Portuguese Phrase
Me mostra o cardápio, por favor?
Meaning
A polite, informal way to ask a waiter or staff member to show you the menu. The phrase combines a direct request (mostra) with the courtesy phrase por favor, making it both clear and respectful.
When to use
Use this sentence when you enter a restaurant, café, or any food‑service place in Brazil and want to see the list of dishes. It works best with staff you already have a friendly rapport with; for more formal settings you might choose the formal imperative ‘mostre‑me’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Memostraocardápioporfavor
Me (pronome átono)
Clitic pronoun placed before the verb in affirmative imperatives, meaning 'to me'.
mostra (imperativo afirmativo)
Second‑person singular imperative of mostrar; used for informal, friendly requests.
o (artigo definido)
Masculine singular definite article that agrees with the noun cardápio.
cardápio (substantivo)
Masculine noun meaning 'menu'; common in restaurants and cafés.
por favor (locução de cortesia)
Set phrase equivalent to 'please', placed at the end of the request for politeness.
🗨In Conversation
Me mostra o cardápio, por favor?
Could you show me the menu, please?
Claro, aqui está.
Sure, here it is.
✕Common Mistakes
Mostra‑me o cardápio, por favor?
In Brazilian Portuguese the clitic pronoun comes before the verb in affirmative imperatives, not after.
Mostre o cardápio, por favor.
‘Mostre’ is the formal imperative; using it with ‘por favor’ sounds overly formal in casual settings.
Por favor me mostra o cardápio.
The courtesy phrase ‘por favor’ normally goes at the end of the request, not before the pronoun.
↔Alternatives
Pode me mostrar o cardápio, por favor?
Could you show me the menu, please?
Você poderia trazer o cardápio, por favor?
Would you be able to bring the menu, please?
Me traz o cardápio, por favor?
Bring me the menu, please?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, saying ‘por favor’ and ending with ‘obrigado’ after receiving the menu is considered good manners. Waitstaff often greet you with a smile and a quick “Bom apetite!” (Enjoy your meal). In more upscale restaurants, using the formal imperative ‘mostre‑me’ or the conditional ‘poderia mostrar‑me’ sounds more appropriate.