Convidar vs. Chamar: Invite Someone or Ask Them to Come?
Convidar clearly means invite. Chamar can mean call, ask someone to come, or invite them, depending on the situation.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
Convidar means to invite someone. The pattern is convidar alguém para + event or activity: convidar os amigos para jantar. It clearly communicates that the person is welcome to attend, although an invitation does not force them to accept.
Use convidar for an invitation
For a polite invitation, add the event and time rather than relying on a vague ‘come over.’ This makes the plan easy to understand and respond to.
Vou convidar a Júlia para o aniversário.
I’m going to invite Júlia to the birthday party.
Eles nos convidaram para jantar no sábado.
They invited us to dinner on Saturday.
Posso convidar mais uma pessoa?
Can I invite one more person?
Use chamar when you call or ask someone to join
Chamar means to call, summon, or call someone over. In casual Brazilian Portuguese, chamar alguém para + activity can also mean invite someone: me chama para o próximo jogo (invite me to the next game). The context tells the listener whether you mean an invitation or simply getting attention.
If the plan is important or the invitation must be unmistakable, convidar is the more explicit choice. If you call a person by phone, say ligar para alguém; chamar alguém on its own can mean call out to or summon that person.
Ela me chamou para tomar um café.
She invited me to have a coffee.
O professor chamou os alunos para a sala.
The teacher called the students into the room.
Vou chamar o garçom.
I’m going to call the waiter over.
Put it into practice
Convidar is the clear verb for invite. Chamar has broader meanings, including call or ask someone to join; include the event or situation to remove ambiguity.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “I’m going to call the waiter over”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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