Portuguese Phrase
Pedi pra não colocar nozes.
Meaning
Literally, ‘I asked (them) to not put nuts.’ The speaker is requesting that nuts be omitted from a dish, usually because of an allergy, preference, or dietary restriction.
When to use
Use this sentence in restaurants, cafés, or when you’re ordering food at home and need to specify that the dish should be prepared without nuts. It works both in casual conversation and in slightly more formal requests, especially when you’ve already placed the order and need to adjust it.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Pedipranãocolocarnozes
Pedi (verb)
First‑person singular preterite of pedir, meaning ‘I asked’ or ‘I requested’.
pra (contraction)
Colloquial contraction of para ‘for/to’; common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
não (negation)
Placed directly before the infinitive verb to negate the action.
colocar (infinitive)
Infinitive form of colocar ‘to put/to place’; after não it expresses ‘not to put’.
nozes (noun)
Plural of noz, meaning ‘nuts’; often appears in menus for desserts or sauces.
🗨In Conversation
Você quer a pizza sem nozes?
Do you want the pizza without nuts?
Sim, pedi pra não colocar nozes.
Yes, I asked them not to put nuts.
✕Common Mistakes
Pedi não colocar nozes.
The preposition pra/para is required to link the request with the infinitive verb.
Pedi pra não colocar as nozes.
Use the generic nozes unless you are referring to a specific set of nuts already mentioned.
Pedi pra não coloco nozes.
After pra you need the infinitive colocar, not the conjugated form coloco.
↔Alternatives
Pedi para não colocar nozes.
I asked not to put nuts.
Pedi que não colocassem nozes.
I asked that they not put nuts.
Peço que não coloquem nozes.
I’m asking that they don’t put nuts.
Não quero nozes.
I don’t want nuts.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil many desserts (like pudim, brigadeiro) and some savory sauces contain nuts. It’s common to ask for “sem nozes” or “sem castanhas” if you have an allergy. Using the informal pra shows a relaxed tone; in a very formal setting (e.g., a high‑end restaurant) you might prefer the full para or the subjunctive construction Pedi que não colocassem… to sound more polite.