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I Messed Up Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 10, 2008
There are a few ways to say “I messed up” or “I made a mistake.” Here they are: 1. Pisei na bola. [Pee-zay nah boh-lah] This expression literally means “I stepped on the ball.” In reality, it means “I made a big mistake.” Eu esqueci meu passaporte em casa, mas só reparei agora no aeroporto…
100 Years of the Japanese in Brazil: Part I Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 9, 2008
This year marks the centennial of the arrival of the first boat of Japanese immigrants in Brazil, which started a wave of immigration. Brazil is now the home of the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. Let’s take a look at the legacy of the Japanese in Brazil to see how they’ve contributed to Brazilian…
Cabine Cornofônica Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 8, 2008
Leopoldo Buosanti Neto, owner of the bar Boteco Brasil in São Paulo, noticed that his clients would often run outside when they received phone calls, since many didn’t want their spouses to know where they were–especially the male customers. So he invented the Cabine Cornofônica, an English-style telephone booth that produces different sounds meant to…
Brazilian Profile: Beatriz Milhazes Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 5, 2008
Beatriz was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1960, and grew up in Copacabana. She got her degree in journalism and went on to teach math at a local high school. But when she was twenty, she got into the School of Fine Arts of Rio, and discovered her love of art. She is now…
Translating Idiomatic Expressions: Part II Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 3, 2008
This series on idiomatic expressions is taken from this Brazilian humor site, so the translations are not mine. Plus, the idea of translating them word for word is to show how idiomatic expressions are only understandable in context, and can be very funny if translated literally. We have to understand the meaning behind the expression…
Green Colonialism? Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 3, 2008
One of the hot topics in Brazil this week is the case of Swedish millionaire Johan Eliasch. In 2007, he purchased 1,600 square kilometers of the Amazon rainforest from an American logging company in order to create a protected area. His NGO, Cool Earth, “sells” half acres to those concerned with the environment, promising to…
Enjoar Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 2, 2008
The verb enjoar has three principal meanings. We can conjugate enjoar de or use it as estar enjoado. 1. to feel nauseous Ela está enjoada. Deixa ela sentar. She’s nauseous. Let her sit down. Ficaram enjoados depois de ir na montanha russa. They felt nauseous after riding the roller coaster. Enjoei muito porque comi o…