Fica a vontade means make yourself at home. This is another very common, useful phrase, and is the centerpiece of Brazilian hospitality.
Archive for August, 2007
Fica a Vontade
Posted on 24. Aug, 2007 by Transparent Language in Customs
Expressing Annoyance
Posted on 24. Aug, 2007 by Transparent Language in Slang
Sometimes we all get a little annoyed, no matter what language we speak. This post will show you how to express your frustration in the most succinct and culturally common manner.
Chatear is the first word you will need to know; it means to bother or annoy. If you are upset, you may say that you are chateado/a; this is a very common saying. Someone who is generally the cause of such feeling is said to be chato/a, or even a pentelho.
A synonym for chateado is saco cheio. Stronger still is the expression “p. da vida”. Likewise, the verb chatear can be substituted by encher o saco, which is clearly related to the phrase above.
And if you are looking for the right way to say a pain in the butt in Portuguese, look no further: “um pé no saco” works perfectly.
Dia dos Namorados
Posted on 23. Aug, 2007 by Transparent Language in Holidays
Valentine’s Day in Brazil
Yes, Brazilians celebrate Valentine’s Day… big time.
Brazil celebrates o Dia dos Namorados on the 12th of June, as opposed the the internationally common 14th of February. I guess there is enough to celebrate in Brazil in fevereiro, what with Carnaval and all. The 12th of June is véspera the day before the Dia de Santo Antônio, who is the Portuguese saint with a reputation for encouraging marriage.
The traditions surrounding this day in Brazil are quite similar to those in other countries. It is a bit of a ‘Hallmark Holiday,’ and a great excuse to shower your loved one, whether a spouse (esposo) or a girlfriend or boyfriend (namorado/a). It is generally a good idea to make some plans, perhaps a reservation at a nice restaurant followed by a walk on the praia. Though I don’t have any statistics to back this up, I would imagine that motel rentals skyrocket on this day, as many unmarried people live with their (often religious) parents and are not welcome to bring their namorado/a back home at the end of the night.
Useful vocabulary: namorar means to go out with; to date