Entrepreneurship in Brazil Posted by Rachel on May 29, 2012
In Brazil, web startups are growing faster than ever as Brazilian and foreign investors alike are banking on the success of new online ventures. But Brazil’s startups aren’t just websites; they are also small businesses that grow into much bigger ones. Empreendedorismo, or entrepreneurship, is a hot topic in Brazil now given the growth of…
Expressions with the verb “estar” Posted by Adir on May 28, 2012
Olá! Tudo bem com você? There are several (and very useful) expressions with the verb estar (to be) in Portuguese. Let’s learn some of them, shall we? Estar a fim de fazer alguma coisa – to feel like doing something Estou afim de fazer uma caminhada hoje. Topa? [I feel like taking a walk today…
Facial Hair in Portuguese Posted by Rachel on May 25, 2012
Brazilians are very strict about hygiene, and for men, facial hair care is important. Let’s look at some vocabulary: pelos faciais – facial hair bigode – mustache barba – beard costeleta – sideburns cavanhaque – goatee barbear – to shave barbeador – razor aparador de pelos – hair clipper loção pós-barba – aftershave creme de…
Copa Libertadores Posted by Rachel on May 24, 2012
There are seemingly countless football tournaments in Brazil, but one of the biggest and most important ones is the Libertadores Cup, known as Copa Santander Libertadores da América, or Copa Libertadores for short. Named after the South American liberators who fought for independence, the tournament is made up of 38 city teams in Latin America that…
You already know Portuguese! Posted by Adir on May 23, 2012
Oftentimes my English-speaking students tell me, “Adir, Portuguese and English are so different. How can I learn more easily?”. Well, first of all, you need to pay attention. Around 30% of words in Portuguese are cognates (cog = with, nate = born), they look like words in Portuguese and some of them are even written…
Keeping in shape, em português Posted by Adir on May 18, 2012
Hey, there! TGIF! Graças a Deus que é sexta-feira! Summer’s around the corner and I’m sure many of you would like to be in shape, right? Well, this post is all about getting and being in shape, so let’s learn some useful vocabulary on this topic. Correr – to run, to go running, to go…
The Strange Story of Rambo from Manaus Posted by Rachel on May 17, 2012
Did you know that Rambo lives in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas? Well, not really, but there is a metalworker in Manaus who idolizes Sylvester Stallone and likes to make amateur movies. This short documentary tells his story: Try to answer the questions now that you’ve watched the video. 1. When did Aldenir first get…