Archive for August, 2008
Sea Lion Takes a Trip to Rio Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 31, 2008
A two-meter long leão-marinho (sea lion) washed up on the shore of the Praia de Sepetiba in the west part of Rio de Janeiro on Friday. He appeared to be injured, but before firefighters could move him, he returned to the ocean. However, the sea lion reappeared on Sunday on someone’s front porch on the…
Podcast: Ordering at a Restaurant Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 29, 2008
Click to hear the Podcast! Today, we’re going to learn language to use at a restaurant. Poderia me trazer o cardápio, por favor? Quero uma água com gas. Ela gostaria de um copo de vinho tinto. Queremos a cesta de pães como petisco, para compartilhar. Para a entrada, gostaria de salada verde. Para…
Tools for Traveling in Brazil Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 27, 2008
Globo Online has a few different tools that can help you plan your trip while traveling in Brazil, particularly in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Maps Traffic: check traffic conditions on the major roads in Rio and São Paulo, which is very important during rush hour and lunch time; Find a street: locate your…
Namorar Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 26, 2008
Namorar and the various offshoots have several meanings, so let’s take a look. 1. Namorar (I) This means dating. Estamos namorando tem um ano. We’ve been dating for a year. Estavam namorando mas terminaram. They were dating but they broke up. 2. Namorar (II) This means cuddling, snuggling, showing affection or caressing. O casal jovem…
Brazilian Fruit Series: Part II Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 25, 2008
Today we’re going to look at the acerola fruit, native to northern Brazil, Central America, and the Antilles. Also known as the “Antilles cherry” and the “barbarian’s cherry,” this fruit does in fact resemble the North American cherry, and grows on trees that can reach up to 3 meters high. The tree produces pinkish-white flowers…
Amazon Monkey in Minas Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 21, 2008
A large monkey from the Amazon appeared yesterday in a small town in Minas Gerais, much to the surprise of residents, since the area is quite far from the rainforest. Firemen tried to catch the monkey to bring him to Ibama, the authorities responsible for wild animals. The monkey, however, outsmarted them, and is still…
Portuguese Learning Tips Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 20, 2008
It’s hard to learn another language when you’re not constantly immersing yourself, either in a class or in another country. Here are a few tips to learn Portuguese by getting into a weekly routine: Read and listen to Portuguese every day. It can be the news, a book, or even just your horoscope. You can…