Archive for 'Learning'
Problems with Portuguese Posted by Rachel on Apr 17, 2009
Today we’re going to do another interactive post. The question is: What is the biggest obstacle you’ve encountered while learning Portuguese? What part of the language do you find the most difficult? In my experience, one of the most difficult grammar rules to learn is hypenating words. It’s difficult to memorize what kind of accent…
Celebrity Posted by Rachel on Apr 16, 2009
When discussing celebrities, there are a few important words and phrases to keep in mind. 1. grande i.e. ator / atriz / cantor / cantora / artista (actor, actress, male singer, female singer, artist) Even though grande means big in some contexts, in this context it means great. Kate Winslet é uma grande atriz, e…
Video Learning Series: Ivete Sangalo Posted by Rachel on Apr 10, 2009
Today, to practice listening comprehension, we’re going to take a look at some interviews with Ivete Sangalo, one of Brazil’s biggest pop stars. Ivete sings axé music, a pop-like genre from Bahia. Ivete is from Salvador, and performs there during Carnival every year.
Favorite Words in Portuguese Posted by Rachel on Apr 9, 2009
Today’s post is interactive: what’s your favorite word in Portuguese? For native English speakers, there are a number of words that are a delight to say, or sound funny or interesting to our Anglo ears. Some examples of my favorite Portuguese words, which all happen to start with “p”: paralelepípedo (cobblestone) [par-ah-lehl-eh-pee-peh-doh] pequenininho (very, very…
Working with irregular verbs Posted by Rachel on Apr 8, 2009
One of the frustrating things about learning a Romance language is conquering the irregular verbs, since they require memorization. Today we’re going to take a look at three irregular verbs in the present, past perfect, and past imperfect. 1. pôr [to put] Present: Eu ponho Ele/ela/você põe Nós pomos Eles/elas/vocês põem Past Perfect: Eu pus…
Video Learning Series: President Lula Posted by Rachel on Apr 2, 2009
This week, we’re going to practice learning comprehension by watching three videos featuring Brazilian President Lula Inácio da Silva. The president has a Northeastern accent, so it may be a bit challenging for beginners to understand. In the first video, President Lula talks about soccer and his favorite team. In the second, he addresses Brazilians…
Podcast: Getting in Touch Posted by Rachel on Mar 31, 2009
Today is Podcast Day! Check out the podcast here: CommunicationsPodcast Also be sure to check out the BYKI list. Today, we’re going to learn about the terms used to discuss communication and getting in touch. Estou tentando entrar em contato com o Marcelo. Já liguei para a casa dele, mas ninguém está atendendo. Ele me…