Portuguese Phrase
Vamos pegar um carrinho.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘Let’s get a cart.’ It is a friendly suggestion to pick up a shopping cart (or any small cart) before you start buying items. In Brazil the word ‘carrinho’ usually refers to the metal carts you push in supermarkets or markets.
When to use
Use this phrase when you and a companion are about to shop and need a cart, or when you’re at a fair and want to rent a small ride cart. It’s informal and works in everyday conversation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vamospegarumcarrinho
Vamos + infinitive
‘Vamos’ is the first‑person plural of ‘ir’ used with an infinitive to mean ‘let’s…’.
Pegar
The verb ‘pegar’ means ‘to take, grab, get’. In Brazil it’s the common verb for picking up a cart.
Indefinite article ‘um’
‘Um’ signals a non‑specific item – ‘a cart’, not ‘the cart’.
Diminutive ‘carrinho’
‘Carrinho’ is the diminutive of ‘carro’, used for shopping carts, strollers or small carts.
🗨In Conversation
Vamos pegar um carrinho?
Shall we get a cart?
Claro, vamos pegar um logo ali.
Sure, let’s grab one right over there.
✕Common Mistakes
Vamos pegar o carrinho.
Using the definite article changes the meaning to ‘the cart’, which sounds like you’re referring to a specific cart already known.
Vamos pegar um carro.
‘Carro’ means ‘car’; learners often confuse it with ‘carrinho’ (cart).
Vamos pegar a carrinho.
The article must agree in gender; ‘carrinho’ is masculine, so use ‘um’, not ‘a’.
↔Alternatives
Vamos pegar um carrinho de compras.
Let’s get a shopping cart.
Vamos pegar um carrinho aqui.
Let’s take a cart here.
Vamos pegar um carrinho, por favor.
Let’s get a cart, please.
Cultural Tip
In Brazilian supermarkets the carts are usually metal and you have to pull a lever to release one. It’s polite to say ‘Vamos pegar um carrinho?’ before you both walk to the cart aisle. In some smaller markets the carts are wooden and you might hear ‘carrinho de feira’. The diminutive form shows a casual, friendly tone; avoid using the formal ‘carrinha’ which is not used in Brazil.