Portuguese Recipe Measurements: Cups, Grams, and Quantities
Learn the words for a cup, spoonful, gram, and a little more or less, then practice reading quantities in Portuguese recipes.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
A recipe usually puts the amount beside the ingredient: uma xícara de arroz (one cup of rice), duzentos gramas de queijo (two hundred grams of cheese), or uma colher de sopa de óleo (one tablespoon of oil). The word de links the quantity to what you measure.
Read the measurement before the ingredient
Colher de sopa is a tablespoon and colher de chá is a teaspoon. A colher by itself means spoon, so keep the full phrase together when you add a measurement to your notes.
Separe duas xícaras de farinha.
Set aside two cups of flour.
A receita leva uma colher de chá de canela.
The recipe calls for one teaspoon of cinnamon.
Describe approximate amounts naturally
Not every recipe gives an exact number. Um pouco de means ‘a little,’ o suficiente means ‘enough,’ and a gosto means ‘to taste.’ These expressions are especially useful for ingredients such as salt, herbs, and spices.
Mais or menos means ‘approximately’ or ‘more or less.’ When a measurement is unclear, ask whether it refers to a level spoon, a heaped spoon, or a particular cup. Kitchen measures can vary, so follow the recipe’s own description.
Coloque sal a gosto.
Add salt to taste.
É mais ou menos meia xícara?
Is it about half a cup?
Use um pouco de água morna.
Use a little warm water.
Ask someone to clarify a quantity
Use quanto or quanta to ask ‘how much’ before a singular mass noun: quanto açúcar? (how much sugar?) and quanta água? (how much water?). For countable plural items, use quantos or quantas: quantos ovos? (how many eggs?).
Repeat the unit in your question when it matters. That makes it easier for someone to confirm whether they mean a cup, a spoonful, or a weight.
Quantas colheres de farinha eu coloco?
How many spoonfuls of flour should I add?
Você pode me dizer a quantidade em gramas?
Can you tell me the quantity in grams?
Put it into practice
Keep the unit and ingredient together, learn a gosto for ‘to taste,’ and ask a complete question when the amount needs clarification.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “Is it about half a cup”?
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.