Cadê vs. Onde Está? Ask ‘Where Is It?’ in Brazilian Portuguese
Cadê? is a common informal way to ask where something or someone is; onde está? is the complete, neutral question pattern.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
Cadê? is a conversational Brazilian Portuguese question meaning ‘where is it?’ or ‘where are they?’ It is especially common when you are looking for a person or thing. Put the noun after it: cadê meu celular? (where’s my phone?).
Use cadê for a quick, informal ‘where is…?’
Cadê is a fixed question word. It does not change to match a plural noun, and it is not normally followed by a verb: cadê as chaves? is natural even though chaves is plural.
Cadê o meu café?
Where’s my coffee?
Cadê vocês?
Where are you all?
Você sabe cadê a estação?
Do you know where the station is?
Use onde está for a complete, neutral question
Onde está? is the full pattern ‘where is?’ Use onde estão? for plural subjects. The verb agrees with the person or object: onde está o banheiro? but onde estão meus óculos? In everyday speech, Brazilians often reduce está to tá.
Onde fica? commonly asks where a place is located; cadê? sounds more like looking for it. The distinction is flexible in casual conversation, so context and tone help.
Onde está a minha reserva?
Where is my reservation?
Onde estão as saídas?
Where are the exits?
Onde fica a farmácia mais próxima?
Where is the nearest pharmacy?
Put it into practice
Use cadê for a short, informal search question. Use onde está/estão for the full verb pattern, and onde fica for the location of a place.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “Where are the exits”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
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