Portuguese Phrase
Liga para a assistência rodoviária. Vai a pé até um posto de combustível se for seguro.
Meaning
The first sentence tells someone to call the road‑assistance service. The second advises the listener to walk to the nearest gas station, but only if the surroundings are safe. It combines a direct command with a conditional safety check.
When to use
Use this phrase when your vehicle breaks down in a remote area, you need to contact emergency road‑assistance, and you are considering walking to a nearby fuel station for help, provided the area feels safe.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Ligaparaaassistênciarodoviária.Vaiapéatéumpostodecombustívelseforseguro.
Imperative (Liga)
‘Liga’ is the affirmative imperative of the verb ‘ligar’ (to call), used for giving a direct command.
Preposition ‘para’ + article
‘para a’ introduces the destination or purpose, here ‘para a assistência rodoviária’ = ‘to road assistance’.
Compound noun ‘assistência rodoviária’
A fixed expression meaning ‘road assistance’; ‘rodoviária’ works as an adjective describing the type of assistance.
Expression ‘a pé’
Literally ‘on foot’; used to indicate walking rather than using a vehicle.
Conditional clause ‘se for seguro’
Standard ‘if + present subjunctive’ construction; ‘for’ is the present subjunctive of ‘ser’.
🗨In Conversation
Meu carro parou no meio da estrada, não sei o que fazer.
My car stopped in the middle of the road, I don’t know what to do.
Liga para a assistência rodoviária. Vai a pé até um posto de combustível se for seguro.
Call road assistance. Walk to a gas station if it’s safe.
✕Common Mistakes
Chama para a assistência rodoviária.
‘Chama’ is the imperative of ‘chamar’, which is less common for phone calls; use ‘liga’ (from ‘ligar’) for dialing.
se for segura
‘Segura’ is feminine; the subject ‘for’ (subjunctive of ‘ser’) is masculine, so use ‘seguro’.
Vai a pé até um posto de gasolina.
‘Gasolina’ is a noun, not an adjective; the correct phrase is ‘posto de combustível’ or ‘posto de gasolina’.
↔Alternatives
Ligue para o socorro rodoviário. Caminhe até um posto de gasolina se estiver seguro.
Call road rescue. Walk to a gas station if it is safe.
Contate a assistência de estrada. Vá a pé até um posto de combustível, desde que seja seguro.
Contact road assistance. Go on foot to a fuel station, as long as it is safe.
Chame a assistência rodoviária e, se for seguro, vá a pé ao posto de gasolina mais próximo.
Call road assistance and, if it’s safe, walk to the nearest gas station.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, services like AutoSocorro, Porto Seguro, or the roadside assistance offered by major insurers are commonly called ‘assistência rodoviária’. When walking to a fuel station, consider the time of day and the neighborhood; many travelers prefer to wait inside the car until help arrives, especially after dark.