Learn about good manners in Brazil and Portugal
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Intro |
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| Michael: What is considered good manners in Brazil and Portugal? |
| Ana Clara: And what is considered bad manners? |
| Michael: At PortuguesePod101.com, we hear these questions often. Consider the following situation: Mark Lee talks to his neighbor, Afonso Araujo. He asks, |
| "Who is your favorite politician?" |
| Mark Lee: Quem é o seu político favorito? |
| Dialogue |
| Mark Lee: Quem é o seu político favorito? |
| Afonso Araújo: Vamos falar sobre outra coisa. |
| Michael: Once more with the English translation. |
| Mark Lee: Quem é o seu político favorito? |
| Michael: "Who is your favorite politician?" |
| Afonso Araújo: Vamos falar sobre outra coisa. |
| Michael: "Let's talk about something else." |
Lesson focus |
| Michael: In conversations, either in Portugal or Brazil, there are some topics that may be avoided in order to keep a light and positive interaction. Politics, in general, is a topic that may lead to discomfort as people may not agree about a certain point of view. |
| In the conversation, Mark Lee asks: |
| Ana Clara: Quem é o seu político favorito? |
| Michael: meaning: "Who is your favorite politician?", to which Afonso says: |
| Ana Clara: Vamos falar sobre outra coisa— |
| Michael: meaning: "Let's talk about something else," showing that he considers such a subject not an ideal one to be approached directly. |
| In general, Brazilians are very expressive and communicate openly. However, there's a tendency to avoid conflict in conversations. Instead, lighter subjects are preferred to be used in daily interactions, such as food and drink, entertainment, hobbies, and friends and family, for example. |
| In Portugal as well, confrontation and conflict are avoided and Portuguese people will try to express themselves in a way that avoids being understood as critical. |
| Another common point in both cultures is that it's not appreciated when someone boasts about their wealth, for example. In both countries, a sense of modesty is appreciated. Discussing someone's income or financial situation, therefore, should be avoided; it's also seen as indiscreet. |
| [Summary] |
| Michael: In this lesson, you've learned that it's a good practice to avoid conflict in conversations in Portuguese, either in Portugal or Brazil; instead, lighter and more general subjects are preferred for social gatherings. Now, let’s look at some examples. Our first example is: |
| Ana Clara: Não gosto de falar sobre política. |
| Michael: "I don't like to talk about politics." |
| As we've seen, people may have different points of view on politics and discussing it may lead to an uncomfortable situation or conflict. Therefore, it's a theme to be avoided. |
| Michael: The next example is: |
| Ana Clara: Não se deve perguntar sobre quanto alguém ganha. |
| Michael: "One should not ask about how much someone earns." |
| As you've learned, in both cultures (Portuguese and Brazilian), it is not appreciated when someone boasts about their wealth, or asks about someone's financial status or income, as it's seen as ungraceful and indiscreet. |
| Expansion |
| Michael: Now, let's have a look at good manners in greetings in Portugal and Brazil. |
| Brazilians are very friendly and warm-hearted; therefore, don't be surprised if someone greets you with a kiss on the cheek even though it's someone you just met. However, men don't use that greeting with other men. Instead, if there's a friendlier greeting, there may be—instead of the standard handshake or an open hug. |
| In very formal situations and whenever you're in doubt in business settings for example, just stick to the traditional handshake. |
| In Portugal, it's common that greetings are very polite and formal with an acquaintance. Therefore, it's good to learn the formal titles of addressing someone, such as: |
| Ana Clara: Senhor, |
| Michael: meaning "Mr." or "sir", used to address a male speaker—and: |
| Ana Clara: Senhora |
| Michael: meaning "Mrs." or "madam"—used to address a female speaker. |
| Whenever in doubt, using a traditional handshake is a good way to greet a person in Portugal. |
| Practice Section |
| Michael: Let's review. Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then, repeat after Ana Clara focusing on pronunciation. |
| Do you remember how Mark Lee says "Who is your favorite politician?" |
| Ana Clara as Mark Lee: Quem é o seu político favorito? |
| Michael: Listen again and repeat. |
| Ana Clara as Mark Lee: Quem é o seu político favorito? |
| Ana Clara as Mark Lee: Quem é o seu político favorito? |
| Michael: And do you remember how Afonso Araujo says "Let's talk about something else?" |
| Ana Clara as Afonso Araujo: Vamos falar sobre outra coisa. |
| Michael: Listen again and repeat. |
| Ana Clara as Afonso Araujo: Vamos falar sobre outra coisa. |
| Ana Clara as Afonso Araujo: Vamos falar sobre outra coisa. |
| Cultural Insight |
| Michael: In Brazil, it's common to be offered after a main meal, a cup of coffee, or: |
| Ana Clara: cafezinho |
| Michael: meaning "(little) coffee", which is the diminutive of "coffee", conveying a warm-hearted offer of a drink that is a traditional and all-time favorite in Brazil. You can drink while visiting someone's home or in coffee shops, as it's a widely consumed drink in the country. |
Outro |
| Michael: Do you have any more questions? We’re here to answer them! |
| Ana Clara: Até a próxima! |
| Michael: See you soon! |
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