Archive for December, 2010
Email in Brazil Posted by Rachel on Dec 30, 2010
Though we don’t stop to think about it much, the pace of technology has moved incredibly quickly in the last decade, and it’s funny to think that in our lifetimes, the Internet was a new phenomenon. I recently came across a very funny video, a news report about electronic mail on a Brazilian news channel…
Brazilian Reveillon Traditions, Part II Posted by polyana on Dec 30, 2010
Yesterday I wrote a post on Brazilian traditions on what to wear for the New Year. I also mentioned how we have all sorts of superstitions and that I would share that with you all today! For many Brazilians, what you wear, eat, drink and do at midnight or around that time, determine how your…
Brazilian Reveillon Traditions, Part I Posted by polyana on Dec 29, 2010
Reveillon? Oi? Yup, reveillon, or “new year,” is right around the corner already!! And like with many other holidays, but especially for reveillon, Brazilians have all sorts of simpatias, or superstitions. Since there are so many, I’m going to make this a 2 part post!! First, we’re going to talk about colors and their meanings…
Putz Grila! Posted by Rachel on Dec 28, 2010
One of the best ways to speak like a native is to pepper your speech with colloquial phrases and slang, which is why we’ve been focusing on these expressions lately. Awhile back, we learned about some exclamations, including putz. This word means oh no! or darn it! or uh oh! and is used as an…
Brazilian Christmas Songs Posted by Rachel on Dec 23, 2010
It’s Christmastime in Brazil, and you’ll find that some of the holiday songs sound a little familiar! Have a listen to these festive songs and have a great holiday! Noite Feliz (Silent Night) Então é Natal (So It’s Christmas) Bate O Sino (Jingle Bells) Brazilian Acoustic Version of Noite Feliz and O Velhinho (The Old…
Brazilian Christmas Recipes Posted by Rachel on Dec 21, 2010
Want to add a few Brazilian dishes to your Christmas feast, or just interested in learning about Brazilian cuisine? Take a look at some of these delicious recipes that are popular for the holidays. Rabanada – Sugared French Toast Panetone – Milan Fruitcake Peru de Natal – Christmas Turkey Pernil de Porco Ao Vinho –…
Para Variar Posted by Rachel on Dec 20, 2010
There’s an interesting slangy expression in Portuguese that is used to express sarcasm, and it’s a helpful one to know to throw into conversation to sound more like a native. Let’s take a look at how it’s used. Para variar literally means “for a change,” but when used in conversation, it actually means the opposite…