Posts tagged with "Learning"

Oi, tudo bem?

This week’s video is for intermediate and advanced students of Portuguese and it brings six very common idioms used here in Brazil. They are:

- cair aos pedaços (to be run down, to fall apart)
- colocar em dia (to catch up on something)
- encontrar alguém por acaso (to run into someone)
- dar de topo com alguém (to run/bump into someone)
- cumprir um prazo (to meet a deadline)
- puxar conversa (to strike up a conversation)

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If you’re reading this post in your e-mail, click here to watch the video.

Tenha um ótimo fim de semana!

The other day, I was talking to a Brazilian friend and he used an expression that I wanted to share, since it’s perfect for using in everyday conversation.

Por mais incrível que pareça / Pelo incrível que pareça

This expression roughly translates as, “As difficult as it is to believe,” or “As hard as it is to believe,” or “As unbelievable as it seems.” You would use this expression to preface something unexpected or contrary to what you would believe. Both of the phrases mean the same thing. Let’s look at some examples:

Por mais incrível que pareça, meu marido não gosta de futebol. It may be difficult to believe, but my husband doesn’t like soccer.

Pelo incrível que pareça, elas querem ficar em casa em vez de viajar. As hard as it is to believe, they want to stay home instead of going away.

Meu time vai ser campeão, por mais incrível que pareça. My team is going to win, as hard as it is to believe.

Pelo incrível que pareça, meus amigos destestam este tipo de música. As unbelievable as it may seem, my friends hate this kind of music.

Now you try it in a sentence! Leave your example in the comments or on Facebook.

Embora is a very helpful word for everyday use in Portuguese, and bora is a nice slangy expression that comes from it, one that will make you sound like much more of a native speaker. Let’s take a look at how they are used, and then to practice. Try writing a sentence of your own in the comments!

1. Ir embora – to leave / to go

Vou embora amanhã de manhã. I’m leaving tomorrow morning.

Vamos embora, gente! Come on guys, let’s go!

Já tem que ir embora? Do you have to leave already?

2. Embora – = although / though [when used in this context, it must be accompanied by the subjunctive]

Embora ele seja americano, ela fala muito bem o português. Though he’s American, he speaks Portuguese very well.

Eu não comi muito, embora estivesse com muita fome. I didn’t eat very much, although I was very hungry.

Embora eles tenham muito talento, faltam disciplina. Though they’re quite talented, they lack discipline.

3. Bora - let’s go / wanna go? [This is a slangy way to say "Let's go/leave" or if paired with a question mark, a way of asking someone to go]

Bora galera! Let’s go, guys!

A festa será no sábado. Bora? The party’s on Saturday. Wanna go?

You’ll find plenty of funny viral videos from Brazil on the Web, and they’re great learning opportunities if you’re learning Portuguese. Let’s take a look at a couple.

Game Show

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Can you correctly answer the question? Here are the clues:

1. É um pais da Europa;
2. No passado invadiu o Brasil;
3. Terra das flores e dos moinhos de ventos;
4. Tirou o Brasil da última Copa;
5. Na final da Copa perdeu para Espanha;
6. Seu idioma é o holandês.

On the News

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Which item broke?

Live TV

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What excuse does she give for falling?

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One of the best ways to speak like a native is to pepper your speech with colloquial phrases and slang, which is why we’ve been focusing on these expressions lately.

Awhile back, we learned about some exclamations, including putz.  This word means oh no! or darn it! or uh oh! and is used as an expression of annoyance.

Likewise, the expression putz grila! has the same use. It can express surprise, annoyance, disappointment, impatience or shock.

I wasn’t able to figure out exactly where this phrase came from, but supposedly it emerged in the 1970s as a hippie expression.

Let’s look at some examples.

Putz grila! Esqueci minhas chaves. Oh no! I forgot my keys.

O voo foi cancelado? Putz grila! The flight was canceled? Darn it!

Mãe, você está vindo agora? Não estou pronto ainda. Putz grila! Mom, you’re coming over now? I’m not ready yet. Uh oh!

Putz grila…eles perderam o jogo. Darn it…they lost the game.

Can you think of any other examples?

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