PortuguesePod101.com Blog

Whether it’s a Christmas celebration, a birthday party, or a simple barbecue (churrasco!), there’s a family gathering just about every month in Brazil. Yes, those events where small cousins are running around, grandmother asks about your love life, and there’s more food than people can handle. Learning how to talk about family in Portuguese is essential, even if you don’t attend one of these family gatherings in Brazil (which we recommend you do!). After all, this is a topic that always comes up in conversations. People will ask you about your family, or tell you stories about their own family involving multiple relatives. In this article, we’ll go over the vocabulary you need to know to talk about all kinds of families, as well as... Show more

Travel: Is there any other activity that demands so much planning, money, and time...or that generates so many interesting and fulfilling discoveries? Yes, traveling can be both a pleasure and a challenge. Leisure in newfound places walks hand in hand with language and cultural barriers. Learning Portuguese basics for travel can be helpful, but it might not be enough to help you generate a truly rich and comfortable experience. There are many sources online with common Portuguese travel phrases, but many of them fail to illustrate the nuances of the daily vernacular you’ll actually be hearing on your trip. It’s not uncommon to learn some Portuguese travel phrases but neglect to brush up on local manners and signs of politeness. After... Show more

Learning the numbers in Portuguese solves many problems. You can ask for caipirinhas (a Brazilian cocktail) for you and your buddies. Or count the goals in a soccer match. Or know how much a ticket from Sao Paulo to Rio will cost... You can also negotiate your salary, answer how many months (or years) you plan to stay in the country, and tell people your age. Like in any other language, it’s important that you learn at least the numbers to ten in Portuguese right at the start. That will solve some communication problems when you’re speaking to a Brazilian or Portuguese person who doesn’t speak English. Exciting, isn’t it? When do we begin? Well, sit down, take it easy, breathe—count to ten. → Want to review numbers vocabulary in... Show more

Making mistakes is a part of life. There’s no way around it, and that’s why knowing how to apologize is a must. Whether we inadvertently make a mistake or say something we didn’t mean, saying "I’m sorry" is always necessary. It doesn’t mean it’s an easy thing to do, but it’s something we have to deal with. Now that you’re learning a new language, it’s also a good idea to expand your vocabulary and include ways to say sorry in Portuguese. After all, mistakes in pronunciation, word choice, or comprehension is a part of the process. That’s totally okay! By using the right words to apologize, you can make the process smoother. As you gain more experience with the Portuguese language, there will be more situations in which you might need... Show more

Each year, Brazilians take it upon themselves to celebrate and pay tribute to the patroness of Brazil, Our Lady of Aparecida. This is a major religious observance for Catholics, who often make a journey to the Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida on this day. In this article, you’ll learn about the Our Lady of Aparecida apparition, one of her most famous miracles, and the most common traditions associated with this holiday. At PortuguesePod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your language-learning journey both and informative! 1. What is Our Lady of Aparecida Day? On Our Lady of Aparecida Day, Brazil pays tribute to its patron saint, who is sometimes also referred to as the Virgin of Aparecida or the Lady of the... Show more

Did you know that Brazil is the only country in the Americas that uses Portuguese as its national language? This is because, for nearly three-hundred years, Portugal colonized Brazil. In 1822, freedom and independence finally became a realistic goal for Brazil, and as you can imagine, Brazil’s Independence Day is the country’s most important holiday. How did Brazil gain its independence after so long a colonial period? In this article, you’ll learn about the history behind the Brazil Day of Independence, as well as Brazil Independence Day celebrations. At PortuguesePod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your learning journey both fun and informative. So let’s get started! 1. What is Brazil’s Independence Day? Brazil... Show more

Portuguese is a complex language and people who are learning how to speak it often complain about its difficulty. Well, besides the verbs, adverbs, and syntax construction, there’s also the nonverbal communication in Brazil that’s pretty rich. Luckily for you, we’re here to help you dominate the body language in Brazil. As you might know, Brazilians are particularly expressive with their hands, so we’ll be looking at the most common Brazilian hand gestures in addition to other body gestures. In this article, we’ll explain what the offensive hand gestures in Brazil are and much more. You can approve of something, disapprove, tell that you’re in trouble, allow someone to come in, say hello, and so much more without using words.... Show more

Did you know that Brazil is the country with the fourth-largest number of Internet users in the world? Take that huge number of people online, add to it the natural creativity and humor of Brazilians, and you get a whole new world of Portuguese slang and expressions! Some Brazilian internet slang is more common with the younger crowds, while other slang phrases are used by people of all ages. Besides that, many expressions born online and in memes end up in the daily vocabulary of Brazilians, even if just for a few months. In this article, we’ll focus more on long-lasting expressions, abbreviations, and slang words. But if you’re curious enough, you can always continue keeping up-to-date with new memes and engage with Portuguese speakers... Show more

Fathers are extremely important people, benefiting both their own children and society as a whole when they choose to act in this honorable role. On Fathers Day, Brazilians seek to honor and show appreciation for the fathers or father-figures in their lives, as much of the world does once a year. In this article, we’ll go over the basics of how Brazil celebrates Father’s Day, including the most popular gifts and traditions. At PortuguesePod101.com, we hope to make this learning journey worthwhile, and hope you take away something valuable! Happy Fathers Day! 1. What is Father’s Day? You’re likely familiar with the concept of Father’s Day, as it’s celebrated in just about every country. Father’s Day is a holiday for... Show more

Not everything can be translated. The Biblical story of the Tower of Babel tells of a time when all humans stopped speaking the same language to drown in the confusion of different idioms. The conflicts have spread throughout humankind, which has been dissolved into different tribes. Indeed, communication is full of perils. Speech is the root of every possible human bond and results in building or destroying bridges. Normally, when a message fails to be transmitted, the consequences aren’t good. This effort to translate is hard enough in daily matters. But what about the untranslatable Portuguese words and those of other languages? The benefits of learning untranslatable Portuguese words may not be obvious at first sight, but they... Show more