Portuguese Phrase
Tem chá gelado?
Meaning
The sentence asks whether cold tea is available. It can be used in a café, at a friend's house, or any setting where you want to know if someone can serve you chilled tea.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are ordering a drink, checking a menu, or simply asking a host if they have cold tea on hand. It works both in casual conversations and in more formal service contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Temchágelado?
Ter (Tem)
The verb 'ter' in the third‑person singular (tem) is used to express existence, similar to 'there is/are' in English.
Noun gender
'Chá' is a masculine noun (o chá), so any adjective that modifies it must agree in gender and number.
Adjective agreement
'Gelado' is a masculine singular adjective; it matches the gender of 'chá'.
Question mark
In Portuguese, the interrogative intonation is indicated by the question mark; the sentence structure itself does not change.
🗨In Conversation
Tem chá gelado?
Do you have cold tea?
Sim, temos. Quer um copo?
Yes, we have it. Would you like a glass?
✕Common Mistakes
Está chá gelado?
Use 'tem' (have) for existence; 'estar' describes a temporary state, not whether something is available.
Tem chá gelada?
The adjective must agree with the masculine noun 'chá'.
Tem o chá gelado?
Adding the definite article 'o' changes the nuance to a specific tea that was previously mentioned, which is not the usual way to ask about availability.
↔Alternatives
Você tem chá gelado?
Do you have cold tea?
Há chá gelado?
Is there cold tea?
Tem chá frio?
Do you have cold tea? (using 'frio' instead of 'gelado')
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, 'chá gelado' is a very popular refreshment, especially in the summer. It is often sweetened with sugar or condensed milk and served in a tall glass with ice. When speaking to waitstaff, 'Tem' is perfectly polite, but in a very formal setting you might say 'O senhor tem chá gelado?' to show extra courtesy.