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Portuguese Survival Vocabulary: Crime Posted by Rachel on Nov 14, 2012
Unfortunately, crime is a part of life anywhere you go, so today we’re going to review some related vocabulary. assalto – mugging assaltante – mugger roubo – robbery ladrão – robber criminoso – criminal bandido – criminal (informal) suspeito – suspect furto – theft denunciar um crime – to report a crime cena do crime…
Dilma Bolada Posted by Rachel on Nov 9, 2012
One of the most famous parody social media accounts in Brazil is that of Dilma Bolada, a fake President Dilma Rousseff written by 22 year-old carioca Jeferson Monteiro. Known best for Dilma Bolada on Twitter and Facebook, Jeferson pretends to share the president’s views on both domestic and international events as well as Brazilian popular…
Porta dos Fundos Posted by Rachel on Oct 30, 2012
A group of bloggers and comedians got together to start a new online comedy series called Porta dos Fundos (The Back Door). The episodes are very funny, though some have mature content. Two of the recent episodes are more PG-13 (though irreverent), so let’s have a look: In this episode, one character pitches the Bible…
Natural Disasters in Portuguese Posted by Rachel on Oct 29, 2012
With Frankenstorm barreling toward the East Coast of the United States, it’s useful to know words related to natural disasters in Portuguese. While Brazil has very few natural disasters compared to other regions–heavy rain, mudslides, and not much else–it’s good to know these words so you can chat with your Brazilian friends about what’s happening…
Xaxado Posted by Rachel on Oct 26, 2012
Xaxado is a fascinating genre of dance that comes from the Northeast of Brazil, specifically from the sertão, or dry region, of Pernambuco state. Its origins date back to the early 1900s and the legendary outlaw Lampião. Dancers wear leather hats and rifles, and dress up in traditional costumes. Learn more from Info Escola: É…
Salve Jorge Posted by Rachel on Oct 25, 2012
Now that the novela Avenida Brasil has come to an end, a new one has begun called Salve Jorge. This time, the novela takes on different themes: international human trafficking and the pacification of Rio’s favelas. As TV Press explains: Na trama, o mito de São Jorge funciona como ponto de encontro entre a Turquia…
Hair Care in Portuguese Posted by Rachel on Oct 18, 2012
In Brazil, women’s hair care is a huge market, and women of all social classes invest in hair products and treatments. Today we’re going to learn vocabulary associated with hair care using some videos. cabelo – hair cachos – curls enrolar – to curl, roll chapinha – hair straightener fazer escova – straighten hair óleo…