All of our stories include a main character (personagem) that's trying to learn the language. We've experimented with all-Brazilian casted scripts and having them speak super-basic Portuguese. It always comes out weird - in a bad way 😳. Some of you have recognized this common schema and so, now you know why. It's a big constraint but we're far from out of ideas!

This time around, we have Jason ➜ Gringo running after a dream with just enough Portuguese to get into (serious) trouble; and Vanessa ➜ Brazilian woman very good at stirring up trouble.

The original comedic inspiration BTW came from Elmyra. I'm old enough to know Elmyra personally.

The basic idea is a frustrated guy and a very annoying girl - that has a thing for him.
At the risk of sounding misogynist (misógino), I'm just going to say that in general, a foreign woman or man in Brazil ranks high on the list of desirable potential partners. The reasons for this are complicated and best explained by others. Right, wrong, fair or unfair, it's just the way it is.

Jason is stressed-out working way too much from home, isolated and bored. He's accumulated some money and is ready to find a white-sandy beach and a new love to de-stress from the pandemic routine

In Portuguese:
A gente apresenta a realidade chata da conversação pela internet, o laço com essa moça que parece ser legal... Ele tira um mês de férias e vai para o Brasil, ele conhece a Uber simpática e pega o telefone dela para futuras viagens, tem um primeiro encontro ótimo, Um segundo encontro estranho, um terceiro encontro péssimo, um término turbulento onde a namoradinha não quer separar e revela seu lado mais possessiva e engraçadamente desequilibrada (Tipo Elmyra do tinytoons - Tiny Toons Adventures - My Dinner With Elmyra (Part 1) - YouTube / Elmyra gives Dizzy Devil a bath - YouTube)

In English:
We present the boring reality of internet conversation. Jason makes a connection with Vanessa. The one girl that seems to be cool... after so many surreal online interactions (Tinder). He takes a month off and goes to Brazil. A friendly Uber driver helps him with the connection from the airport to apartment. He picks up her contact details for future trips and she seems like a good guide for some tourist outings. With Vanessa he has a great first date, A weird second date, a bad third date, and an extremely turbulent last date in which she reveals her possessive, unbalanced and possibly violent side. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🩹. Is anyone triggered by this? I hope not. It's a comedy and we're playing with over-the-top (unfair) stereotypes for the sake of laughs and learning. I promise you you will be entertained and perhaps even offended. But not bored.

Vocab always comes first. All vocab sessions now use the new spaced-interval-repetition method. We serve you words from the current dialog, plus missed words from previous dialogs, plus calculated repeats of correctly answered words until_they_are_committed_to memory.

The 1st play of every dialog has the Portuguese subtitles burned-in. No more clicking-around to get the right subs. When you see the word on-screen and hear it simultaneously they become linked sub-consciously.

The second viewing has the option of either English, Portuguese subtitles (or, none). We explain what's being said, and why. I present a detailed grammar break-down immediately below the video, and explain the nuances to the language and the quirks that are common. There are always links to relevant posts and grammar reference. Download links for the video, an mp3 version, and a PDF are provided.

The speech recognition has gotten so good now that we are adding a new section called Conversa. We'll prompt you to speak some of the most useful phrases presented in the current dialog. Usually, ~3-5 phrases that circle through until our Google-powered language monster says tudo bem!

In-context grammar examples have proven to be supremely effective at teaching grammar rules and we use them more than ever before in this new series. The teaching video, as well as an mp3 audio-only version, are offered for download on these teaching lessons.

We're using all-quizzes here (no tests). Quizzes cycle through the ones you got wrong until they're corrected. As an option, they can be skipped as well. You can advance at will - even when there are some quiz questions you simply cannot get right 😉

Based on your progress in the Conversa and Quiz sections, a review is created that guides you towards working on what you need to practice the most. There is a short review narration (or video) for each topic + ~3 new questions.

Lots to download!
We'll include a full stack of downloadable files: videos, mp3s, and PDFs are available for all the lessons. The audio-only versions are great for multi-tasking study, and PDFs of each dialog make it easy to review the written word. ✱ The 12-month and Lifetime memberships allow immediate download rights; shorter-term members can download after having been active at least 30 days.

This will be our most complete learning experience yet.

~James

Amor Passageiro: Film Review!

Source: Studies in second language acquisition

"Amor Passageiro" is a refreshingly edgy mix of romance, comedy, and cultural chaos that throws its protagonist, Jason, headfirst into the vibrant, and often bewildering, world of Brazilian love. This isn't your typical rom-com; it’s a wild, unpredictable ride that captures the raw, unfiltered reality of falling for someone in a completely foreign setting. From the moment Jason lands in Brazil, he’s in way over his head—caught between Vanessa, the fiery, relentless romantic who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and Gabriela, the cool, down-to-earth Uber driver who sees right through his gringo cluelessness. The story doesn’t hold back in showcasing the absurdities and frustrations of trying to connect across language barriers. The misunderstandings aren't just cute; they’re often laugh-out-loud cringeworthy, exposing just how ridiculous and awkward it can be to navigate a romance when you barely speak the same language. The interplay between Jason’s growing feelings for Gabriela and Vanessa’s relentless pursuit adds a spicy, almost chaotic energy to the narrative. Vanessa is the embodiment of whirlwind passion—excessive, intense, and hilariously over-the-top. Her antics, from surprise therapy sessions to dramatic declarations of love, are both ridiculous and relatable, making her a scene-stealer every time she appears. Gabriela, on the other hand, provides a necessary contrast, grounding the story with her wit, sarcasm, and no-nonsense approach to life. It’s this dynamic that keeps the tension alive and prevents the story from falling into predictable romantic tropes. "Amor Passageiro" does an excellent job of integrating language lessons without sugar-coating the frustrations of learning a new culture. It doesn’t shy away from showing the messiness of Jason’s attempts to understand Brazilian expressions and customs, making it more than just a lighthearted romp. The humor here is sharp, sometimes bordering on dark, and the romance feels all the more authentic for it—raw, unpolished, and genuinely affecting. The final scene, with Jason choosing spontaneity and passion over routine by ditching the airport to dive into the ocean with Gabriela, nails the spirit of the entire story. It’s a triumphant, "to hell with it" moment that feels both exhilarating and honest. In the end, "Amor Passageiro" is a bold, unapologetic take on romantic comedy, delivering a story that's as messy and unpredictable as falling in love in real life. It’s not afraid to push boundaries, to be a little irreverent, and to embrace the chaos that comes with following your heart—even when you have no idea where it’s leading you. An absolute must-read for those who like their romance with a bit of bite and a lot of heart.