Halloween in Brazil Posted by Rachel on Oct 27, 2011
While Halloween is not a Brazilian holiday, it has gained more popularity in Brazil in recent years. Also known as Dia das Bruxas (Day of the Witches), some people hold parties where guests go wearing fantasias (costumes) or máscaras(masks). It’s not a very common holiday to celebrate, but some people dress up or decorate. Here’s…
I Can’t Take It Posted by Rachel on Oct 26, 2011
It’s helpful to be able to express frustration in an understandable way, so today we’re going to learn how to say “I can’t take it anymore” or “I can’t deal.” 1. Não dar mais Não dá mais, cara. Tenho que sair do curso. I can’t take it anymore, dude. I have to quit the course…
Não Existe Amor em SP – Criolo & Caetano Posted by polyana on Oct 25, 2011
Last week was Brazil’s version of MTV’s Video Music Awards, the VMB, and one of the most awaited moments of the night was a collaboration between Criolo, an up and coming hip hop artist from São Paulo (I’ve actually met him at a bar here in SP! He’s incredibly down to earth), and Caetano Veloso…
The Brazilian SAT Posted by Rachel on Oct 23, 2011
In Brazil, the closest thing to the national U.S. college entrance exam is the ENEM, or the Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio. In order to study at a university, students must take the vestibular, an entrance exam. But the vestibular varies from one university to another, so the Brazilian government implemented a unified exam, the…
Barriga Cheia Posted by Rachel on Oct 20, 2011
As we’ve learned, it’s proper to say “estar satisfeito” rather than “estar cheio” when referring to eating. For example, if someone offers you a second helping but you’re full, you would say, “Não, obrigado. Estou satisfeito.” But there’s a great expression about having a full stomach, among many Brazilian expressions involving food. You can either…
Empregos – Finding a Job in Portuguese Posted by polyana on Oct 18, 2011
After working at a job search site for a while, I just realized I’d never written about what I have become most affluent in the Portuguese language: job search vocabulary! Here’s my list of important vocab and sentences regarding the busca por emprego (job search)! se candidatar para uma vaga In Portuguese, you don’t “apply”…
Brazil Education Documentary Posted by Rachel on Oct 17, 2011
The Brazilian Ministry of Education created a short documentary to discuss education reform in Brazil, as well as the adoption of the Programa Internacional de Avaliação de Alunos (Pisa), or International Student Evaluation Program. The short film discusses the measures the government took to improve education in Brazil, including increased spending per student and financial…