Portuguese for a Music Lesson: Instruments and Practice Instructions
Use music vocabulary and clear clarification questions to follow a lesson and understand what to practice between classes.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
Instrumento means instrument. Violão is an acoustic guitar common in Brazilian Portuguese usage; guitarra often refers to an electric guitar. Teclado is keyboard, bateria is drums, and flauta is flute.
Name your instrument and current level
When describing your level, say sou iniciante (I'm a beginner) or já tenho alguma experiência (I already have some experience). The teacher can then choose an exercise that fits what you know.
Estou começando a aprender violão.
I'm starting to learn acoustic guitar.
Já sei alguns acordes, mas ainda leio partitura devagar.
I know a few chords, but I still read sheet music slowly.
Ask about tempo and technique
Acorde means chord, ritmo means rhythm, and andamento means tempo or pace. To ask for a slower demonstration, say Você pode tocar mais devagar? Then ask whether you should repeat the whole passage or focus on one measure.
Faster and slower are mais rápido and mais devagar. Ask how to position your hands or breathe if a technique is unclear, and let the instructor demonstrate rather than guessing.
Qual é o ritmo desta música?
What is the rhythm of this song?
Pode mostrar esse acorde de novo?
Can you show that chord again?
Confirm what to practice at home
Use praticar for practice and exercício for exercise. Ask which section to repeat and how often. A short practice goal is easier to remember than a general instruction to ‘play more.’
Write the task down and read it back to the teacher. This gives you a useful check before the lesson ends.
Qual exercício devo praticar esta semana?
Which exercise should I practice this week?
Então, repito os quatro compassos devagar?
So, I repeat the four measures slowly?
Put it into practice
Tell the teacher your level, ask for a demonstration when technique is unclear, and confirm one specific practice task.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “What is the rhythm of this song”?
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.