Portuguese Phrase
Você costuma olhar vitrines?
Meaning
The sentence asks whether the listener habitually looks at shop windows, i.e., whether they often stop to admire what’s displayed in store fronts. It’s a neutral, conversational way to talk about a personal habit related to shopping or strolling.
When to use
Use this question when you’re chatting with a friend about shopping habits, when you notice someone pausing in front of a storefront, or when you want to compare cultural attitudes toward consumerism.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vocêcostumaolharvitrines?
Você (subject pronoun)
Used for the second‑person singular in most of Brazil; it is optional in informal speech but keeps the sentence clear.
costuma (verb + -ar)
Third‑person singular of the verb costumar, used to ask about habitual actions; it agrees with the subject ‘você’.
olhar (infinitive)
Infinitive verb meaning ‘to look at’; after costumar it stays in the infinitive form.
vitrines (plural noun)
Plural of ‘vitrine’, a shop window; no article is needed because the verb ‘olhar’ takes a direct object without a preposition.
Interrogative intonation
Raising intonation at the end of the sentence signals a yes/no question; the question mark is written after the last word.
🗨In Conversation
Você costuma olhar vitrines?
Do you usually look at shop windows?
Sim, adoro observar as vitrines quando ando pela rua.
Yes, I love watching the shop windows when I walk down the street.
✕Common Mistakes
Você costuma olhar a vitrines?
Do not use the article ‘a’ before a plural noun after ‘olhar’; the direct object is already clear.
Você costumam olhar vitrines?
When the subject is ‘você’, the verb must be conjugated as ‘costuma’, not ‘costuma‑s’ or ‘costumam’.
Você costuma olhar nas vitrines?
‘Olhar nas vitrines’ is redundant; the preposition ‘nas’ is unnecessary after ‘olhar’ when the object is direct.
↔Alternatives
Você costuma observar vitrines?
Do you usually observe shop windows?
Você costuma ficar olhando vitrines?
Do you tend to keep looking at shop windows?
Você costuma dar uma olhada nas vitrines?
Do you usually take a look at the shop windows?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, especially in big cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, people often stroll along streets lined with colorful vitrines. Looking at them is not just about shopping; it’s a way to enjoy design, fashion trends, and even street art that appears on the glass. In more formal settings, avoid using ‘vitrines’ when talking about high‑end boutiques; you might say ‘exposições nas lojas’ instead.