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 the same way. Here are some examples:
famoso – famous
ideia – idea
preferir – to prefer
real – real
realmente – really
expressão – expression
longo – long
Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to say and write expressions that are ready and are almost the same in Portuguese and in English. Let’s check out some of them!
life = vida
ahead of (you) = pela frente
to have (your) whole life head of (you) = ter a vida inteira pela frente
Você tem a vida inteira pela frente. = You have your life ahead of you.
track / way / path = caminho
right = certo
on the right track = no caminho certo
to be on the right track = estar no caminho certo
to lose = perder
way = caminho
to lose one’s way = perder o caminho
After flunking out of high school he lost his way. = Depois de reprovar no ensino médio ele perdeu seu caminho.
depression = depressão
to go into = entrar
to go into a depression = entrar numa depressão
After losing his mother, he went into a deep depression. = Depois de perder sua mãe, ele entrou numa profunda depressão.
to go through = passar por
crisis = crise
to go through a crisis = passar por uma crise
We’re going through a crisis in our wedding. = Estamos passando por uma crise no nosso casamento.
in the middle of = no meio de
divorce = divórcio
I’m in the middle of a divorce. = Estou no meio de um divórcio.
to go/come out = sair de
relationship = relacionamento, namoro
sério = serious
She was coming out of a serious relationship. = Ela estava saindo de um namoro sério.
there’s = há
always = sempre
light = luz
end = fim
tunnel = túnel
There’s always light at the end of the tunnel. = Há sempre luz no fim do túnel.
The examples above were taken from my dear friend Ron Martinez’s book “O inglês que você nem imagina que sabe” and were adapted for this post.
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