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…are you following that?

Posted By jhall_3rd on January 17th, 2012

There are two ways of saying “to follow.” But of course, they’re not the same. Let’s look at,

SEGUIR &

ACOMPANHAR.

In English, we say for example, “Are you following that show?” and, “Now, follow-along with us as we…” But in Brazilian Portuguese, the verb used when talking about keeping track of, accompanying an activity is ACOMPANHAR. The verb SEGUIR is used when literally coming after/ following something. Some examples:

> Você está acompanhando algum seriado? / Are you following any of the TV serials?

> Para chegar à praia, só segue essa rua até o final. / To get to the beach, just follow this road until the end.

> Eu vou acompanhar todos os movimentos do meu filho no Facebook. / I’m going to follow-along all of my son’s activity on Facebook.

> Seguindo as instruções dele, consegui me cadastrar no site. / Following his instructions i was able to register on the site.

> Não entendi bem a estória — foi muita confusa! / I didn’t really follow the story — it was so confusing!

So, when you are following-along or, accompanying — use ACOMPANHAR.

Posted in How to learn better/faster., Learn Portuguese, Portuguese grammar and vocab

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One the one hand…

Posted By jhall_3rd on January 10th, 2012

We use this all the time: “On the one hand I want to go traveling this summer, on the other hand I really need to stay home and save money”

Here’s how to say this in Brazilian Portuguese:

Por um lado e por outro…

> Estou feliz por um lado, mas triste por outro.

> Por um lado eu quero viajar neste verão, por outro lado, eu realmente preciso ficar em casa e economizar dinheiro.

* You can also use “de” instead of “por”:

> A evoluição da internet está sendo dirigida de um lado pela avanças em tecnologia e, de outro, pela demanda do consumidor.

> Por um lado, ter um inimigo é muito ruim. Perturba nossa paz mental e destrói algumas de nossas coisas boas. Mas, se vemos de outro ângulo, somente um inimigo nos dá a oportunidade de exercer a paciência… Dalai Lama

* “por outro lado” can also be used alone:

> Por outro lado, a inclusão dos todos funcionários em nosso programa de participação serve para motivar desempenho no serviço.

Related expressions that also connect two ideas include:

> De outro ponto de vista…

> De outra parte…

> Por seu turno…

> Por sua vez….

Posted in How to learn better/faster., Learn Portuguese, Portuguese slang and expressions

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Christmas Special

Posted By jhall_3rd on December 20th, 2011

Get both Series 1 + Series 2: Save 20%

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This is the downloadable version: it’s playable on any computer, iPhone, iPad, iPod as well as any video-enabled portable device (such as an Android tablet or phone).

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Posted in How to learn better/faster., Series 1, Series 2

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Who’s that girl?

Posted By jhall_3rd on December 4th, 2011

Which one? — The one over there in the red dress…. She’s the one I met the other day. Oh, you mean the one wearing glasses?

In English we always refer to someone by saying “that one” etc. In portuguese, you can skip all that and just say:

“Aquela – de vestido vermelho… é ela que conheci outro dia. Ah, quer dizer a de óculos?”

Vamos praticar: …

Who? That guy over there with curly hair and and a mustache?

> No – that other one wearing a blue t-shirt and jeans.

>> Quem? Aquele lá com cabelo cacheado e bigode? Não – o outro usando uma camisa azul e calça jeans.

Não deixe de nos acompanhar também pelo facebook.

Posted in Brazilian Culture, How to learn better/faster., Learn Portuguese, Portuguese grammar and vocab, Portuguese slang and expressions

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Vamos sair

Posted By jhall_3rd on October 25th, 2011

It’s Friday and you want to ask someone what they’re doing later:

O que você vai fazer hoje a noite?

You could have also just said real casually:

E, mais tarde, você vai fazer o que?

Let’s go out together tonight!

Vamos sair juntos hoje a noite!

Posted in How to learn better/faster., Learn Portuguese, Portuguese grammar and vocab

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10 advanced vocab words you need to know now!

Posted By jhall_3rd on October 9th, 2011

espatifar-se

crash-land, fall-flat

> Eu me espatifei na lama ao cair da arvore.
comparecer

to attend (a formal affair like a court appearance)

> O convidamos para jantar, mas ele não compareceu!
gemer

to moan, groan.

> Ela estava gemendo tanto que deu para toda vinzinhaça no prédio ouvir!
deparar-se

to meet-up with, run into.

> Eu me deparei com Raquel hoje no shopping.
cicatrizar

to heal

> Assim que meu braço cicatrizar eu volto a jogar tenis.
sequestrar

to kidnap

> Ele foi sequestrado pelos ladrões.
apoiar

to support

> Eu apoio os direitos humanos.
estornar

to refund

> Estou pedindo para ele estornar meu pagamento.
somar

to add-up

> Somando todos os gastos, o orçamento vai chegar até um milhão de reais.
efetuar

to accomplish, make, realize

> Finalmente eles conseguiram efetuar a matrícula em arquitetura.

Posted in How to learn better/faster., Learn Portuguese, Portuguese grammar and vocab, Series 1

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How Portuguese is really spoken.

Posted By jhall_3rd on October 7th, 2011

In Brazilian Portuguese, the word “estou” is very often shortened to just tô, and “está” becomes tá.”

It’s pretty confusing at first. Just as you get comfortable conjugating ester, you learn that it’s commonly voiced as:

estou >> tô

está >> tá

estamos >> tamos

estão >> tão

Get used to it.

Posted in How to learn better/faster., Learn Portuguese, Portuguese grammar and vocab, Portuguese slang and expressions

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SER vs. ESTAR (Brazilian portuguese)

Posted By jhall_3rd on October 4th, 2011

Just as a quick reminder*, the difference between see & estar is this:

Ser is for intrinsic, somewhat permanent caracteristics, whereas estar is for temporary passing things.

Meu nome é Raquel.
My name is (permanently/always) Raquel.

Eu sou brasileira.
I am (permanently/always) Brazilian.

Ele é casado.
He is is (somewhat permanently) married.

Eles estão atrasados.

They are (temporarily) late. Hopefully, there will eventually arrive.

A Veronica está na academia.
Veronica is (temporarily) at the gym. or Veronica is at the gym (right now).

The difference between the two is sometimes jokingly used by Brazilians:

Joana: Nossa Maria! Você está bonita!
Wow Maria! You are beautiful!

Maria: Eu não ESTOU bonita, eu SOU bonita.
I am not (temporarily) beautiful, I am (permanently/always) beautiful.

Got that?

Posted in How to learn better/faster., Learn Portuguese, Portuguese grammar and vocab

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Get loaded on Brazilian Portuguese

Posted By jhall_3rd on June 7th, 2011

CARGO & CARGA –

These are so easily confused, but are important to get straight since they’re both used when talking about jobs and work. When you’re interviewing for a job you really want to get these right.