Today, we're going to learn how to check into a hotel in Portuguese.

In Portuguese, it's polite to greet someone based on the time of day, instead of a simple "hello" that we use in American English. Therefore, we use "boa tarde," which means good afternoon. Brazilian Portuguese includes adapted English words, so you'll notice that we use the term "check-in," but pronounce it with a Portuguese accent. Here, we say, "I'd like to check in." In Portuguese, this is phrased as "I'd like to do the check-in" -- "Gostaria de fazer o check-in."

Next, we anticipate the hotel employee's question by informing him that we have a reservation. "Reserva" means reservation.

In order to say "It's under the name," we say "está em nome de." In this case, the speaker's last name is Barreto, so he says, "It's under the name Barreto."

This means, "There are two of us: my wife and I." Literally, this means "We are two people," but translates to "There are two of us."

The verb "ficar" means to stay. Here, we use the future tense of ir (to go), and in context, the whole sentence means "We will stay for three nights."

Next, this means "I want a luxury room with an ocean view." In Brazilian Portuguese, it's not uncommon to hear someone use the present tense of "want" (quero) instead of the conditional tense of to like (gostaria). Though it's more polite to say "I would like," you will hear people say "I want." Note that ocean view is "vista para o mar" -- view to the ocean.

The word "diária" means the cost per night to stay at a hotel. Literally, this means "How much is the value per night? But translated, we ask, "What's the cost per night? I forgot."

Finally, here we say: "The doorman has our baggage. Can we go up to the room?" In Portuguese, we use the phrase "está com" (is with) can mean "is located" or in this case "a person has." Literally translated, this means "Our baggage is with the doorman. Can we go upstairs?"

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According to Globo, sixty percent of Brazilian households have a pet, and as such, pet products sell better than children's clothes, and the Brazilian pet industry accounts for R$4 billion a year.

Juiz de Fora, a major city in Minas Gerais, is a particularly pet-crazy city. There are special pet photographers, and dozens of pet shops and groomers. The groomers not only offer baths, but also dye jobs (partial and full), tattoos, and fur decorations.

1. Words ending in al

With these nouns, the al changes to ais.

sinal --> sinais  [stoplight -> stoplights]

capital --> capitais  [capital -> capitals]

moral --> morais  [moral --> morals]

2. Words ending in el

Here, el becomes éis.

papel --> papéis  [paper -> papers]

anel --> anéis  [ring -> rings]

hotel --> hoteis [hotel -> hotels]

3. Words ending in il

These nouns change their endings to is.

funil --> funis  [funnel --> funnels]

barril --> barris [barrel --> barrels]

4. Words ending in ol

Sônia began her career at age 18, when she starred in the musical Hair. From there, she moved on to TV and film. She got her big break in "Gabriela," a telenovela based on Jorge Amado's famous novel Gabriela, Cravo e Canela.

A year later, she starred in another Jorge Amado adaptation, the film version of Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos, and appeared in several successful Brazilian films in the early 1980s. Her most famous movie, however, was the film version of "Gabriela" in 1983, which helped her launch her career in Hollywood.

In the mid-80s, Sônia moved to the US, where she appeared in several films, including "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Angel Eyes." More recently, she has appeared on a variety of American TV shows, including Sex and the City, CSI: Miami and Alias. She's dated American stars including Robert Redford and David Lee Roth.

In 2006, Sônia went back to Brazil to act in a Brazilian novela, "Páginas da Vida," and a year later played one of the stars in the Brazilian adaptation of "Desperate Housewives."

Her niece, Alice Braga, has also become a successful actress in Brazil and the US, after big roles in City of God and I am Legend.

 For more information about Sônia Braga, click here.

• TAM Airlines recently announced two new direct flights from the U.S. to Rio de Janeiro: one from Miami, and one from New York. This is the only direct flight to Rio from JFK or any New York area airport so it's good news for East Coast travelers. The direct flights from Rio to New York originate in Sao Paulo, and flights from Rio to Miami originate in Belo Horizonte.
• BACC Travel Agency in New York offers reasonably priced fares to Brazil, especially at a time when airfare costs have gone up across the board. They've also partnered with TAM to promote the new direct flights mentioned above.
• Some helpful sites to help plan your trip include Brazil.com, Lonely Planet, Just Brazil, Center for Disease Control and the State Department website.
• Check out the official tourism sites for major cities: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador, Manaus, and Recife.
  
• Don't forget that Brazil requires a visa, even for tourists! Click here for a list of consulates in the US, and here for consulates in Canada.
  

Brigadeiro is a chocolate truffle that is most commonly made in little balls in tiny cupcake wrappers, but can also be a topping for other desserts or can be made as an entire cake. It is made with condensed milk, butter, chocolate powder, and sprinkles, and has an icing-like consistency. It is common at birthday parties and is eaten throughout Brazil.

This pastry was created in the 1940s during World War II. Food imports like fruit and nuts were scarce, but Nestle took advantage of the opportunity to introduce chocolate powder to Brazil, which became an instant hit (and incidentally, one of the key ingredients for brigadeiro).

The treat was named after a military man by the name of Eduardo Gomes, who was a brigadier (brigadeiro) in the Air Force. He was famous for impeding a military coup in the then capital of Rio de Janeiro, and for running for President of Brazil twice (and losing).

Here are some recipes so you can make brigadeiro yourself:

Tudogosto.com Recipe (Portuguese)

Recipezaar Recipe (English)

Receitinhas Recipe (Portuguese)

Foodgeeks Recipe (English)

Microwave Brigadeiro (Portuguese)