Posted by Rachel
Ivete Sangalo is one of the great stars of Salvador’s Carnival, so this week we’re going to use one of her older hits (Sorte Grande) to do some listening practice
Key words:
poeira = dust
emoção = emotion
sorriso = smile
pedaço = piece
verdadeiro = true
sorte = luck
Lyrics
A minha sorte grande,
Foi você cair do céu,
Minha paixão verdadeira.
Viver a emoção,
Ganhar teu coração,
Pra ser feliz a vida inteira…
É lindo o teu sorriso,
O brilho dos teus olhos,
Meu anjo querubim.
Doce dos teus beijos,
Calor dos teus braços,
Perfume de jasmim…
Chegou no meu espaço,
Mandando no pedaço,
Com o amor que não é brincadeira.
Pegou me deu um laço,
Dançou bem no compasso,
De prazer levantou poeira.
Poeira (x3)
Levantou poeira!
Poeira (x3)
Levantou poeira!
Posted by Rachel
Today we’re going to learn a useful little phrase that’s very slangy and will help you sound more like a native.
Pronto falei literally means there, I said it, as a follow up to some sort of controversial comment. Let’s look at how it’s used in conversation:
Ele ficou muito gordo. Pronto, falei. He got really fat. There, I said it.
Na verdade, ela não gosta muito de você. Pronto, falei. Actually, she doesn’t really like you. There, I said it.
A casa da sua tia tem um cheiro esquisito. Pronto, falei. Your aunt’s house smells funny. There, I said it.
Seu irmão não joga muito bem. Pronto, falei. Your brother doesn’t play that well. There, I said it.
Can you give an example?
Posted by Rachel
Did you know that some Japanese words actually come from Portuguese? This Luso influence dates back to the 1500s, when the Portuguese established trade with Japan, the first Europeans to manage the journey. Through traders and missionaries, the Portuguese brought new words and products to Japan, and thus a lasting cultural influence.
Let’s check out some of the words:
Japanese English definition Portuguese
bīdoro - a type of glass - vidro
birōdo - velvet - veludo
furasuko - flask - frasco
jōro - watering can - jarro
kappa - raincoat - capa
koppu - cup - copo
manto - cloak - manto
pan - bread - pão
shabon - soap - sabão
tabako - tobacco - tabaco
One of the most surprising words: tempura, the famous Japanese fried seafood and vegetables dish, comes from the Portuguese word tempero and temporar, which means seasoning and to season, respectively. Some say it comes from the word têmpora, a period when Catholics abstain from eating meat. Another interesting caveat: the Portuguese introduced European cooking oil in Japan, which is used to make this fried dish.
For a complete list of Japanese words of Portuguese origin, see here.
Posted by Rachel
Today we’re going to do a reading comprehension exercise with a travel story from Estadão.
Herança colonial com aroma de café
[Click above to read the full article]
“Atrás da imponente portaria surge uma casa grande marcada por uma fileira de janelas coloniais azuis perfeitamente retangulares na fachada. Herança de um tempo em que as economias do açúcar e do café movimentavam e levavam prosperidade ao interior do Estado de São Paulo. E proporcionavam a formação de um acervo de móveis, senzalas, capelas, terreiros e engenhos.”
Comprehension questions:
1. Where is the attraction located in Brazil?
2. What did the building used to be? What has it been converted into?
3. Why were the homes built without porches during the sugar era?
4. Who was the original owner of the property?
5. Is the attraction permanent or temporary?