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Feliz Dia da Mulher! Posted by polyana on Mar 9, 2012
Yesterday was International Women’s Day, and here in Brazil, it’s widely celebrated. I even got perks at work from the guys, like a paid lunch, and hugs congratulating me on my day! And then my mother and I popped open a bottle of wine to celebrate us 🙂 So here are a few classic MPB…
Cearensês – Speaking Like Ceará Natives Posted by polyana on Mar 5, 2012
This past week, my mother and I travelled to Jericoacoara, a small beach town, about 400 km west of Fortaleza, in the northeastern state of Ceará. While there, I realized I hadn’t written a post on “Cearensês,” as I have done with many Brazilian accents and sayings from different states, in the past, on this…
O Ano Começa Depois do Carnaval Posted by polyana on Feb 17, 2012
To start off Carnaval, which officially starts today in many peoples’ hearts, minds, and thirst. Let’s listen to some classic Carnaval parade songs, shall we? Turma do Funil (1956) Chegou a turma do funil / Todo mundo bebe / Mas ninguém dorme no ponto / Ai ai, ninguém dorme no ponto / Nós é que…
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…
Watch Carnaval in Salvador…. Live! Posted by polyana on Jan 24, 2012
For those who don’t know, one of the biggest Carnaval celebrations in the world is in Salvador, Bahia, in the northeast of Brazil. We posted last year about watching Carnaval Online, and I think it’s only fair we give you a heads up this year too! Plus, this year you have more than just YouTube…
Proper Etiquette for Greetings and Signing Letters and E-mails in Portuguese Posted by polyana on Jan 16, 2012
Oftentimes my friends and I discuss what the proper usage is for greetings and signing off professional e-mails. I work with a lot of internal colleagues and clients alike from all sorts of different fields, and it’s been tough to come to a conclusion as to what’s proper or not, but I think this will…
Manguebeat – Music from Pernambuco Posted by polyana on Jan 6, 2012
A while back, I wrote about how to speak “Pernambuquês,” slang and the accent from Pernambuco state, in the northeast of Brazil. One other important aspect of the state, is its music. Probably one of the most musically diverse and innovative music in Brazil comes from this tiny northeastern state. Just recently, I watched a…