Archive for the year 2012
Recife’s Embassy of Giant Dolls Posted by Rachel on Feb 16, 2012
It’s Carnival in Brazil! But year-round, you can see one of Recife and Olinda’s Carnival traditions on display at the Embaixada dos Bonecos Gigantes, or Embassy of Giant Dolls. Located in old Recife, you can see the amazing craftmanship of the massive dolls that are a part of Recife’s Carnival festivities for the year, and…
Pet Names in Portuguese Posted by Rachel on Feb 15, 2012
Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s actually not Valentine’s Day in Brazil today–that happens on June 12. But in honor of romance, I thought we’d learn some pet names you can use for your loved one in Portuguese. In Portuguese, you’d call them apelidos carinhosos. -amorzinho (love) -neném (baby) -fofinho (cutie) -lindo/linda (beautiful) -docinho (sweetie) -meu bem…
The New Petrobras CEO Posted by Rachel on Feb 14, 2012
One of Brazil’s largest companies, the oil conglomerate Petrobras, got a new CEO this week. Maria das Graças Foster will take the helm of one of the biggest companies in the world, the latest in a number of women taking positions of power in Brazil. She is the first ever female CEO at Petrobras. Foster…
Liberdade, São Paulo’s Japanese Neighborhood Posted by Rachel on Feb 12, 2012
I was lucky enough to spend last weekend in São Paulo, where I did some sightseeing with fellow Portuguese blogger Polyana. She took me to Liberdade, São Paulo’s Japanese neighborhood. Historically, the neighborhood was an area where slaves punished for crimes were hung, and the area received its name from the only path to “freedom”…
Brazilian Habits: Kisses Posted by Rachel on Feb 11, 2012
A habit that’s important to take note of in Brazil is how kisses are used as greetings. In some regions, it’s common to give one kiss, while in others, it’s common to give two. For example, in Rio de Janeiro it’s common to give two kisses, while in São Paulo, it’s more common to give…
In-Laws & Stepfamily in Portuguese Posted by polyana on Feb 6, 2012
Yesterday at lunch, we were talking about in-laws, and the question of whether there was a word for a brother/sister-in-law’s spouse existed. And in Portuguese, there is a word! So I figured I’d do a quick post on in-laws and “step” type vocabulary in Portuguese! Next time you go to visit them, you can impress…
Interviews from São Paulo Fashion Week Posted by Rachel on Jan 30, 2012
This month, São Paulo Fashion Week held its Winter 2012 edition, attracting celebrities and designers from Brazil and abroad. Today, we’re going to do a listening comprehension exercise listening to interviews from the event. Where are they holding Fernanda Motta’s fashion shoot? According to the editor, what did fashion week used to be like before?…