminine).
Demonstrative ‘isso’
‘isso’ points to something near the listener or already mentioned, acting as the direct object.
🗨In Conversation
Põe isso na esteira rolante.
Put this on the moving walkway.
Claro, já coloco.
Sure, I’ll put it there right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Ponha isso na esteira rolante.
Use ‘ponha’ for the formal ‘você’ imperative; ‘põe’ is only for informal ‘tu’.
Põe isso no esteira rolante.
‘Esteira’ is feminine, so the correct contraction is ‘na’, not ‘no’.
Põe isso na esteira.
Dropping ‘rolante’ changes the meaning; ‘esteira’ alone can refer to a treadmill.
↔Alternatives
Coloque isso na esteira rolante.
Place this on the moving walkway.
Deixe isso na esteira rolante.
Leave this on the moving walkway.
Ponha isso na esteira rolante.
Put this on the moving walkway. (formal ‘você’ imperative)
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, moving walkways (esteiras rolantes) are common in airports, large malls, and some train stations. The phrase is informal; if you’re speaking to a stranger or a service employee, use the formal imperative ‘ponha’ or the more polite ‘coloque’. Remember that ‘esteira’ is feminine, so the correct article is ‘a’, never ‘o’. Regional variations may use ‘esteira de rolagem’, but ‘esteira rolante’ is the standard term across the country.