# What is a prompt? A beginner's guide to AI > A prompt is the instruction you give to the AI. Learn what it is, how it works, and how to write prompts that get much better results. - Source: https://doutorai.pt/en/blog/what-is-a-prompt - Author: Miguel Diamond (https://doutorai.pt/en/author/miguel) - Category: AI for Beginners - Published: Jun 29, 2026 - Site: Doutor AI (https://doutorai.pt/en) - AI tools for small businesses ## Quick answer A prompt is the instruction or question you write for an artificial intelligence tool. It is how you communicate with the AI: you say what you want and it answers or carries out the task. The clearer and more specific your prompt, the better the result. You do not need to know how to code to write a good prompt. - A prompt is any instruction or question you give to an AI tool - The quality of the prompt directly determines the quality of the answer - Context, specificity and format are the three pillars of a good prompt - Anyone can learn to write good prompts without knowing how to code ## What is a prompt, exactly The word "prompt" comes from English and means instruction or cue. In the context of artificial intelligence, a prompt is the text you write to communicate with an AI tool, whether it is Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini or any other assistant. It is the message you send, and the AI builds its answer from it. Think of a prompt as a message you send to a very capable assistant, one that only does what you asked, exactly as you asked it. If the message is vague, the answer will be vague too. If it is clear, well structured and has enough context, the answer will be much more useful and closer to what you need. You do not need to know how to code. You do not need to use technical language. And there is no special formula you have to memorize. Most AI tools understand natural language, the same Portuguese you use every day in a message or an email. ## How a prompt works When you write a prompt, the AI tool analyzes your text in detail, understands what you need and generates an appropriate answer. This process happens in seconds, sometimes less. The AI model was trained on enormous amounts of text and learned to recognize patterns of language, contexts and intentions. When you give it a prompt, it uses that knowledge to produce the most useful answer possible, based on what you wrote and on the context of the conversation up to that moment. There is one important thing to understand: AI has no memory between different sessions, unless the tool has that feature turned on. Every time you start a new conversation, it starts from scratch. Within the same session, however, it can use the context of everything said before to answer with more precision. That is why, in longer and more complex sessions, it is worth providing context right at the start instead of building it over many messages. ## The most common types of prompts There are many ways to use a prompt, and understanding the different types helps you choose the right approach for each situation: TypeExampleWhat it's for Direct question"What is the capital of Australia?"Get a quick, factual answer Task request"Write a thank-you email to customer João for yesterday's order."Create content or complete a specific action Request with context"I own a bakery in Lisbon. Suggest 5 creative names for an orange cake with cinnamon."More personalized and relevant answers for your case Transformation request"Summarize this text in 3 main points."Reformat, condense, or adapt existing information Analysis request"What is the tone of this email? Does it seem too formal for a young customer?"Get an assessment, opinion, or critical review In practice, many prompts combine more than one type. For example, a task request with defined context and format is more powerful than any of the three on their own. ## How to write a good prompt There is no magic formula, but there are four simple principles that make a huge difference in the results and that anyone can apply from the very first use: - **Be specific.** Instead of "help me with marketing", write "suggest 3 Instagram post ideas for a clothing store for young people aged 18 to 25, with a relaxed tone and without using too many emojis". The difference in the result is huge. - **Give context.** Tell the AI who you are, who the result is for, and what the final goal is. The more it knows about the situation, the better it can adapt the answer to your real needs. - **Define the format.** Tell the AI how you want the answer: "answer in bullet points", "write in PT-PT", "use an informal tone", "don't use technical jargon", "up to 100 words". The more you define the format, the less time you spend fixing it later. - **Iterate without fear.** If the first answer is not perfect, don't give up. Ask for a different version, a shorter one, a more formal one, one with concrete examples, or one with a different approach. The AI uses the context of the conversation to improve with each additional request. With some practice, writing good prompts becomes a natural habit. Most people improve a lot after just a few hours of real use, simply because they start to understand what works and what doesn't work for their specific case. ## Practical prompt examples for everyday use Here are some ready-to-use prompts for small businesses and everyday tasks. You can copy, adapt, and save them in your personal library: - "Create a product description for a handmade lavender candle. Tone: elegant and welcoming. Up to 80 words. In European Portuguese, no Brazilian expressions." - "Write a friendly reply to a negative review on Google. The customer said they waited too long. Don't over-apologize, but show empathy and explain what has changed." - "Suggest 5 email subject lines for the October newsletter of a Christmas decoration store. Tone: enthusiastic but not over the top. Each subject line under 50 characters." - "Translate this text from English into European Portuguese, keeping a casual tone. Avoid literal translations that sound strange in PT-PT." - "Summarize this meeting into 5 action points, each with a person in charge and a suggested deadline. [paste the meeting notes here]" Notice how each example includes the desired tone, the maximum length, or the necessary context. These are small additions that save several iterations and produce results much closer to what you need on the very first try. If you want to go deeper into using prompts with specific tools, such as Claude Code for programming, visit the [Claude Code page on Doutor AI](https://doutorai.pt/en/claude-code). ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I write prompts in Portuguese? Yes. Most modern AI tools, including Claude and ChatGPT, respond very well in European Portuguese. You can write your prompts in PT-PT and specifically ask for the answer to be in PT-PT as well, to avoid expressions from Brazil. ### How many words should a prompt have? There is no fixed limit, but most effective prompts have between 20 and 200 words. What matters most is being clear and specific. A short, direct prompt is almost always better than a long, vague one. ### What is prompt engineering (the practice of writing prompts)? It is the practice of writing and refining prompts in a systematic way to get the best results from an AI tool. It is an increasingly valued skill in the job market and requires no programming knowledge. ### Can I save and reuse prompts that work well? Yes, and it is an excellent practice. Save your best prompts in a simple document or a notes folder. Over time you build a personal library that saves a lot of time. Doutor AI has a library of ready-to-use prompts to use as a starting point. ### Can a prompt include files or images? It depends on the tool. Claude and ChatGPT let you include images and documents in prompts. Claude Code, for example, can read files directly from your computer as part of the request, which is one of its biggest advantages. --- Content by Doutor AI (https://doutorai.pt/en). When quoting, please cite the source: https://doutorai.pt/en/blog/what-is-a-prompt