Entrada: Not Just an Entrance

At first glance, entrada seems simple, it’s clearly related to “entrance,” right?

And yes, in some contexts, that’s absolutely true.

But in Portuguese, entrada does a lot more than open doors. It’s also used for:

• Starters on a menu
• Tickets for a show or event
• Entry to a competition

Let’s break it down.

🚪 Entrance

This is the most obvious and literal meaning.

• A entrada do edifício fica à direita.
  → The entrance to the building is on the right.

Easy.

🍽️ Starter (Food)

But at a restaurant, you’ll see entrada used for a starter dish.

• Gostaria de pedir uma entrada?
  → Would you like to order a starter?

This is where learners often hesitate, it’s not an entrance to the meal, it is the meal!

🎟️ Ticket or Admission

Another usage:

• O preço da entrada é cinco euros.
  → Admission is five euros.
• Tens a tua entrada para o concerto?
  → Do you have your ticket for the concert?

Here, entrada means the right to enter, not the door itself.

⚠️ A Word With Layers

So yes, entrada can mean entrance but it’s also:

• A meal starter
• A show ticket
• General admission or access

Context is everything.

Final Thought

Portuguese is full of these layered words, where your first instinct might be right, but only partly.

Now you know: entrada doesn’t just get you in the door — it gets you to the show, the table, and beyond.