How to Give Advice in Brazilian Portuguese Without Sounding Bossy
A small change in wording can make advice sound more tentative or direct. Compare eu tentaria, talvez seja melhor, and que tal…? in useful everyday examples.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
Use eu tentaria… (I would try…) or eu no seu lugar… (if I were you…) to share what you might do. These phrases mark advice as a suggestion from your perspective rather than an order the other person has to follow.
Offer an idea as one option
Include a reason when it helps: eu tentaria ligar de manhã, porque costuma ser mais tranquilo (I would try calling in the morning because it tends to be quieter). Advice sounds more useful when the listener can see how it connects to the situation.
Eu no seu lugar, perguntaria sobre outra data.
If I were you, I would ask about another date.
Eu tentaria explicar o que aconteceu com calma.
I would try to explain what happened calmly.
Use a question to suggest a next step
Que tal + infinitive? offers an idea as a question: que tal conversar com ela? (how about talking to her?). This can leave the other person more room to accept, adapt, or reject the suggestion.
Talvez seja melhor… (maybe it would be better…) is another option when you want to sound cautious. Notice seja, a subjunctive form used after talvez to present a possibility rather than a certainty.
Que tal pedir mais detalhes antes de decidir?
How about asking for more details before deciding?
Talvez seja melhor esperar a confirmação.
Maybe it would be better to wait for confirmation.
Check whether the person wants advice
Before giving a list of solutions, ask você quer uma sugestão? (would you like a suggestion?) or você quer que eu só escute? (would you like me just to listen?). This is useful when you do not know whether the person wants an idea, practical help, or simply a chance to talk.
If someone does not take your suggestion, you can respond sem problema, você conhece melhor a situação (no problem, you know the situation better). Advice is part of a conversation, not a promise that you know the single correct choice.
Put it into practice
Offer advice with eu tentaria or que tal, explain your reason, and check whether the person wants a suggestion first.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “How about asking for more details before deciding”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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