Listening Practice: Fill in the Blanks Posted by Rachel on Apr 24, 2009
This is a favorite language learning activity, so I thought we’d give it a shot. Copy and paste the lyrics into Word, and then play the video. Listen to the song and follow the lyrics, and fill in the blanks with the correct word. Maskavo, Folhas Secas As folhas secas vão caindo Eu posso ver…
What’s your favorite city in Brazil? Posted by Rachel on Apr 23, 2009
Today’s interactive feature has to do with travel, rather than language. The question at hand is: What’s your favorite city in Brazil? This is a tricky question, since I’ve loved every city I’ve been to in Brazil, and there are so many that I haven’t been to yet. In terms of big cities, my favorite…
Caetano Veloso Releases New CD Posted by Rachel on Apr 22, 2009
Caetano Veloso, one of Brazil’s most beloved musicians and songwriters, has released a new CD, Zii e zie. It’s now on sale in Brazil and abroad (see here and here). Caetano composed the songs in Rio de Janeiro last year, when it was very rainy, and was inspired by the weather. He also includes aging…
Video Learning Series: Vai para onde? Posted by Rachel on Apr 21, 2009
In today’s video learning series, we’re going to practice listening comprehension using a Brazilian TV show. One of the best TV shows you can watch to learn Portuguese and to see different parts of Brazil is “Vai para onde?” from Brazil’s Multishow channel. They’re great to learn from not only because the host speaks clearly…
Brazil in the News Posted by Rachel on Apr 20, 2009
Today we’re going to look at the headlines to see the latest in Brazilian news. Brazil’s high tech hub grows in Sao Paulo’s Brooklin, CNN Latin America urged against protectionism, Reuters Region’s poverty poses challenge for World Economic Forum, WSJ Rio Olympic bid focuses on atmosphere, emerging economy, Chicago Tribune Brazil sees reason for hope…
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…