Portuguese Phrase
O atendente pode te ajudar.
Meaning
Literally, ‘The attendant can help you.’ It tells the listener that the staff member is able and ready to provide assistance. The pronoun ‘te’ makes the sentence informal; in a formal setting you would use ‘lhe’.
When to use
Use this sentence when you are at a store, bank, restaurant, or any service point and want to reassure someone that the staff member is able to assist them. It works both as a statement to a third party and as a polite suggestion to the person you’re speaking to.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Oatendentepodeteajudar
Definite article (O)
Used before masculine singular nouns to specify a particular person or thing.
Noun (atendente)
Means ‘attendant’ or ‘service clerk’; a common word for staff who assist customers.
Verb (pode)
Third‑person singular present of poder ‘can/able to’; expresses ability.
Object pronoun (te)
Informal second‑person singular pronoun meaning ‘you’; placed before the infinitive.
Infinitive (ajudar)
The verb ‘to help’; after poder it stays in the infinitive form.
🗨In Conversation
Preciso de informações sobre meu pedido.
I need information about my order.
O atendente pode te ajudar.
The attendant can help you.
✕Common Mistakes
O atendente pode você ajudar.
Using the full pronoun ‘você’ after ‘pode’ is redundant; the object pronoun should be used.
O atendente pode te ajudar, senhor.
‘te’ is informal; in formal situations use ‘lhe’.
O atendente pode ajuda você.
After ‘pode’, the verb must stay in infinitive, not conjugated.
↔Alternatives
O funcionário pode te ajudar.
The employee can help you.
O atendente pode lhe ajudar.
The attendant can help you (formal).
O atendente está aqui para ajudar.
The attendant is here to help.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘te’ is used only with friends, family, or people of the same age group. In more formal contexts—such as speaking with a manager, an older customer, or in written communication—replace ‘te’ with ‘lhe’. Also, ‘atendente’ is the go‑to word for any front‑desk or counter staff, while ‘funcionário’ is broader and can refer to any employee.