Archive for April, 2009
Video Learning Series: Ivete Sangalo Posted by Rachel on Apr 10, 2009
Today, to practice listening comprehension, we’re going to take a look at some interviews with Ivete Sangalo, one of Brazil’s biggest pop stars. Ivete sings axé music, a pop-like genre from Bahia. Ivete is from Salvador, and performs there during Carnival every year.
Favorite Words in Portuguese Posted by Rachel on Apr 9, 2009
Today’s post is interactive: what’s your favorite word in Portuguese? For native English speakers, there are a number of words that are a delight to say, or sound funny or interesting to our Anglo ears. Some examples of my favorite Portuguese words, which all happen to start with “p”: paralelepípedo (cobblestone) [par-ah-lehl-eh-pee-peh-doh] pequenininho (very, very…
Working with irregular verbs Posted by Rachel on Apr 8, 2009
One of the frustrating things about learning a Romance language is conquering the irregular verbs, since they require memorization. Today we’re going to take a look at three irregular verbs in the present, past perfect, and past imperfect. 1. pôr [to put] Present: Eu ponho Ele/ela/você põe Nós pomos Eles/elas/vocês põem Past Perfect: Eu pus…
Brazilian Etiquette: Visiting Posted by Rachel on Apr 7, 2009
Today, we’re going to return to the Brazilian etiquette series to learn about manners in Brazil. We’re going to look at visiting, as well as socializing and exchanging gifts. Remember that it’s just as important to be aware of etiquette as it is to learn the language! When invited to a small gathering, arrive a…
Global Forest Fund to Aid Amazon Posted by Rachel on Apr 6, 2009
Last Wednesday, world leaders met to discuss the formation of a fund to protect the world’s rainforests. The meeting included US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, French President Nicholas Sarkozy, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, as well as other leaders and…
Brazilian Profile: Fernando Meirelles Posted by Rachel on Apr 3, 2009
Fernando Meirelles was born on November 5, 1955 in the city of São Paulo. The child of a doctor, he had the opportunity to travel and to be exposed to different cultures. He attended the University of São Paulo and majored in architecture, but began experimenting with film. When he graduated, he joined with friends…
Video Learning Series: President Lula Posted by Rachel on Apr 2, 2009
This week, we’re going to practice learning comprehension by watching three videos featuring Brazilian President Lula Inácio da Silva. The president has a Northeastern accent, so it may be a bit challenging for beginners to understand. In the first video, President Lula talks about soccer and his favorite team. In the second, he addresses Brazilians…