Posts from February 2009

Coca Cola Expands Brazilian Market

Posted by Rachel No Comments
Feb 13 2009

Despite the international economic crisis that has recently begun to affect Brazil, Coca Cola has been doing extraordinarily well. In 2008, it earned R$15 billion in Brazil, a 25 percent increase from the previous year.

Also in 2008, Coca Cola Brasil’s sales volume increased by 7 percent, greater than the company’s average percentage worldwide.

As a result, Coca Cola Brasil will invest R$1.75 billion (US$764 million) in the Brazilian market this year, a sixteen percent increase from 2008.

According to the company, Coca Cola has not been affected by the crisis in Brazil and remains confident about continued high sales.

Free Love Ecards and Valentines Day 16 Language Love Song

Posted by margiebrenner No Comments
Feb 12 2009

This Valentine’s Day, send free Portuguese love ecards that are animated, musical, and—best of all—say “I love you” in any of 9 languages! It’s our way to celebrate the holiday…

Also, learn how to say “I love you” in Portuguese and 15 other languages by watching the new I love you video starring a very musical Transparent Language employee! Hint: forward this video to your sweetheart for extra points!

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Slang Phrases

Posted by Rachel 10 Comments
Feb 12 2009

Today we’re going to look at some slangy phrases you can use in everyday conversation with friends.

1. Até parece

This means “yeah, right.”

Vou na festa da Camila amanhã. O Tom Cruise também vai! I’m going to Camila’s party tomorrow. Tom Cruise is going too!

Até parece! Yeah, right!

2. Pois é

This literally means, “well, yeah,” but is used in a negative context, so can also mean “yes, unfortunately.”

Sua mãe disse que você tem que fazer o vestibular de novo. Your mom told me you have to take the college entrance exam again.

Pois é. Yeah, unfortunately.

3. E dai?

This means both “so what?” and “what’s up?”

Essa pizza deve ter muitas calorias. That pizza must have a lot of calories.

E dai? So what?

4. Ainda bem

This means “just as well,” or “well, thank goodness!”

O furacão não vai passar perto daqui. The hurricane isn’t going to come close to here.

Ainda bem! “Well, thank goodness!”

Video Learning Series

Posted by Rachel No Comments
Feb 11 2009

Today, we begin a new series using Youtube videos in Portuguese to practice listening skills, as well as a way to learn about Brazilian culture and history.

This excellent series, called O Povo Brasileiro, is broken down into thirty videos on Youtube, which describes Brazilian history from its indigenous origins to modernity. After watching the full series, you’ll be an expert on Brazil! Below are the first, fifteenth and thirtieth videos. You can find the rest of the videos here.

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Off the Beaten Path: Part IV

Posted by Rachel No Comments
Feb 10 2009

Most certainly off the beaten path, the Parque Nacional das Emas is tricky to get to, since it’s nearly 500 kilometers from Goiânia, the capital of Goiás, and almost 400 kilometers from Campo Grande, the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul. Ema National Park encompasses 1,300 square kilometers on a plateau with little forest cover.

Since the park is a vast space with little foliage, there are dozens of species of animals to see. You can spot emas, an ostrich-like species, for which the park is named, the largest bird in Brazil. There are several endangered species, including the jacamari, a type of wolf. You can also spot other Brazilian species like tapirs, anteaters, and capybaras, as well as tropical birds, foxes, snakes, armadillos, deer, lizards, and even jaguars and pumas. There also many species of flowers and flora to explore.

One of the features of the park are the glowing termite mounds. Up to two meters in height, the mounds are covered in bioluminescent termite larvae, making them glow at night during the rainy season.

For more information, see the park’s official site.

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