Em Primeiro Lugar, Em Seguida, Por Fim: Order Ideas in Portuguese
Sequence connectors help readers follow steps, a presentation, or a list of priorities without losing the main idea.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
Em primeiro lugar means first or in the first place. Use it to announce the first step in a procedure or the first consideration in an explanation.
Introduce the first point
If you are giving instructions, make each step a clear action. The connector indicates order; it does not explain how to do the action.
Em primeiro lugar, confira o endereço no comprovante.
First, check the address on the receipt.
Em primeiro lugar, precisamos entender o objetivo do projeto.
First, we need to understand the project's goal.
Move to the next step with em seguida or depois
Em seguida means next or immediately afterward and often sounds organized in instructions. Depois is the everyday word for afterward or later and can be less formal.
Choose em seguida when one step follows closely. Choose depois when the timing is broader or you are simply describing what happens later.
Em seguida, envie o formulário pelo portal.
Next, send the form through the portal.
Depois, espere a confirmação por e-mail.
Afterward, wait for confirmation by email.
Close a sequence with por fim
Por fim means finally or lastly and introduces the final step or concluding point. It is a useful marker in a presentation or set of directions.
Do not confuse por fim with no fim, which can mean at the end of a period or process: no fim do mês (at the end of the month).
Por fim, salve uma cópia do documento.
Finally, save a copy of the document.
Por fim, vou apresentar os próximos passos.
Lastly, I'll present the next steps.
Put it into practice
Use em primeiro lugar to start, em seguida or depois to continue, and por fim to mark the last step.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “Lastly, I'll present the next steps”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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