Portuguese Phrase
Segue as placas, por favor.
Meaning
The sentence politely asks someone to follow the signs that are posted or displayed. It combines a direct command with the courteous ‘por favor’, making it suitable for both spoken and written instructions.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are giving directions in a public place – a museum, a shopping mall, a tourist site, or while guiding a group. It works well on signage, in announcements, or when speaking directly to a person who needs to navigate.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Segueasplacas,porfavor.
Segue (imperative)
‘Segue’ is the informal imperative form of ‘seguir’ (to follow) used with ‘tu’; for a formal ‘você’ the usual form is ‘Siga’.
Definite article ‘as’
‘as’ is the plural feminine definite article, matching the noun ‘placas’.
Noun ‘placas’
‘placas’ means ‘signs’ or ‘plates’; it is feminine plural, so it takes the article ‘as’.
Polite phrase ‘por favor’
‘por favor’ is a set expression meaning ‘please’; it can appear before or after the command.
🗨In Conversation
Desculpe, estou perdido. Como chego à saída?
Excuse me, I'm lost. How do I get to the exit?
Segue as placas, por favor.
Follow the signs, please.
✕Common Mistakes
Segue as placas, por favor.
When speaking to someone you address formally (você), use ‘Siga’ instead of ‘Segue’. ‘Segue’ is informal (tu) or used on written signs.
Segue as placa, por favor.
The noun ‘placa’ is feminine; the plural must be ‘as placas’, not ‘as placa’.
Por favor segue as placas.
While ‘por favor’ can appear at the start, the usual order is command first, then ‘por favor’, or the whole phrase can be wrapped: ‘Por favor, siga as placas.’
↔Alternatives
Siga as placas, por favor.
Please follow the signs.
Por favor, siga as placas.
Please, follow the signs.
Siga as indicações, por favor.
Follow the directions, please.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, public signage often uses the informal imperative ‘Siga’ rather than ‘Segue’, but both are understood. Adding ‘por favor’ softens the command and is considered polite, especially when speaking to strangers. In Portugal, you’ll more commonly see ‘Siga as placas’. Remember that the tone of voice matters – a friendly tone makes the request feel courteous rather than demanding.