Archive for the year 2008
Brazilian Fruit Series: Part V Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 2, 2008
Today, we’re going to take a look at the graviola, also known as soursop and guanabana. The graviola fruit originally came from the Antilles and in Brazil, it’s grown in the Amazon and Northeast. It grows on a tree from four to six meters tall in a humid climate. The fruit itself, which is green…
Baby Anteater Found on Highway Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 1, 2008
This week, authorities rescued a five day-old baby tamanduá (anteater) on a major highway in Goiânia. Anteaters are forest-dwellers that feed on termites and ants. They can grow up to three meters long and can weigh up to forty kilograms. Some types of anteaters are endangered in Brazil due to habitat destruction.
Podcast: At a hotel Posted by Transparent Language on Sep 30, 2008
Click to hear the Podcast! Today, we’re going to learn how to check into a hotel in Portuguese. In Portuguese, it’s polite to greet someone based on the time of day, instead of a simple “hello” that we use in American English. Therefore, we use “boa tarde,” which means good afternoon. Brazilian Portuguese…
The Brazilian Pet Shop Industry Posted by Transparent Language on Sep 29, 2008
Known as “pet shops” (in English), these small businesses are amongst the most successful in Brazil. Dogs are popular pets and are often treated like children: owners buy them outfits, shoes, fancy collars, and doggie beds. Also, since Brazilians are very concerned about personal hygiene, they also keep their dogs very clean, often bringing them…
Festival do Rio 2008 Posted by Transparent Language on Sep 28, 2008
From September 25 to October 9th, Rio de Janeiro will host the annual “Festival do Rio,” an international film festival featuring some of the best films from Brazil, Latin America, and the world. Hundreds of films will be shown at nearly 30 theaters all over the city, including several free films at the Centro Cultural…
Portuguese Plurals: Part III Posted by Transparent Language on Sep 25, 2008
Today we’re going to do the last part in the plural nouns series, to finish up with the irregular nouns. 1. Words ending in al With these nouns, the al changes to ais. sinal –> sinais [stoplight -> stoplights] capital –> capitais [capital -> capitals] moral –> morais [moral –> morals] 2. Words ending in…
Brazilian Profile: Sônia Braga Posted by Transparent Language on Sep 24, 2008
Born in Maringá, Paraná in 1950 to a seamstress mother and a realtor father, Sônia Braga went on to become one of Brazil’s most famous and successful actresses. Sônia began her career at age 18, when she starred in the musical Hair. From there, she moved on to TV and film. She got her big break…