Portuguese Phrase
Esse evento é de graça?
Meaning
Literally, 'Is this event free?' It asks whether you have to pay to attend. In Portuguese, 'de graça' is the everyday way to ask about cost, equivalent to English 'free of charge'.
When to use
Use this question when you arrive at a concert, workshop, festival, or any gathering and want to confirm that there is no admission fee. It works in both formal and informal settings, but is especially common in casual conversation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Esseeventoédegraça?
Esse (demonstrative)
Used to point out something near the listener; agrees in gender and number with the noun (masculine singular).
evento (noun)
A masculine singular noun meaning 'event' or 'occasion'.
é (verb ser)
Third‑person singular present of 'ser', used for permanent or defining characteristics.
de graça (idiom)
Literally 'of grace', the idiomatic way to say 'free of charge' in informal Portuguese.
Question intonation
Raising the pitch at the end of the sentence signals a yes/no question; the written '?' reinforces it.
🗨In Conversation
Esse evento é de graça?
Is this event free?
Sim, a entrada é gratuita.
Yes, admission is free.
✕Common Mistakes
Esse evento é de grátis?
'Grátis' already means free; adding 'de' is redundant and ungrammatical.
Esse evento tem de graça?
Use the verb 'ser' for characteristics like cost, not 'ter'.
Esse evento é grátis?
While 'É grátis?' is understood, the more natural phrasing is 'É de graça?' or 'É gratuito?'.
↔Alternatives
Esse evento é gratuito?
Is this event free?
A entrada é grátis?
Is entry free?
Não tem custo?
Is there no cost?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, 'de graça' is the most colloquial way to say something is free. 'Gratuito' sounds more formal and is often used in official communications, while 'grátis' is accepted but considered a borrowing from English. Choose the version that matches the register of the conversation.