Tu vs. você vs. o senhor vs. a senhora
While English uses the single word "you" for everyone from a best friend to a judge, Portuguese distinguishes between levels of intimacy, hierarchy, and respect. Choosing between tu, você, o senhor, and a senhora depends on who you are talking to and, fundamentally, where you are (Portugal vs. Brazil).
Tu
A1This is the most informal way to say "you". It is strictly reserved for family members, close friends, extensive romantic partners, and children. In Portugal, it is used widely among established acquaintances. In Brazil, its usage is regional (common in the South and Rio) and often mixed colloquially with third-person verbs, though it grammatically requires second-person conjugation.
Tu és a minha melhor amiga.
(You are my best friend.)
Tu queres ir ao cinema hoje?
(Do you want to go to the cinema today?)
Eu comprei este livro para ti.
(I bought this book for you.)
Você
A1In Brazil, você is the standard word for "you" used in almost all situations, from friends to acquaintances and even parents in some families. In Portugal, você is not intimate like tu, but not entirely formal; however, explicitly saying the specific word você can sometimes sound harsh or unpolished in Portugal, so people often omit the pronoun or use the person's name instead.
Você vai trabalhar amanhã?
(Are you going to work tomorrow?)
Acho que você esqueceu o casaco.
(I think you forgot your coat.)
Onde você mora?
(Where do you live?)
O senhor
A1Literally translating to "the gentleman", this is the formal way to address a man. It acts as a respectful "you". It is required when speaking to elderly men, authority figures (police, bosses), customers in a service setting, or male strangers to show social distance and respect.
O senhor gostaria de ver o menu?
(Would you like to see the menu?)
Desculpe, o senhor sabe que horas são?
(Excuse me, do you know what time it is?)
Como o senhor está se sentindo?
(How are you feeling?)
A senhora
A1Literally translating to "the lady", this is the formal counterpart to o senhor, used to address women. It is traditionally used for elderly women, female figures of authority, or when you wish to show a high degree of politeness to a woman you do not know well.
A senhora deixou cair a sua chave.
(You dropped your key.)
A senhora aceita um copo de água?
(Would you accept a glass of water?)
É um prazer conhecer a senhora.
(It is a pleasure to meet you.)
Summary
In short, use tu for intimacy and close relationships. Use você as the general standard in Brazil or a semi-formal option in Portugal (though often omitted there). Use o senhor (for men) and a senhora (for women) to show respect to elders, authorities, or strangers. While tu generally uses distinct verb endings, você, o senhor, and a senhora all share the exact same third-person verb conjugation.