Lord Thomas Robert Dewar said, “Minds are like parachutes, they only function when they are open”. That’s right, a mind in Portuguese can also be open:<\/p>\n
aberto<\/strong> = open There are several other expressions using the word mente (mind) in Portuguese that are almost the same as in English. For example:<\/p>\n Eu tenho uma mente aberta.<\/strong> = I have an open mind. When your mind is open, things can come in!<\/p>\n vir \u00e0 mente<\/strong> = to come to mind Your mind can also be narrow!<\/p>\n estreita<\/strong> = narrow Your mind can also be closed!<\/p>\n fechada<\/strong> = closed Ideas, thoughts and memories exist “inside” somebody’s mind, so we have some expressions:<\/p>\n em mente<\/strong> = in mind Minds can be brilliant, sharp or even dirty too!<\/p>\n brilhante<\/strong> = brilliant afiada<\/strong> = sharp suja<\/strong> = dirty No problem! If your mind is dirty you can have a lavagem cerebral!<\/p>\n lavagem<\/strong> = wash Did you know that the term lavagem cerebral comes from Chinese form xi nao<\/em> and it was invented by the Chinese communist party in the fifties because they used harsh psychological techniques to doctrinate and break resistance.<\/p>\n Por hoje \u00e9 s\u00f3! See you next time!<\/p>\n Adapted from O Ingl\u00eas Que Voc\u00ea Nem Imagina Que Sabe<\/strong>, by Ron Martinez. (Permissio given by the author)<\/p>\n
\numa mente aberta<\/strong> = an open mind<\/p>\n
\nA minha mente est\u00e1 aberta para novas ideias.<\/strong> = My mind is open to new ideas.
\nTente manter a mente aberta.<\/strong> = Try to keep an open mind.<\/p>\n
\nUma ideia lhe veio \u00e0 mente.<\/strong> = An idea came to his mind.<\/p>\n
\nde mente estreita<\/strong> = narrow-minded<\/p>\n
\numa mente fechada<\/strong> = a closed mind<\/p>\n
\nter em mente<\/strong> = keep in mind
\nO que voc\u00ea tem em mente?<\/strong> = What do you have in mind?
\n\u00c9 importante ter em mente a sua idade.<\/strong> = It’s important to keep in mind your age.<\/p>\n
\numa mente brilhante<\/strong> = a brilliant mind
\nEla tem uma mente brilhante.<\/strong> = She has a brilliant mind.<\/p>\n
\numa mente afiada<\/strong> = a sharp mind
\nEla tem uma mente afiada.<\/strong> = She has a sharp mind.<\/p>\n
\numa mente suja<\/strong> = a dirty mind \/ dirty-minded
\nEle tem a mente suja.<\/strong> = He has a dirty mind.<\/p>\n
\nc\u00e9rebro \/ cerebral<\/strong> = brain
\nlavagem cerebral<\/strong> = brainwash<\/p>\n