Olá amigos!
Large countries like Brazil always have their aspectos bons (good aspects) as well as ruins (bad ones).
Because of its tamanho (size), Brazil has a variety of cultures, peoples, religions, beliefs, food, music and many others wonderful things. But maybe due to its scale, the country also has extremely poor and homeless people.
If you have travelled around Brazil you will know that those problems are not everywhere and that Brazil is an amazing country to explore, with kind, honest people who are extremely acolhedores (welcoming). However, unfortunately there are some places where this is not always the case and it can be convenient to have some phrases ready.
Sometimes, coming from a place with different social problems can make it harder to know how to act in certain situations.
A) What to do if someone asks you for money: it depends on whether you want to give them money or not. If you wish to help, always have some change ready in your pocket, otherwise you can use one of the following:
- Desculpa, não tenho nada agora – I am sorry I don’t have anything at the moment (meaning you don’t have money).
- Não tenho trocado – I don’t have any change.
- Vou ficar te devendo, amigo – I’ll owe you this one, friend (this is a personal favourite, since you are not really saying no, it’s friendlier).
- Saí de casa sem nada, cara – I left home without anything, man.
- Posso comprar alguma coisa para você comer – I can buy you something to eat instead.
B) What to say when someone is insisting you should buy whatever they are selling and you are not interested:
- Hoje não, valeu. – Not today, thanks.
- Estou sem nada agora, cara. – I don’t have anything on me now, man (anything meaning money).
- Obrigado, mas não tenho interesse mesmo. – Thanks, but I am really not interested.
C) Other useful vocabulary
- Mendigo: it is a pejorative term that means beggar.
- Indigente: extremely poor, homeless person.
- Morador de rua: homeless
- Esmola: money (change) you give to beggars on the streets, usually coins.
- Vendedor de … – someone who sells something on the street, this is very common in Brazil. For example: vendedor de sorvete (ice-cream); vendedor de amendoim (peanuts); vendedor de pulseiras (bracelets).
I hope you found the post useful! Tenham uma ótima semana!
