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Portuguese Phrase

Você escova os dentes?

/voˈse esˈkova us ˈdẽ.t͡ʃis/
Meaning"Do you brush your teeth?"
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Meaning

Literally, “Do you brush the teeth?” It is the standard way to ask someone about their tooth‑brushing habit. The verb is in the present indicative, turning the statement into a yes‑no question.

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When to use

Use this question when you want to check someone’s oral‑hygiene routine, for example during a health‑check conversation, a dentist appointment role‑play, or a casual chat about daily habits.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Vocêescovaosdentes?

1

Você (pronoun)

Second‑person singular pronoun used in formal or neutral contexts; it triggers third‑person verb conjugation.

2

escova (present indicative)

Third‑person singular form of the verb escovar ‘to brush’; with ‘você’ it means ‘you brush’.

3

os (definite article)

Plural masculine article that must agree with the noun ‘dentes’.

4

dentes (noun)

Plural masculine noun meaning ‘teeth’; the article ‘os’ makes it specific – ‘the teeth’.

5

Question mark

In Portuguese, a question is marked with an opening ‘?’ and a closing ‘?’; the intonation rises at the end.

🗨In Conversation

A

Você escova os dentes?

Do you brush your teeth?

Sim, escovo duas vezes ao dia.

Yes, I brush twice a day.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Tu escova os dentes?

    If you use the informal pronoun ‘tu’, the verb must be ‘escovas’ (2nd‑person singular).

  • Você escova dentes?

    The article ‘os’ cannot be omitted; ‘Você escova dentes?’ sounds unnatural.

  • Escova os dentes?

    In very informal speech in some regions, people drop ‘você’ and say ‘Escova os dentes?’, but it can be perceived as abrupt.

↔Alternatives

  • Você costuma escovar os dentes?

    Do you usually brush your teeth?

  • Você escova os dentes todos os dias?

    Do you brush your teeth every day?

  • Escova os dentes, por favor?

    Will you brush your teeth, please?

pt

Cultural Tip

In Brazil, oral hygiene is taken seriously; most people brush at least twice a day, often after breakfast and before bedtime. In the southern states you may hear the informal ‘Tu escovas os dentes?’ where the verb agrees with ‘tu’. When speaking to children, Brazilians often add a friendly tone and say ‘Escova bem os dentinhos!’.