Portuguese Phrase
Dá o teu lugar pra quem precisa.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Give your seat to the one who needs it.’ It’s a polite request or reminder to offer your seat to someone who may have a greater need—like an elderly person, a pregnant woman, or someone with a disability.
When to use
Use this phrase on buses, trains, metros, airplanes, or any crowded venue when you see someone who would benefit from a seat. It can also be used figuratively, encouraging someone to make space for another’s needs.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Dáoteulugarpraquemprecisa
Imperative (2nd person singular)
‘Dá’ is the informal affirmative imperative of the verb ‘dar’ (to give) used when speaking to a friend or peer.
Possessive adjective ‘teu’
‘teu’ means ‘your’ (informal) and agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies – here ‘lugar’ (masc. singular).
Contraction ‘pra’
‘pra’ is the colloquial contraction of ‘para’, meaning ‘for’ or ‘to’. It is common in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
Relative pronoun ‘quem’
‘quem’ introduces a relative clause and translates to ‘who’ or ‘the one who’.
Present indicative ‘precisa’
‘precisa’ is the 3rd‑person singular present of ‘precisar’ (to need), referring to the person in the relative clause.
🗨In Conversation
Com licença, posso sentar aqui?
Excuse me, may I sit here?
Claro! Dá o teu lugar pra quem precisa.
Sure! Give up your seat for someone who needs it.
✕Common Mistakes
Dê o teu lugar pra quem precisa.
‘Dê’ is the formal imperative (you‑formal). Using it with ‘teu’ (informal) sounds mismatched.
Dá o seu lugar pra quem precisa.
‘seu’ is the formal possessive; pairing it with the informal ‘Dá’ creates a register clash.
Dá o teu lugar para quem precisa.
While grammatically correct, ‘para’ sounds overly formal in casual conversation; ‘pra’ is the natural spoken form.
↔Alternatives
Cede o teu lugar a quem precisa.
Yield your seat to the one who needs it.
Oferece o teu assento a quem necessita.
Offer your seat to someone who needs it.
Deixa o teu lugar livre para quem precisa.
Leave your seat free for someone who needs it.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, giving up your seat to the elderly, pregnant women, people with disabilities, or parents with small children is considered a sign of good manners and respect. While the phrase is informal, you can switch to the formal ‘Dê o seu lugar…’ when speaking to strangers you want to address politely. In some regions, ‘pra’ is replaced by the more formal ‘para’, but both are understood everywhere.