Archive for 'Learning'
Soccer Vocabulary in Portuguese Posted by polyana on Mar 15, 2010
With about 3 months (ahem, 87 days to be precise) till the 2010 World Cup games, and with soccer/football tournaments going on such as the Copa Libertadores, the UEFA Champions League, and the CAF Women’s Championship all taking place and all with Portuguese speaking teams, it wouldn’t hurt to learn some soccer vocabulary, would it?…
Abafar and Desabafar Posted by Rachel on Mar 12, 2010
Two very handy verbs to learn in Portuguese are abafar and desabafar. Not only do they sound satisfying when spoken, but they are also useful in several contexts. abafar = smother / repress, keep a secret / muffle / cover to retain heat Examples: A imprensa abafou o caso do politíco corrupto. The press stifled…
Brazilian Novelas Posted by Rachel on Mar 9, 2010
Brazilian novelas, or soap operas, are famous the world over and are broadcast in countries throughout Latin America, Africa, and Europe. Watching novelas is an excellent way to work on your listening comprehension skills, as well as to build your vocabulary. Luckily, many novelas are now available on YouTube, and you can watch entire episodes…
Reading Comprehension: Restaurant Opening Posted by Rachel on Feb 11, 2010
Today, we’re going to practice reading comprehension with an article about a new restaurant. A aventura americana de Benny Novak “Benny Novak abre na próxima terça-feira sua terceira casa, o 210 Diner, na mesma Rua Pará do primogênito Ici. Um pouco mais longe do italiano Tappo, o único localizado nos Jardins.” Read the full article…
Pronto, falei Posted by Rachel on Feb 5, 2010
Today we’re going to learn a useful little phrase that’s very slangy and will help you sound more like a native. Pronto falei literally means there, I said it, as a follow up to some sort of controversial comment. Let’s look at how it’s used in conversation: Ele ficou muito gordo. Pronto, falei. He got…
Reading Comprehension Practice Posted by Rachel on Feb 3, 2010
Today we’re going to do a reading comprehension exercise with a travel story from Estadão. Herança colonial com aroma de café [Click above to read the full article] “Atrás da imponente portaria surge uma casa grande marcada por uma fileira de janelas coloniais azuis perfeitamente retangulares na fachada. Herança de um tempo em que as…
Brazil’s States and Capitals Posted by Rachel on Jan 22, 2010
It’s important to learn the Brazilian states and their capitals, especially if you plan on traveling in Brazil. Today, we’re going to review them and also see what some of the states and cities mean in English when translated from Portuguese. Acre – Rio Branco [sharp, pungent, acrid] [White River] Alagoas – Maceió Amapá –…