Archive for the year 2011
Dilma’s Historic Speech Posted by Rachel on Sep 22, 2011
Today, President Dilma became the first woman ever to open the UN General Assembly. It’s a tradition for the Brazilian president to open the annual session, and Dilma took advantage of the opportunity to talk about women’s rights, along with the European crisis, the Middle East, and other international issues. According to the BBC, the…
Brazil’s EU Bailout Plan Posted by Rachel on Sep 20, 2011
With the Brazilian economy still going strong despite a slight slowdown, the Brazilian government is spearheading a plan to try to save the European economy. Let’s read about the plan in Portuguese, and try to answer the questions. From Reuters Brasil: “O Brasil vai propor aos outros países do Brics que disponibilizem bilhões de dólares…
A Miss Universo fala Português! Posted by polyana on Sep 19, 2011
Last week, the Miss Universe pageant was held near my home, right here in São Paulo! And for those who didn’t see the pageant, she made it a point to speak Portuguese in her speech to show pride in being Angolan, a lusophone country (which, not surprisingly, many people do not know!). I happen to…
Brazilian Time Posted by Rachel on Sep 18, 2011
I came across a really interesting TED video on Update or Die that I thought would interest all of you here on Portuguese Blog. There are two reasons: one, it’s a gringo speaking Portuguese very well (he’s Danish) and two, it’s a very valuable lesson about Brazilian culture and how foreigners interact with it. In…
Pôneis Malditos Posted by Rachel on Sep 14, 2011
One of the most popular commercials in Brazil recently is a Nissan commercial featuring the pôneis malditos, or evil ponies. The commercial became a viral hit on social media across Brazil, and it increased Nissan’s sales in Brazil by 81 percent. In August, Nissan sold nearly 1,500 Frontier pick ups, an 110 percent increase from…
The Legend of the Cuca Posted by Rachel on Sep 12, 2011
While there are a number of Brazilian legends, one of the best known is that of the cuca, a mythical character popularized in Brazilian culture. The cuca, which originally came from the Portuguese coca, a dragon legend, was brought to Brazil in colonial times. The cuca is an ugly old woman who appears in the…
Independent Samba Bands Posted by polyana on Sep 12, 2011
I’m sure you who study Portuguese are all up to your necks from hearing about Noel Rosa, Zeca Pagodinho, Jorge Ben Jor, and Exaltasamba and how these are all samba and whatnot. Which isn’t untrue. But when was the last time you heard something new? I feel like it’s the cool new hipster thing to listen…