Portuguese Phrase
Você pode me mostrar neste mapa?
Meaning
A polite request asking someone to point out a location or route on the map that is currently being looked at. It combines a modal verb with a clitic pronoun and a demonstrative prepositional phrase.
When to use
Use this sentence when you are looking at a paper or digital map with a guide, a friend, or a tour guide and need them to indicate a specific place. It’s common in travel, classroom geography activities, or when planning a route together.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vocêpodememostrarnestemapa?
Você (subject pronoun)
Used for the second‑person singular; in Brazil it’s the standard polite form.
pode (poder)
Present indicative of the modal verb poder – ‘can/able to’. It is followed by an infinitive.
me (clitic pronoun)
Object pronoun placed before the infinitive when it follows a modal verb.
mostrar (infinitive)
The main verb meaning ‘to show’. After a modal, the infinitive stays unchanged.
neste (em + este)
Contraction of the preposition em and the demonstrative este; used with masculine singular nouns that are near the speaker.
mapa (noun)
Masculine noun meaning ‘map’; takes the article ‘o’ in full sentences (o mapa).
🗨In Conversation
Você pode me mostrar neste mapa?
Can you show me on this map?
Claro, aqui está o caminho para o museu.
Sure, here’s the way to the museum.
✕Common Mistakes
Você pode me mostra neste mapa?
After ‘pode’, the verb must stay in the infinitive (mostrar), not conjugated.
Você pode me mostrar nesse mapa?
‘Neste’ is used with masculine singular nouns that are near; ‘nesse’ would refer to something farther away.
Você pode mostrar me neste mapa?
When a clitic follows a modal verb, it must precede the infinitive (me mostrar → me mostrar).
↔Alternatives
Pode me indicar neste mapa?
Can you point it out on this map?
Você poderia me mostrar neste mapa?
Could you show me on this map?
Mostre‑me neste mapa, por favor.
Show me on this map, please.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, adding ‘por favor’ or using the conditional ‘poderia’ makes the request sound even more courteous. The demonstrative ‘neste’ is used only with masculine singular nouns that are close to the speaker; if the map were farther away you’d say ‘nesse mapa’. Also, Brazilians often accompany the request with a gesture toward the map, which helps the listener understand exactly what you want to see.