Portuguese Phrase
Você pode esquentar isso um pouco?
Meaning
A polite request asking someone to warm up a dish or beverage a little bit. The tone is courteous, making it suitable for both informal and semi‑formal situations.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want a colleague, a friend, or a server to heat food, soup, coffee, etc., just enough to make it comfortably warm but not boiling.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vocêpodeesquentarissoumpouco?
Você (pronoun)
Second‑person singular pronoun used in Brazil for polite or familiar address.
pode (poder)
Present‑tense 3rd‑person singular of the modal verb poder, meaning ‘can’ or ‘may’.
esquentar (infinitive)
Infinitive form of the verb meaning ‘to heat up’; used after a modal verb.
isso (demonstrative)
Demonstrative pronoun meaning ‘this’ (referring to something near the listener).
um pouco (quantifier)
A mild quantifier meaning ‘a little’; placed after the verb to qualify the action.
🗨In Conversation
Você pode esquentar isso um pouco?
Can you heat this up a little?
Claro, já deixo pronto.
Sure, I’ll have it ready right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Você pode esquente isso um pouco?
After *pode* you need the infinitive (*esquentar*), not the imperative (*esquente*).
Você pode esquentar isso pouco?
When you want to sound more informal, use *pouquinho*; *pouco* is correct but can sound a bit stiff in casual conversation.
Você pode esquentar isto um pouco?
If the object is near the speaker, use *isto*; *isso* refers to something closer to the listener.
↔Alternatives
Você pode aquecer isso um pouco?
Can you heat this a little?
Pode esquentar isso um pouquinho?
Could you warm this up just a bit?
Será que dá para esquentar isso levemente?
Is it possible to warm this slightly?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, both *esquentar* and *aquecer* are used for heating food, but *esquentar* sounds a bit more colloquial. Adding *um pouquinho* makes the request feel even softer and more friendly. In formal settings (e.g., a restaurant), you might prefer the slightly more formal *aquecer*.