Portuguese Phrase
Me diz quais são os próximos passos, por favor.
Meaning
This phrase is a direct yet polite way to ask for guidance or instructions on how to proceed. It is commonly used in professional and personal contexts to clarify the roadmap for a specific task or project. The use of 'me diz' is characteristic of spoken Brazilian Portuguese, making the request feel natural and approachable.
When to use
Use this phrase at the end of a meeting, after completing a task, or during a project planning phase. It is ideal for situations where you need a clear list of actions to take next.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Medizquaissãoospróximospassospor favor
Me diz
This is an informal imperative form of 'dizer'. While standard grammar suggests 'Diga-me', 'Me diz' is the standard in daily Brazilian conversation.
Quais são
Use 'quais' (the plural of 'qual') whenever the following noun is plural. It translates to 'which are' or 'what are'.
Próximos passos
In Portuguese, adjectives of order like 'próximo' (next) usually come before the noun they modify.
🗨In Conversation
Terminei a primeira parte do relatório.
I finished the first part of the report.
Ótimo! Me diz quais são os próximos passos, por favor.
Great! Tell me what the next steps are, please.
✕Common Mistakes
Me diz qual são os próximos passos, por favor.
The word 'quais' must be plural to agree with 'passos' (steps).
Eu quero saber o que é os próximos passos.
The verb 'ser' must be conjugated in the plural 'são' to match 'passos'.
↔Alternatives
Quais são os próximos passos?
What are the next steps?
Poderia me informar os próximos passos?
Could you inform me of the next steps?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, starting a sentence with the pronoun 'Me' is very common in spoken language, though technically incorrect in formal grammar. In Portugal or formal writing, you would likely say 'Diga-me' instead. Adding 'por favor' at the end softens the imperative and ensures you remain polite.