Archive for July, 2015
Os Estados do Brasil – Brazilian States Posted by Nicole on Jul 31, 2015
While it is a huge country like the United States, Brazil only has 26 states and one distrito federal (the capital Brasilia stands by itself, like Washington, D.C.). There are generally 16 recognized Brazilian Portuguese dialects from the states, such as Gaúcho from the south, Carioca from Rio de Janeiro, and Nortista from states like Amazonas…
Compras – Shopping for clothes in Portuguese Posted by Ester on Jul 27, 2015
Oi pessoal. Shopping for clothes or something you want is always fun. Então para alegrar o dia (in order to brighten up your day) how about we take a look at some words and expressions related to shopping for clothes and accessories? Photo by Roderick Eime When you walk into a clothes’ shop the sales…
Advérbios – Adverbs Posted by Nicole on Jul 25, 2015
Adverbs in Portuguese are very similar to adverbs in English. They are adjetivos (adjectives) that describe a verbo (verb). Also, English adverbs generally end in -ly, while Portuguese adverbs usually end in -mente. For example: A Luana canta bem. (Luana sings well.) O João provavelmente está doente. (João is probably sick.) Other times, an adverb can be…
6 Portuguese expressions with “mão” (hand) Posted by Ester on Jul 20, 2015
Today we are going to take a look at some expressions that Brazilians use in day-to-day conversation that use the word mão (hand). Estar com a faca e o queijo na mão – literally to have the knife and cheese in your hands Have the power to do something or have the power over something…
Por que, por quê, porque, e porquê – What’s the difference? Posted by Nicole on Jul 16, 2015
Por que, por quê, porque, and porquê all look pretty much the same, but they all mean something different. Show your Portuguese prowess by mastering each of them. Por que is the basic form. This literally means por qual razão or por qual motivo, or “why.” Por que você não gosta de chocolate? (Why don’t you…
6 expressions with animals in Portuguese Posted by Ester on Jul 13, 2015
Different animals can mean a variety of things for different cultures. Let’s take a look at some expressions with animals, what they mean as well as when to use them. Pagar o pato This expression translates literally as to “pay the duck”, but it has nothing to do with money or ducks. It means to…
Como Fazer Vinagrete – How to Make Vinagrete Posted by Nicole on Jul 9, 2015
Olá pessoal! Brazilian food has several common side dishes and garnishes. Beans, farofa, and even batata palha are staples of Brazilian lunches and dinners. Another common garnish is vinagrete…my personal favorite. You will need tomates (tomatoes), cebolas (onions), cheiro verde (parsley), and pimenta verdes (green peppers) to start. Corte os ingredientes em cubos (cut the…