Posts tagged w/ translation

Thanksgiving Vocabulary

Posted by Rachel

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

 

Proverbs Practice

Posted by Rachel

Today, we’re going to go over some Portuguese proverbs and take a look at their meanings. Some are tricky since there are slightly different English equivalents.

1. Quem ama o feio, bonito lhe parece.

Literal meaning: Ugly people appear beautiful when they are loved.

English equivalent: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

2. A pressa é inimiga da perfeição.

Literal meaning: Haste is perfection’s enemy.

English equivalent: Haste makes waste.

3. Quando um não quer, dois não brigam.

Literal meaning: When one person doesn’t want to, two people don’t fight.

English equivalent: It takes two to tango.

4. Quem não arrisca não petisca.

Literal meaning: He who doesn’t take a risk doesn’t take a bite.

English equivalent: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

5. Deus ajuda quem cedo madruga.

Literal meaning: God helps those who wake up early.

English equivalent: The early bird gets the worm.

 

Word of the Day File: Gerente

Posted by Rachel

If you look at the right side of the blog, you’ll notice the word of the day, where we feature a word in Portuguese, its English translation, and its proper application seven days a week. In this new series, we’ll talk a bit about the word of the day to expand upon its use.

Today’s word of the day is gerente.

First, let’s talk about the pronunciation. The first part of the word, ge, uses the z/j sound, the kind you’d hear in rouge and other French-based words. The last part of the word, te, is pronounced chee in some parts of Brazil, like Rio and Sao Paulo, and pronounced tea in other parts, like Pernambuco. Click on the word to hear its pronunciation.

Next, let’s look at the use of the word. Gerente is a manager, but can also be used to describe a boss, owner/operator, or a storekeeper.

Felipe, o gerente geral da empresa, tem muita responsibilidade. Felipe, the company’s general manager, has a lot of responsibility.

Hoje conversei com meu gerente, e pedi demissão. I spoke to my boss today, and I quit.

A gerente da escola do balé gasta muito dinheiro. The woman who runs the ballet school spends a lot of money.

O libanês velho é o gerente da loja de brinquedos na esquina. The old Lebanese man owns the toy store on the corner.