Archive for the year 2008
Actually… Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 7, 2008
Actually is a false cognate that is often confused by both Portuguese speakers when using English and by English speakers when using Portuguese. So, actually, the word “actually” in Portuguese would be em realidade or na verdade. For example: Vamos ao cinema. Você quer ver esse filme de ação, né? Na verdade, quero ver…
The Ethanol Question Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 3, 2008
Happy Fourth of July! On the holiday, I’ll leave you with some reading ideas for the weekend, about the hot topic of ethanol. One of the things to keep in mind is the wealth of misinformation out there about the energy source, which in Brazil is produced using sugarcane, not corn. Sugarcane requires less input…
Brazilian City Spotlight: Campos do Jordão Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 2, 2008
Much like Aspen, Campos de Jordão is the winter vacation spot of the elite, though unlike Colorado, there’s no snow in Campos. It’s located 167 from the city of São Paulo, located in the state of the same name. The city was founded in 1874 in the Serra da Mantiqueira, one of the tallest mountain…
The Little Things that Count Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 1, 2008
Today we’re going to look at some short, simple phrases used in everyday Portuguese that help you sound more like a native speaker. 1. Olha só [ohl-yah soh]This expression literally means “just look,” but is used when trying to make a point in conversation. It’s how we would use the expression “look” in English. Look…
Brazil in the Business News Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 30, 2008
Last week, Merrill Lynch and Cap Gemini released a list of the countries with the largest increase in the number of millionaires, and Brazil came in at number three, after China and India. This was due to the booming economy, which in the last year grew 5.4%, while Bovespa, the São Paulo stock market, grew…
The Festival of Saint Peter Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 29, 2008
In Brazil, the Festival of Saint Peter, known as o Dia de São Pedro in Portuguese, is celebrated each year in late June. Saint Peter is the saint of fishermen, who have boat processions on the sea to honor the saint and to ask for protection and better catches. In Salvador, Bahia, the celebration begins…
Podcast: Making an appointment Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 26, 2008
Click to hear the Podcast! Today, we’re going to learn how to make an appointment. The important thing to remember is that in Portuguese, we frequently use the verb form of “appointment” instead of the noun like we do in English. In Portuguese, this verb is marcar. We use this verb when making an…