At a Brazilian Hair Salon: Book a Cut and Explain What You Want
Clear reference points and a few questions help you explain a haircut more reliably than one vague adjective.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Use queria marcar um horário to politely ask for an appointment. Say the service—um corte de cabelo, uma escova, or another treatment—and ask what times are available.
Book a time and name the service
Brazilian service vocabulary may differ from the terms you use at home. If you have a particular style in mind, a photo can help, but still describe the length or change you want in words.
Queria marcar um horário para cortar o cabelo.
I’d like to book an appointment for a haircut.
Tem algum horário livre na quinta-feira?
Do you have an opening on Thursday?
Quanto tempo costuma durar o corte?
How long does the haircut usually take?
Describe the change and check before continuing
Say how much you want removed and whether you want to keep a certain length. Só as pontas means “just the ends,” while mais curto means “shorter.” Ask the professional to confirm the plan before a big change.
Use pode…? to make a request and assim está bom? to check whether the current length looks right. You can also say prefiro deixar… to explain what you want to keep.
Quero tirar só as pontas, por favor.
I just want to trim the ends, please.
Pode deixar um pouco mais comprido aqui?
Could you leave it a little longer here?
Antes de cortar mais, pode me mostrar o comprimento?
Before cutting more, could you show me the length?
Put it into practice
Name the service, describe the length you want to keep, and confirm before the professional makes a major change.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “Could you leave it a little longer here”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
Build on this guide with everyday expressions and native Brazilian audio. Choose iPhone, Android, or the web app.