Tag Archives: expression
Segurar a Onda Posted by Rachel on Aug 3, 2011
Last week, we posted a number of really useful idioms and expressions on the Portuguese Blog Twitter and Facebook pages (thanks team!) If you’re not a follower or fan already, make sure you follow or like us to get even more Portuguese tips and lessons on our social media pages. So in the same vein…
Veja Bem Posted by Rachel on Jun 23, 2011
Today we’re going to learn a useful expression that you can use in everyday conversation. Veja bem literally means “see here,” and can also translate as “Let me explain” or “Well now” or “Mind you.” It’s an expression you’d use before you’re about to tell someone something they may not like. Here’s an example that…
Ainda Bem Posted by Rachel on Jun 16, 2011
We’ve learned about the phrase “ainda bem” before, as it’s used as an interjection. But today we’re going to learn how to use it within a sentence. The meaning is the same: this expression means “good thing” or “thank goodness” or “how fortunate that…” Let’s see it used in a sentence: Ainda bem que ela…
Hopefully Posted by Rachel on May 6, 2011
There’s a number of ways to say “hopefully” in Portuguese. Let’s take a look at the various expressions and learn how! 1. Oxalá If you know Spanish or Arabic, this word will look familiar to you, and with good reason. It comes from the same meaning (in sa alla in Arabic, ojalá in Spanish), which…
How to Say “What’s Up” in Portuguese Posted by Rachel on Apr 10, 2011
We’ve talked about similar slang expressions in the past, but for beginners, it’s helpful to know a few ways to say “what’s up?” Keep in mind that these expressions are to be used in informal circumstances amongst friends. 1. E aí? This is the easiest and most common way to say “what’s up?” in Portuguese…
Empurra-Empurra Posted by Rachel on Mar 29, 2011
While this expression literally means “push-push,” it has two uses that are useful to know. Let’s take a look. 1. Pushing and shoving This means the type of confusion you’d find in big, rowdy crowds. Houve muito empurra-empurra durante o show de rock; foi um tumulto de verdade. There was a lot of pushing and…
I Wish! Posted by Rachel on Mar 25, 2011
Today we’re going to learn a helpful expression to say “I wish”: Quem dera. Literally, it doesn’t make much sense to a non-native speaker, since literally it translates as “who gives.” But it really means “I wish”or “If only!” Let’s look at some examples. -Você vai no casamento real? Are you going to the royal…