Brazilian Portuguese For Dummies

Language learning is easy with Dummies

Brazilian Portuguese For Dummies can help you achieve your goals of learning another language. Traveling to Brazil? Taking a class in school? Want to meet people and pick up a new hobby? Just curious about the sixth most spoken language in the world? We’ve got you covered, with easy-to-follow lessons on the basics, plus phrases and topics you need to know, like greetings, travel phrases, business phrases, numbers and measurements, and social media. Add speaking Portuguese to the long list of cool things you can do—with the help of Brazilian Portuguese For Dummies.

• Start from the beginning and learn the very basics of Brazilian Portuguese
• Practice authentic phrases for travel, business, and communicating online
• Perfect your pronunciation with bonus audio tracks, and discover fun facts about Brazilian culture
• Get recommendations for movies, travel tips, and more

Whether you’re studying Portuguese for business, school, or pleasure, Dummies is the best guide for getting started with this beautiful language.

Karen Jacobson-Sive is fluent in Brazilian Portuguese. She worked as a journalist in Brazil for many years before re-locating to New York where she taught language classes. She is the author of the previous editions of Portuguese For Dummies.

Introduction 1

About This Book 2

Conventions Used in This Book 2

Foolish Assumptions 4

How This Book Is Organized 4

Part 1: Getting Started with Brazilian Portuguese 4

Part 2: Brazilian Portuguese in Action 4

Part 3: Brazilian Portuguese on the Go 5

Part 4: The Part of Tens 5

Part 5: Appendixes 5

Icons Used in This Book 5

Beyond the Book 6

Where to Go from Here 6

Part 1: Getting Started with Brazilian Portuguese 7

Chapter 1: You Already Know Some Portuguese! 9

Exploring the Roots of Portuguese 10

Reciting Your ABCs 11

Conquering Consonants 13

The letter C 13

The letter D 14

The letter G 14

The letter H 15

The letter J 15

The letter L 15

The letters M and N 16

The letter R 16

The letter S 17

The letter T 17

The letter W 18

The letter X 18

Exercising Your Jowls with Vowels 18

The letters A and à 18

The letters E and Ê 19

The letter I 20

The letters O and Ô 20

The letter U 20

Differentiating Regional Accents 21

Rio de Janeiro 21

Interior of São Paulo state 21

Northeastern Brazil 21

Rio Grande do Sul 22

Recognizing the Sound of Portugal’s Portuguese 22

Chapter 2: The Nitty-Gritty: Basic Portuguese Grammar 25

Agreeing with Nouns and Adjectives 26

Looking at Articles 27

Introducing Pronouns 28

Examining Verbs and Building Simple Sentences 30

Delving into Verb Conjugations 31

Using the -ar verbs 31

Using the -er and -ir verbs 34

Making Contractions: It’s a Cinch! 35

To Me, to You: Indirect Objects 37

Chapter 3: Oi! Hello! Greetings and Introductions 39

Saying Hello 40

Making Introductions 41

Using First Names, Last Names, and Nicknames —

Brazilian-Style 42

Dividing the World between Formal and Informal 43

Describing Permanent Qualities: Ser 46

Using an example 47

Warming up to ser 48

Describing Temporary Qualities: Estar 51

Using an example 52

Warming up to estar 53

Speaking about Speaking: Falar 53

Saying Goodbye 57

Chapter 4: Getting Your Numbers, Times, and Measurements Straight 61

Counting to 100 and Beyond 62

Ordering Sequences: First, Second, Third 65

Telling Time 66

Talking about Days of the Week 68

Specifying Times and Dates 71

Getting Familiar with the Metric System 72

Chapter 5: Speaking Portuguese at Home 77

Seeing What Makes Up a Home 78

Living in the Big City 80

Getting Some Sleep 82

Waking Up 83

Chatting about Food 84

Getting breakfast 85

Discussing lunch 86

Cooking up dinner 87

Cleaning House 89

Going for a Walk Around the Neighborhood 90

Making a Phone Call 92

Connecting with the calling verb: Ligar 96

Dealing with verbal mush 97

Being a Gracious Guest 99

Part 2: Brazilian Portuguese in Action 101

Chapter 6: Getting to Know You: Small Talk 103

Where Are You From? 103

Figuring Out Family Connections 107

Using Possessives: “My ” 108

Knowing Who, What, and Where 111

Talking in the Past Tense 112

Pulling It Together with Connector Words 117

Three “Save Me!” Phrases 118

Sharing Your Contact Information 118

Chapter 7: Dining Out and Going to the Market 121

Trying Brazilian Foods 121

Sampling the classics 122

Finding a place to eat 123

Perusing the menu 124

Bom apetite! Ordering and enjoying your meal 126

Satisfying your sweet tooth 128

Buying Drinks 131

Basking in Brazilian Barbeque 132

Mastering Eating and Drinking Verbs 133

Shopping at the Market 135

Picking up practical items 136

Buying produce at an outdoor market 136

Chapter 8: Shopping 141

Scoping Out the Shopping Scene 141

Saying What You’re Looking For 142

Talking about what you want to buy 142

Naming colors in Portuguese 144

Trying and Trying On: The Verb Experimentar 145

Taking It: The Verb Levar 146

Making Comparisons and Expressing Opinions 148

Exploring Brazilian Treasures 151

Negotiating Price in Outdoor Markets 153

Chapter 9: Going Out on the Town 157

Talking about Going Out 157

Inviting someone out and being invited 158

Asking what a place or event is like 159

Taking in Brazil’s Musical Culture 160

Using the musical verb: Tocar 161

Using the dancing verb: Dançar 163

Using the singing verb: Cantar 163

Exploring Art 164

Going to the Movies 165

Falling in Love — in Portuguese 168

Chapter 10: Using Technology To Keep In Touch 173

Talking and Texting with a Digital Device 174

Dealing with verbal mush 177

Connecting with the calling verb: Ligar 179

Telling Someone to Call You 180

Leaving a Message 181

Making Arrangements over the Phone 183

Texting to Check In 184

Digital Talk Know-How 184

Staying Informed through the Internet 186

Emailing 187

Socializing on Social Media 190

Keeping Your Tablet at Your Fingertips 191

Talking about Feelings Using Words and Emoji 192

Chapter 11: Chatting About Business 195

Qual a sua profissão? What Do You Do? 196

Applying the doing verb: Fazer 197

Mailing Things the Old-Fashioned Way 201

Placing a Business Call 202

Making Appointments and Conducting Meetings 203

Expressing profit, loss, revenue, and expenses 204

Asking about business goals 205

Working from Home 205

Chapter 12: Recreation and the Outdoors 209

Finding Out What’s Really on a Brazilian Beach 210

Getting outfitted for a day at the beach 210

Checking out other beach attractions 212

Describing beautiful beaches 214

Exploring the Amazon Rainforest 216

Talking about Biodiversity 217

Considering plant life 218

Identifying wildlife 218

Asking People What They Like to Do 219

Part 3: Brazilian Portuguese on the Go 225

Chapter 13: Planning a Trip 227

Picking the Best Time for Your Trip 228

Obtaining a Passport and Visa 232

Researching Public Health Concerns 232

Packing for Your Brazilian Getaway 233

Deciding Where to Go 234

The North 235

The Northeast 235

The Central-West 236

The Southeast 237

The South 238

Talking about Going: The Verb Ir 241

Going Through Customs 244

Choosing a Place to Sleep 245

Making reservations 245

Checking in and out: Registration 246

Asking about amenities 247

Getting Possessive 248

Chapter 14: Money, Money, Money 253

Introducing Brazilian Reais and Centavos 253

Getting Ahold of Brazilian Currency 254

Using Brazilian Banks and ATMs 256

Checking Prices and Making Purchases 258

The paying verb: Pagar 259

Paying for items and services 260

Chapter 15: Getting Around: Planes, Buses, Taxis, and More 265

Making a Plane Reservation 266

Taking Buses 270

Traveling by Taxi 271

Using Ride-Hailing Apps 274

Renting a Car 275

Interpreting traffic signs 277

Parking it 277

Talking About Coming and Going 278

Announcing an arrival 278

Talking about leaving 279

Discussing the wait 280

Navigating Cityscapes 281

Talking about distance 283

Asking for directions 285

Discussing how to get there 287

Over here, over there 290

Chapter 16: Going to Sporting Events 293

Getting Hip to Soccer — Brazil’s National Pastime 294

Buying Tickets 295

Finding Your Seat 297

Ordering Brazilian Concessions 298

Making Sense of Yelling Fans 300

Talking about Sports 301

Using the verb jogar, to play 301

Considering practice 302

Expressing preferences 303

Winning and losing 304

Searching the Place 304

Chapter 17: O Carnaval! 309

Exploring Carnaval in Brazil 310

Rio’s Carnaval 311

Carnaval in Salvador 314

Carnaval in Recife/Olinda 318

Dancing the Samba! 320

Chapter 18: Socorro! Help! Handling Emergencies 325

Stick ’em Up: What to Say (and Do) if You’re Robbed 326

Don’t panic! 327

Asking for and receiving help 328

Reporting a problem to the police 329

Handling Health Emergencies 330

Heading off illnesses with vaccines 330

Watching out for tropical illnesses 331

Expressing pandemic-related needs 332

Dealing with your normal illnesses 333

Handling injuries 334

Talking about your health problem 335

Discussing Legal Problems 338

Part 4: The Part of Tens 341

Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Pick Up Brazilian Portuguese Quickly 343

Go to Brazil! 343

Find Brazilians (Or Other Portuguese Speakers) Near You 344

Date a Brazilian 344

Read the News in Portuguese 345

Check Out Brazilian Websites 345

Listen to Brazilian Music 346

Watch a Brazilian Movie 347

Watch Globo 348

Take a Portuguese Language Class 348

“Say It Again, João!” 348

Chapter 20: Ten Common Brazilian Portuguese Slang Words 349

Brega/Cafona 349

Cara 350

Chato 350

Chique 350

Esperto 350

Gato and Gata 351

Grana 351

Legal 352

Pinga 352

Valeu 352

Chapter 21: Ten (Plus One) Brazilian Portuguese Terms That Make You Sound Fluent 353

Né? 353

Tá 354

Ah é? 354

Então 354

Sabe? 355

Meio 355

Ou seja 355

Cê Instead of Você 355

A gente 356

Pra 356

Tô 356

Part 5: Appendixes 357

Appendix A: Verb Tables 359

Appendix B: Portuguese-English Mini-Dictionary 369

Appendix C: Answer Key 389

Index 393

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The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.