Pedir vs. perguntar
In Portuguese, both pedir and perguntar can be translated as to ask in English, but they are not interchangeable. The key difference lies in what is being asked for: pedir is for a request, an item, or an action, while perguntar is for information or a question.
Pedir
A1Pedir means to ask for something, to make a request, or to order something. It is used when you want to obtain an object, a service, a favor, or want someone to perform an action.
Eu vou pedir uma pizza para o jantar.
(I am going to order a pizza for dinner.)
Ela pediu ajuda para carregar as caixas.
(She asked for help to carry the boxes.)
Posso te pedir um favor?
(Can I ask you for a favor?)
O chefe pediu para eu chegar mais cedo amanhã.
(The boss asked me to arrive earlier tomorrow.)
As crianças sempre pedem doces aos pais.
(The children always ask their parents for candy.)
Ele pediu a conta ao garçom.
(He asked the waiter for the bill.)
Vamos pedir silêncio na biblioteca.
(Let's ask for silence in the library.)
Perguntar
A1Perguntar means to ask a question in order to get information. It is used when you are inquiring about something and expect an answer or an explanation.
Ele me perguntou que horas são.
(He asked me what time it is.)
Eu gostaria de perguntar onde fica o banheiro.
(I would like to ask where the bathroom is.)
Ela sempre pergunta sobre a minha família.
(She always asks about my family.)
Não tenha vergonha de perguntar se tiver uma dúvida.
(Don't be ashamed to ask if you have a doubt.)
O turista perguntou como chegar ao museu.
(The tourist asked how to get to the museum.)
Vou perguntar ao professor se a prova foi adiada.
(I'm going to ask the teacher if the test was postponed.)
A criança perguntou por que o céu é azul.
(The child asked why the sky is blue.)
Summary
In essence, use pedir when you want to receive something tangible or an action (like a request or order). Use perguntar when you want to receive information (like asking a question or inquiring). If you can replace ask with request, use pedir. If you can replace it with inquire, use perguntar.