Portuguese Phrase
A gente prefere uma mesa ao ar livre.
Meaning
The speaker says that the group would rather sit at a table that is outside, in the open air. It’s a polite way to state a seating preference when you’re at a restaurant or café.
When to use
Use this sentence when you’re ordering at a restaurant, making a reservation, or simply telling a friend that you’d like to sit outside. It works in casual conversation and is perfectly natural in Brazil.
✦Grammar Breakdown
A genteprefereuma mesaao ar livre
A gente
Colloquial way to say 'we' in Brazilian Portuguese; it takes third‑person singular verb forms.
prefere
Third‑person singular present of the verb preferir; matches the singular subject ‘a gente’.
ao
Contraction of the preposition a + the masculine singular article o; means ‘to the’ or ‘in the’.
ar livre
Fixed expression meaning ‘outdoors’ or ‘open air’; often used with the preposition ao.
🗨In Conversation
A gente prefere uma mesa ao ar livre.
We’d prefer a table outdoors.
Claro, já vou pedir uma mesa na varanda para vocês.
Sure, I’ll ask for a table on the patio for you.
✕Common Mistakes
Nos prefere uma mesa ao ar livre.
‘Nos’ is a pronoun that requires a verb in first‑person plural (preferimos). With ‘a gente’ you must keep the verb singular.
A gente prefere uma mesa a o ar livre.
Do not split the contraction; ‘a o’ is incorrect. It must stay as ‘ao’.
A gente preferimos uma mesa ao ar livre.
If you replace ‘a gente’ with ‘nós’, the verb must change to the plural form ‘preferimos’.
↔Alternatives
Nós preferimos uma mesa ao ar livre.
We prefer a table outdoors.
Preferimos sentar ao ar livre.
We’d rather sit outdoors.
Gostaríamos de uma mesa ao ar livre.
We would like a table outdoors.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, outdoor (al fresco) seating is very popular, especially in warm cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Using ‘a gente’ makes the request sound friendly and informal; in a more formal setting you might switch to ‘nós’. Also, many restaurants have a ‘varanda’ (patio) or ‘terraço’ (terrace) that is exactly what ‘ar livre’ refers to.