Portuguese Phrase
Quantos vocês são?
Meaning
Literally, “How many are you?” It asks for the number of people in the group you are speaking to. In Portuguese the verb ‘ser’ is used because the question refers to identity/quantity rather than location.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to know the size of a group you’re about to serve, seat, or organize – for example, at a restaurant, when booking tickets, or during a classroom roll‑call.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Quantosvocêssão
Quantos (interrogative adjective)
Used to ask about quantity; agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Here it modifies the implied plural noun 'vocês' (people).
vocês (second‑person plural pronoun)
The informal plural 'you' in Brazilian Portuguese; used when addressing two or more people.
são (verb ser, 3rd‑person plural)
The present‑tense form of ser for third‑person plural; with 'vocês' it functions as a second‑person plural verb.
🗨In Conversation
Quantos vocês são?
How many of you are there?
Somos quatro.
We are four.
✕Common Mistakes
Quantas vocês são?
‘Quantas’ is feminine; it must agree with the masculine plural ‘vocês’ (treated as masculine when the group is mixed or unknown).
São vocês quantos?
Word order in Portuguese places the interrogative adjective before the subject; swapping it sounds unnatural.
Quantos vocês está?
Use ‘são’ (ser) for identity/quantity, not ‘está’ (estar) which refers to location or temporary state.
↔Alternatives
Quantas pessoas são?
How many people are you?
Quantos são vocês?
How many are you?
Quantas pessoas tem o grupo?
How many people does the group have?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil it is common to ask the size of a party before seating them in a restaurant or assigning tickets. The phrase is informal; in a very formal setting you might say “Quantas pessoas compõem o grupo?” instead. Also note that “Quantos vocês são?” is typical in Brazilian Portuguese – in European Portuguese speakers often prefer “Quantas pessoas são?” because the noun ‘pessoas’ makes the gender explicit.