Archive for the year 2008
Poor thing! Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 9, 2008
The word for “poor thing” in Portuguese is coitado, which to the English-speaking ear may sound a bit odd, but don’t worry–it’s not a bad word. We use coitado for males and coitada for females, and add an –inho or –inha if we want to say “poor little thing.” For example: Ele está com dengue…
Brazilian Profile: Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 8, 2008
Zezé Di Camargo and Luciano are brothers, the sons of a poor farmer from Goiás state. Their father’s greatest wish was for his sons to grow up to be famous musicians. And indeed, they did. They are now two of the most famous and beloved singers in Brazil, and some of the highest-earning as well…
Podcast: Using slang on the phone Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 7, 2008
The feature of today’s podcast is to work on how to use girias, or slang, in a phone conversation. The phone conversation in the podcast contains slang, most or all of which you will hear when a Brazilian man uses the phone to call a friend, especially in Rio de Janeiro. Click to hear the…
Rare Species of Parakeet Spotted in Downtown Rio Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 4, 2008
Today, a four month-old rare species of wild parakeet was spotted in a tree outside of Central Station in downtown Rio, the equivalent of New York’s Grand Central Station. It’s one of the most polluted, urbanized and busiest parts of the city, but the aratinga (parakeet) of the Jandaia species was spotted eating his breakfast…
More than just a cat Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 3, 2008
In Brazilian Portuguese, the word “gato” has three very different meanings. 1. Cat Example: A velinha tem cinco gatos. The old lady has five cats. 2. Cute, hot, or attractive person Examples: Seu irmão é tão gato! Your brother is so cute! Eu acho ela muito gata. I think she’s really hot. 3. Stolen/illegal (usually…
A very unwelcome surprise Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 2, 2008
On Monday, a man driving his car in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais had a nasty surprise. As he was driving, a baby cascavel (rattlesnake) fell onto his lap. He immediately pulled over the car, and the authorities managed to capture the snake and bring it to the Polícia Ambiental (the Environmental Police). The man and…
Coming in the Near Future: Bullet Train Between Rio and São Paulo Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 1, 2008
Globo News announced that only in 2009 will the Ministry of Transportation open the bidding for companies interested in constructing a bullet train railway between the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. (In Portuguese, this bidding process is known as a leilão de licença. Leilão also means auction). A viability plan will be…