Portuguese Blog

Thanksgiving Vocabulary

markitecht@gmail.com (Transparent Language) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:01 +0000

In Brazil, there’s no such thing as Thanksgiving, but it’s useful to know vocabulary about your own culture so that you can share it with your friends in Portuguese. It’s much easier to explain something foreign when you know the right words. Let’s take a look:

holiday = feriado

Thanksgiving Day = Dia de Ação de Graças

turkey = peru

cranberry sauce = molho de oxicoco

pumpkin pie = torta de abóbora

mashed potatoes = puré de batata

sweet potato = batata doce

stuffing = recheio

Piligrims = peregrinos/colonos/colonos americanos

Native Americans = índios/indígenas

parade = desfile/parada

Post from: Portuguese Blog

Favorite Christmas Recipe

markitecht@gmail.com (Transparent Language) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:00:04 +0000

The holidays are quickly approaching, and Christmas is the major summer holiday before New Year’s and Carnival in Brazil.

For today’s interactive feature, the question is: What is your favorite Brazilian Christmas recipe? It can be for the main course or dessert, or a drink.

Brazil Business News

markitecht@gmail.com (Transparent Language) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:00:19 +0000

Let’s take a look at some of the business headlines from Brazil this week:

Portuguese

Lucro da Petrobras recua, Zero Hora
Ampliação da matriz de energia é uma das saídas para evitar novos apagões, Correio Braziliense
Petrobras anuncia descoberta de jazida de petróleo leve na Bacia de Campos, G1
Brasil gera 230,000 empregos e tem melhor outubro da historia, Folha
Bovespa fecha em alta, Terra/Reuters

English

Dell to launch smartphone…in Brazil, Wall Street Journal
Repsol to invest up to $15 billion in Brazil by 2020, Bloomberg
Brazil Petrobras considers ending Iran operations, Wall Street Journal

Post from: Portuguese Blog

Lyrics Practice: Ana Carolina

markitecht@gmail.com (Transparent Language) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:00:09 +0000

Ana Carolina is a wonderful singer and composer, so today we’re going to look at her Portuguese adaptation of the song “The Blower’s Daughter.” Skip to the 2:00 mark for her to start singing. The lyrics are from the recorded version, so the live version is just slightly different, so keep a close eye on the words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5wR8jbnP2o

Lyrics: É isso aí

É isso aí!
Como a gente achou que ia ser
A vida tão simples é boa
Quase sempre
É isso aí!
Os passos vão pelas ruas
Ninguém reparou na lua
A vida sempre continua

Eu não sei parar de te olhar
Eu não sei parar de te olhar
Não vou parar de te olhar
Eu não me canso de olhar
Não sei parar
De te olhar

É isso aí!
Há quem acredite em milagres
Há quem cometa maldades
Há quem não saiba dizer a verdade

É isso aí!
Um vendedor de flores
Ensinar seus filhos a escolher seus amores

Eu não sei parar de te olhar
Não sei parar de te olhar
Não vou parar de te olhar
Eu não me canso de olhar
Não vou parar de te olhar

É isso aí!
Há quem acredite em milagres
Há quem cometa maldades
Há quem não saiba dizer a verdade

É isso aí!
Um vendedor de flores
Ensinar seus filhos a escolher seus amores

Eu não sei parar de te olhar
Eu não sei parar de te olhar
Não vou parar de te olhar
Eu não me canso de olhar
Não vou parar de te olhar

Post from: Portuguese Blog

To have done

markitecht@gmail.com (Transparent Language) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:51 +0000

In English, we frequently use the present perfect tense to describe some sort of experience that we had in the past. In Portuguese, this tense is used very infrequently, and instead, the past simple tense is used with já (already).

Let’s take a look at some examples.

Have you gone to Disney World? Você já foi na Disney?
Yes, I have. Sim, já.

They have finished. Já terminaram.

We have eaten there before. Já comemos lá.

I’ve seen that movie. Já vi esse filme.

Have you ever taken a Portuguese class? Você já fez um curso de português?

He’s tried that method. Ele já tentou esse método.

They have left the country. Já deixaram o país.

Post from: Portuguese Blog

Favorite Brazilian Team

markitecht@gmail.com (Transparent Language) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:00:10 +0000

For today’s interactive question, we’re going to talk about futebol. I realize this can sometimes be a dangerous question, but which is your favorite Brazilian soccer team? (I.e. Flamengo, Corinthians, Internacional, Cruzeiro, etc).

Let’s hear from you!

Post from: Portuguese Blog

Massive Blackout Hits Brazil

markitecht@gmail.com (Transparent Language) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:34 +0000

Last night, a massive blackout hit Paraguay and many states in Brazil, including the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, affecting millions of people.

Brazil lost 17,000 megawatts of power when the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, Itaipu, suddenly lost power. There were mixed reports about which states were affected; the first reported were the states of Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goias, Espirito Santo, and the country’s capital; later reports included Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Bahia, Pernambuco, Mato Grosso and Parana.

The blackout began shortly after 10PM (Rio de Janeiro time), cutting off subway service in Rio and Sao Paulo and making it difficult for drivers to navigate on the suddenly pitch-black streets. The blackout caused problems for public transportation and airports filled with stranded passengers.

It is not yet clear what caused the blackout, though several possibilities included a computer problem or a large storm in the area of the dam.

As of 1AM, power was being restored to several parts of Rio de Janeiro, one of the worst hit states in the blackout. However, Globo.com, the website for the country’s largest news network, was inaccessible.

Learn more

Post from: Portuguese Blog

New Music: A Filial

markitecht@gmail.com (Transparent Language) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:15:56 +0000

A Filial is an up-and-coming hip-hop band from Rio de Janeiro who recently released a new album, $1,99. Some members of the group grew up in Rio’s bohemian Santa Teresa neighborhood, and their music reflects a variety of genres, including bossa nova, jazz, tropicalia, rock, and rap. They first got started by releasing an album with Verge Records, which supports international artists.

Check out some of their music!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyhf4_KyyWU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZeJDcZCwao

For more information, see:

Brazzil.com Feature Article

Myspace

LastFM

Post from: Portuguese Blog

Aprenda inglês com a Transparent

markitecht@gmail.com (Transparent Language) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:31 +0000

Já que temos alguns leitores brasileiros aqui no Portuguese Blog, queria compartilhar com vocês outro projeto da Transparent: o blog Transparent Inglês, escrito especificamente para os brasileiros.

O autor do blog, Adir, é um brasileiro que dá aula de inglês e sabe muito bem ensinar diferentes idiomas. No blog, tem posts para todos os níveis, dicas sobre negócios e pronúncia, vocabulário, podcasts, vídeos e artigos sobre inglês e cultura. Para quem estuda inglês, é um site que tem que ver!

Leia Transparent Inglês aqui!

Post from: Portuguese Blog

Cooking Vocabulary

markitecht@gmail.com (Transparent Language) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:56 +0000

Today, we’re going to take a look at some cooking vocabulary.

to cook = cozinhar

dining = gastronomia

cooking = culinária

recipe = receita

cup = copo

teacup = xícara de chá

spoon = colher

soup spoon = colher de sopa

teaspoon = colher de de chá

can = lata

batch/bunch = maço

unit = unidade [example: 3 unidades de ovo means three eggs]

Post from: Portuguese Blog