What does "pode ser" mean in Portuguese? (Yes, maybe or no)

You ask a Portuguese friend if they want to come along tonight. They smile and say:

Great! Or… is it?

Two words, three answers

Word for word, pode ser means "it could be". In real life it can mean any of these:

1. Yes, sounds good. Relaxed, happy agreement.
2. Maybe, ask me later. They haven't decided yet.
3. No, but I'm too polite to say it. A soft way out.

How to tell which one you got

The tone tells you which one. A quick, bright pode ser! is usually a yes. A slow pode ser… with a little shrug leans towards maybe, or no.

You'll also hear it all the time in shops and cafés, where it simply means "that works":

• Quer um saco? ("Do you want a bag?") Pode ser. ("Sure.")

Careful with that one: by law, shops have to charge for bags, 10 cents or more each. So a pode ser at the till means the bag goes on your bill. Bring your own if you'd rather not pay.

Using it yourself

Pode ser is a safe, friendly answer when you're offered something and the answer is yes. If you really mean yes to a plan, add a little energy so nobody reads it as a polite no.

In short

• Pode ser = "it could be", but it can mean yes, maybe or no.
• Listen to the tone.
• In shops it's simply "sure, that works".

The European Portuguese Cheat Sheets cover the everyday phrases you'll hear most, each with pronunciation.