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Os Estados do Brasil – Brazilian States Posted by Nicole on Jul 31, 2015
While it is a huge country like the United States, Brazil only has 26 states and one distrito federal (the capital Brasilia stands by itself, like Washington, D.C.). There are generally 16 recognized Brazilian Portuguese dialects from the states, such as Gaúcho from the south, Carioca from Rio de Janeiro, and Nortista from states like Amazonas…
Advérbios – Adverbs Posted by Nicole on Jul 25, 2015
Adverbs in Portuguese are very similar to adverbs in English. They are adjetivos (adjectives) that describe a verbo (verb). Also, English adverbs generally end in -ly, while Portuguese adverbs usually end in -mente. For example: A Luana canta bem. (Luana sings well.) O João provavelmente está doente. (João is probably sick.) Other times, an adverb can be…
Por que, por quê, porque, e porquê – What’s the difference? Posted by Nicole on Jul 16, 2015
Por que, por quê, porque, and porquê all look pretty much the same, but they all mean something different. Show your Portuguese prowess by mastering each of them. Por que is the basic form. This literally means por qual razão or por qual motivo, or “why.” Por que você não gosta de chocolate? (Why don’t you…
Como Fazer Vinagrete – How to Make Vinagrete Posted by Nicole on Jul 9, 2015
Olá pessoal! Brazilian food has several common side dishes and garnishes. Beans, farofa, and even batata palha are staples of Brazilian lunches and dinners. Another common garnish is vinagrete…my personal favorite. You will need tomates (tomatoes), cebolas (onions), cheiro verde (parsley), and pimenta verdes (green peppers) to start. Corte os ingredientes em cubos (cut the…
Tips for Learning Portuguese Posted by Nicole on Jul 6, 2015
Olá pessoal! This week, I wanted to give you all some tips on how to stay motivated while learning Portuguese. I started learning Portuguese years ago and I remember coming across some bumps in the road! Here are some tips: 1. Estabelecer objetivos (Set goals) Do you want to be fluente (fluent) in a year?…
Biodiversidade no Brasil – Wildlife in Brazil Posted by Nicole on Jun 29, 2015
Brazil is considered to be the most biodiverse country in the world. It is home to many animals such as the anaconda and jaguar. Some also believe that Brazil has the most insects in the world. Here are some animals you may not know: Preguiça-de-coleira (Maned Sloth) Several species of bicho-preguiça (sloth) are found in…
Como Fazer Brigadeiro – How to Make Brigadeiro! Posted by Nicole on Jun 21, 2015
Brazilian desserts and treats are out of this world. One thing you must try in Brazil is brigadeiro. It comes in different forms (I’ve had brigadeiro coffee at a mall in Manaus and bought tubs of it at Carrefour) and is super sweet. However, I prefer to make it at home! Check out my favorite…