Latest Posts » Brazilian Portuguese, by Semantica

PARA MIM versus PARA EU

June 3, 2024October 17, 2024 By James Hall

My mom still gets mad when I get “I” and “me” mixed up. It still happens too often, giving her joy every time. It’s… the same thing in Portuguese. The big confusion is whether to say para mim or, para eu. Fortunately, there is a very simple trick to getting these right. Once you know…

(2) Beginning Portuguese

Talheres

June 3, 2024November 21, 2024 By James Hall

» From our online Portuguese course. Por que que o garfo é no masculino se ele claramente é uma mulher? Seios cintura quadril. E… por que é que a faca é no feminino se ela claramente é um homem? E eles são um casal! E diferente de quem acha que a colher… É a filha…

Uncategorized

To SER or not to ser.

April 19, 2024November 21, 2024 By James Hall

One of the biggest deals to learn as a beginner is the difference between SER and ESTAR. Let’s forget the differences between the two… and just look at ser, and when/how to use it. SER: to be SER is really just to talk about the hard facts. Nothing at all temporal or changing. But don’t…

(2) Beginning Portuguese

lá, ali, aí – saying THERE in Portuguese

April 17, 2024April 19, 2024 By James Hall

Years of study and practice and I finally know how to say “there”, in Portuguese 🤠. I never thought that something so simple could… become so complicated. I’m going to show you this with out the frustrating grammar-talk that most books will throw at you just to learn how to choose the right “there” !

(3) Intermediate Portuguese

Portuguese Pronunciation – lh

April 16, 2024April 17, 2024 By James Hall

The LH in the middle of a word is one of the trickiest pronunciations. Really though, it’s not that hard. You just need to… remember to half-pronounce the ‘L’. So, it’s not trabayar it’s, trabaLHar. Feel yourself saying the L. But don’t dwell on it. As soon as you feel the L, continue right into…

(2) Beginning Portuguese

A gente » The conversational “we”

April 10, 2024April 11, 2024 By James Hall

One of the many curiosities about the Portuguese language is the fact that there are TWO ways to say “we.” “A gente” can be… used almost interchangeably with “nós.” A gente (we) is a colloquial form and is usually used in the spoken language instead of nós (we). Even though it means we, it’s a…

(2) Beginning Portuguese

Acabar in Portuguese vs. Acabar + de

February 27, 2024November 21, 2024 By James Hall

We’ve written about ACABAR de before — because it’s such a useful combination. When you place a de after acabar, it takes on the… meaning of, to have just. ACABAR in Portuguese by itself means: to end, to end-up, to finish. Everyone gets these mixed-up (confundida) ~ That DE makes all the difference! Use ACABAR…

(4) Advanced Portuguese

the Preterit Indicative of irregular verbs

February 15, 2024November 21, 2024 By James Hall

The Preterit Indicative (often called the “simple past”) is by-far, the most important past-tense to know. Let’s look at the most common irregular verbs… in this tense: fazer, ter, ir, ser, estar, querer & dizer. There are many more irregulars, but most of them will follow similar patterns to these common examples presented here.

(2) Beginning Portuguese

COMEÇAR a / PARAR de

December 25, 2023November 21, 2024 By James Hall

What’s so special about the verbs PARAR & COMEÇAR? For starters you’ve probably noticed that you always have to treat these verbs a little… differently. For example, you can’t say “I stopped eating sugar” like this: eu parei comer açucar (NÃO!) — you need to include a de like this: Eu parei de comer açucar….

(4) Advanced Portuguese

the Meaning of PODER + better ways to say the same thing.

June 20, 2023November 21, 2024 By James Hall

The meaning of PODER in Portuguese is similar to other verbs CONSEGUIR, DAR, and TER. While PODER is most common, knowing how to use… others will give you super-powers. This post will show you the best, most common ways all of these verbs are used to say that something is possible or, can be done.

(4) Advanced Portuguese

Mesmo in Portuguese

May 26, 2023November 21, 2024 By James Hall

One of the first things you’ll notice in Brazil is the word “mesmo.” You’ll hear it everywhwre! It has a few common uses: as… “really” to emphasize, as “even though” triggering the subjunctive, and as “the same”. This post will show how to use ” mesmo”, and when it needs to become “mesmA” 😉

(2) Beginning Portuguese

Muito or Muita?

May 8, 2023November 21, 2024 By James Hall

Is it Muito or Muita? In Portuguese, when talking about degree or intensity, always use “muito.” It’s the DEFAULT. For quantities you have to… match the the subject. Below, I’ll help you decide when the situation is talking about degree/intensity, or quantity. When it’s not clear, ask yourself: is this about the quantity of something?

(3) Intermediate Portuguese

alguma coisa : Something in Portuguese

April 4, 2023November 21, 2024 By James Hall

In Portuguese, expressing something, nothing, and anything can be confusing 😵‍💫. In this post I will show you how to navigate the phrases and… words in-context that Brazilians use daily to express these “indefinite pronouns”.

(3) Intermediate Portuguese

Brazilian Gringos (parte 1)

February 13, 2023November 21, 2024 By James Hall

“Gringo” is not a bad word in Brazil. It’s used as a kind label for any foreigner. DO NOT be offended when someone calls… you a gringo! In these next two dialogs we’ll learn some very useful new vocabulário. Whenever you’re getting new vocab in a story with rich context, it’s supremely memorable!

(3) Intermediate Portuguese

FALTAR in Portuguese

February 8, 2023August 2, 2024 By James Hall

Faltar in Portuguese is one of those insanely useful verbs. You can say something is “em falta” to describe something that’s lacking or missing… ➔ A cidade está em falta de água. (The city is lacking water.)

(3) Intermediate Portuguese

Unraveling the Portuguese “what” ➜ COMO in Portuguese

February 6, 2023November 30, 2023 By James Hall

When first learning Portuguese I was immediately tripped up by saying “what.” It turns out there are different ways to express it: “como,” “oi,”… or “o quê.” Regardless of which option you choose, the goal is to prompt others to repeat what they just said. Here are some useful phrases to achieve exactly that.

(2) Beginning Portuguese

Mastering the Phrase ‘Um ao Outro’ in Portuguese (10 examples)

January 9, 2023December 1, 2023 By James Hall

The phrase “Um ao Outro” in Portuguese can be translated as “each other” or “one another.” In this post you’ll see exactly how it’s… commonly used, and how to deal with different genders and variations. “Um ao Outro” is crucial for expressing reciprocal actions or relationships in Portuguese, allowing for more accurate and natural communication.”

(4) Advanced Portuguese

Tomar in Portuguese

December 27, 2022December 1, 2023 By James Hall

The Portuguese verb “tomar” can be confusing because it encompasses the meanings of “to take,” “to drink,” and “to consume.” Similar to “beber,” Brazilians… specifically use “tomar” when something becomes part of their being or changes them internally. For instance, they “take” breakfast and coffee, but not lunch or dinner. Let me explain…

(3) Intermediate Portuguese

mais in Portuguese

June 20, 2022July 18, 2023 By James Hall

Let’s take a look at the different uses of ‘mais’ in Portuguese. It can compare one thing to another or simply mean ‘most’ or… ‘more.’ You can use it to describe objects, or you can talk about the quantity of something, but using it correctly can be a challenge. As usual, in-context examples quickly bring this important word into focus.

(2) Beginning Portuguese

Quem é? & Qual é?

May 17, 2022July 18, 2023 By James Hall

Understanding how Brazilians use QUEM (who) & QUAL (which) is key to navigating the conversation ➜ quem é? qual é? … Do you know… how to use these?

(2) Beginning Portuguese

Present tense irregular verbs

April 13, 2022November 21, 2024 By James Hall

Important verbs that are irregular in the PRESENT tense: dar, ficar, dizer, fazer, ler, perder, querer, saber, trazer, ver, conseguir, dormir, pedir, sair, vir…

(2) Beginning Portuguese

Power up the Portuguese verb TER

April 12, 2022November 21, 2024 By James Hall

Portuguese verb TER in the present tense is a huge enabler. Besides saying you have/ she has &ETC you can also express or ask… if something EXISTS. We” present more examples of TER in action and how it expresses ‘to have to’ and ‘to be able to/have a way to.’

(2) Beginning Portuguese

Dar para – the Portuguese power combo

December 9, 2021November 21, 2024 By James Hall

The combination of the Portuguese verb DAR + para is one of the most powerful you will find. Let me show you how… to convey possibilities and abilities. With lots of real-world examples, from making a meal to to asking if something is doable. It’s a unique construction that, along with other special verbs like FICAR, IR, and TER, accelerates language learning and aids in natural conversations.

(3) Intermediate Portuguese

Saying “about” in Portuguese

October 4, 2021November 21, 2024 By James Hall

Discover the different ways Brazilians express “about” in Portuguese, from “regarding” to “approximately.” Getting a grasp on these expressions is a matter of learning… them in-context and with good examples. 🇧🇷

(4) Advanced Portuguese, (1) Portuguese Learning Tips

Pode ser

August 18, 2021November 21, 2024 By James Hall

Pode ser is one of those phrases that finds it’s way into just about every Brazilian conversation. “Pode ser” in Portuguese, can express “maybe,”… “could be,” or “possible,” and using it correctly will put you in charge of the conversation.

(3) Intermediate Portuguese

antes & depois in Portuguese

June 4, 2021July 31, 2023 By James Hall

Antes & depois in Portuguese (before & after) work best when followed by a “de”. Put it to work: Vamos para o Brasil antes… de Junho – antes do Carnaval!

(3) Intermediate Portuguese

CONSEGUIR in Portuguese

May 16, 2021November 30, 2023 By James Hall

Brazilians use CONSEGUIR in Portuguese to say: to be able to / can.
ISN’T THIS THE SAME AS PODER? Brazilians use CONSEGUIR rather than PODER… to say for example,

(2) Beginning Portuguese

Pode deixar

May 5, 2021November 21, 2024 By James Hall

Pode deixar in Portuguese translates generally as: leave it to me. It’s one of those phrases that finds it’s way into just about every… conversation here. Let’s look at the most popular ways that real Brazilians use this one.

(2) Beginning Portuguese, (3) Intermediate Portuguese

The future with IR

April 8, 2021November 21, 2024 By James Hall

In Portuguese, the fastest way to start talking about the future is with the verb IR. All you need to know is how to… conjugate IR in it’s present tense. This will give you superpowers to construct useful sentences like “I’m going to swim later today,” “She’s going to be mad!,” and “We’re going to buy the nuclear powered scooter.” Embrace the potential of IR – combine it with ANY VERB and say what’s GOING to happen.

(2) Beginning Portuguese

Portuguese Preposition de

April 5, 2021November 21, 2024 By James Hall

The Portuguese preposition DE shows up in some unexpected places. DE does the heavy lifting of tying words together and shifting meanings. The best… way to get up-to-speed on the superpowers of “de” are by example and CONTEXT🧑🏼‍🔬.

(3) Intermediate Portuguese

More