Archive for 'Grammar'
Prepositions after verbs – Part 01 Posted by Adir on Sep 10, 2012
Yes, prepositions are hard to use so the best thing to do is to memorize which preposition goes with each verb. We know that “about” can be translated as “sobre” or “a respeito de”, but when you complain about something, you reclama de something! Below there’s a list of common English verb + preposition combinations…
Making comparisons in Portuguese Posted by Adir on Aug 13, 2012
In Portuguese we have three kinds of comparison: igualdade, superioridade and inferioridade. Here is how they are formed: 1. Comparações de Igualdade tão + adjective + quanto O Pedro é tão alto quanto o Ricardo. – Pedro is as tall as Ricardo. Meu pai não é tão rico quanto o seu. – My father isn’t…
How to use “mal” and “mau” – the answers Posted by Adir on Jul 11, 2012
Hello, there! Here are the answers to Monday’s test on how to use mal and mau. 1. Ele é um MAU profissional. 2. Ele está trabalhando MAL. 3. O chefe está de MAU humor. 4. O chefe está sempre MAL-humorado. 5. O empregado foi MAL treinado. 6. MAL chegou ao escritório, teve o desprazer de…
How to use “mal” and “mau” Posted by Adir on Jul 9, 2012
Mau and mal sound the same in Portuguese and oftentimes even native speakers have difficulty using them correctly. So today let’s learn some basic rules. Mal Mal can be an adverb, noun or conjunction. As an adverb it means “badly”, “incorrectly”. It is the opposite of bem (well). Ele fala inglês muito mal. [He speaks…
How to use “onde” and “aonde” Posted by Adir on Jul 6, 2012
Olá! Today is Friday and we’re getting ready for the weekend so let’s finish our week with a tip that will help you to learn and improve your Portuguese: how to use onde and aonde. Onde (where) is used to indicate the place where you are or where something is happening. It is usually used…
Abaixo vs. A baixo Posted by polyana on Aug 22, 2011
One thing I always forget the rule to in Portuguese is the difference between abaixo and a baixo. The both sound the same, and they both essentially mean the same (or do they?!). And because of this, I always find myself asking my coworkers time and again, “Ok, I know I’ve asked you this before…
Say what you’re doing! In Portuguese! Posted by Adir on Jun 24, 2011
Oi, tudo bem com vocês? Our video today will show you how to say that you are doing something now. In Portuguese we do this by using the verb estar (to be) in the present + the present participle of the main verb. Check out the video below and you can download the audio to…