pedir

Senses

1. 1.

   to ask (for)

   to request something from someone

2. 2.

   to order

   to request food or drinks in a restaurant or bar

3. 3.

   to demand

   to require or insist on something

4. 4.

   to propose (marriage)

   to ask someone to marry you

Examples

• "Posso pedir um favor?"

  Can I ask you a favor?

• "Vou pedir uma pizza e uma cerveja."

  I'm going to order a pizza and a beer.

• "Ela pediu desculpas pelo atraso."

  She apologized (literally: asked for forgiveness) for the delay.

Usage

Extremely common everyday verb; conjugates regularly with some stem changes in stressed forms (peço, pedes, pede…). "Pedir para" + infinitive means "to ask someone to do something" (e.g., *pedi para ele vir*). Often paired with nouns: *pedir licença* (ask permission), *pedir explicações* (demand explanation).