Portuguese Phrase
Vai ser em dinheiro ou no cartão?
Meaning
The speaker is asking whether the payment will be made with cash or with a card. It’s a neutral, everyday question used when the method of payment hasn’t been decided yet.
When to use
Use this phrase in shops, restaurants, taxis, or any situation where you need to confirm how the other party will receive money. It works both in casual and semi‑formal contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vaiseremdinheiroounocartão?
Future periphrastic (ir + infinitive)
"Vai ser" uses the verb "ir" in present followed by the infinitive "ser" to express a near future action.
Preposition "em" + noun
"em dinheiro" means "in cash"; the preposition "em" indicates the medium of payment.
Contraction "no"
"no" is the contraction of "em + o", used before masculine singular nouns like "cartão".
Alternative question word order
You can also ask "Será em dinheiro ou no cartão?" which uses the future of "ser" directly.
🗨In Conversation
Vai ser em dinheiro ou no cartão?
Will it be in cash or on the card?
Prefiro no cartão, obrigado.
I prefer the card, thank you.
✕Common Mistakes
Vai ser no dinheiro ou no cartão?
Use "em dinheiro" because "dinheiro" is not preceded by the definite article here.
Vai ser dinheiro ou cartão?
Missing the preposition "em" makes the sentence sound incomplete.
Vai ser em cartão?
The correct preposition before "cartão" is the contraction "no" (em + o).
↔Alternatives
Será em dinheiro ou no cartão?
Will it be in cash or on the card?
Vai pagar em dinheiro ou no cartão?
Will you pay in cash or on the card?
Você vai usar dinheiro ou cartão?
Are you going to use cash or a card?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, cash is still widely accepted, especially in smaller establishments, but most urban places prefer card payments. Asking politely shows you respect the vendor’s preferred method and avoids awkwardness. In some regions, "dinheiro" can also refer to "cash" in a broader sense, so the phrase works everywhere in Portuguese‑speaking Brazil.