Archive by Author
Senna The Movie Posted by Rachel on Aug 23, 2011
The epic biopic Senna, a documentary about Ayrton Senna, a Formula One driver and one of Brazil’s most famous personalities widely considered a national hero, The film was recently released in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a must-see for anyone studying Portuguese or interested in Brazil. Here’s…
Rafinha Bastos Posted by Rachel on Aug 18, 2011
Rafinha Bastos is one of Brazil’s most famous comedians, and he was recently profiled in The New York Times. We’ve watched some of his stand up before, but today we’re going to read about his career and how he used social media to become the most influential person on Twitter. But here’s the catch –…
Learning By Association Posted by Rachel on Aug 17, 2011
Since Adir has been giving some tips recently about learning techniques, today I have one of my own to offer. We all learn languages in different ways: some people are more visual, while others learn more easily by listening. One of the ways I learn best is learning by association: remembering a word or phrase…
Listening Comprehension: RS Móvel Posted by Rachel on Aug 11, 2011
I found a funny promotional video on Update or Die, an excellent Brazilian tech blog. The video helps promote a mobile and tablet app created by the Rio Grande do Sul government. Be warned – it’s purposely cheesy. Watch the video and answer the questions. Questions 1. What are some of the things you can…
Writing Informal Emails in Portuguese Posted by Rachel on Aug 9, 2011
Recently, we learned how to write formal emails in Portuguese. Now we’re going to learn how to write informal emails in Portuguese. These are the types of messages you’d send to co-workers, friends, or acquaintances. 1. Salutation You can use Caro (or Cara, for a female) for dear, as in Dear André. Similarly, you can…
Conto de Fadas Posted by Rachel on Aug 4, 2011
In Portuguese, a fairy tale is a called a conto de fadas. Today we’re going to read some short versions of popular fairy tales that you’re probably familiar with – but in Portuguese! A Pequena Sereia Muito longe da terra, onde o mar é muito azul, vivia o povo do mar. O rei desse povo…
Segurar a Onda Posted by Rachel on Aug 3, 2011
Last week, we posted a number of really useful idioms and expressions on the Portuguese Blog Twitter and Facebook pages (thanks team!) If you’re not a follower or fan already, make sure you follow or like us to get even more Portuguese tips and lessons on our social media pages. So in the same vein…