Portuguese Phrase
Água sem gás, por favor.
Meaning
A polite way to ask for still water at a restaurant, café, or any place that serves drinks. The speaker wants water that is not carbonated.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are ordering at a table, at a self‑service counter, or when a waiter asks what you would like to drink. It works in both formal and informal settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Águasemgás,porfavor.
Noun gender
Água is a feminine noun, so adjectives and articles that modify it must agree in gender.
Preposition 'sem'
Sem means 'without' and is used directly before the noun it negates.
Polite request phrase
Por favor adds politeness; it literally means 'please' and is placed after the request.
Comma usage
In Portuguese a comma can separate the request from the polite phrase, but it is optional in spoken language.
🗨In Conversation
Água sem gás, por favor.
Still water, please.
Claro, já lhe trago.
Sure, I’ll bring it right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Água com gás, por favor.
This asks for sparkling water, the opposite of what you want.
Água sem gás por favor
Missing the comma is acceptable in speech, but written Portuguese usually includes it for clarity.
Água sem gás, por favor!
Exclamation can sound demanding; keep it a simple period for a polite request.
↔Alternatives
Água sem gás, por gentileza.
Still water, please (more formal).
Água sem gás, pode trazer?
Could you bring still water?
Quero água sem gás, por favor.
I’d like still water, please.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, most restaurants automatically serve sparkling water (água com gás) unless you specify otherwise. Saying 'Água sem gás' makes it clear you want the still version. In Portugal, still water is more common, so the request is less frequent but still understood. Adding 'por favor' or 'por gentileza' is considered courteous and helps you sound polite.