We teach smart Portuguese
A cacao-related fruit with an off-white interior color, cupuaçu is native to the Amazon basin and not too hard to get one’s hands on elsewhere in Brazil. Some say it tastes like a mix between chocolate and pineapple, and I’ll admit, it’s slightly odd on its own, but if you take it in juice form Read More
Carl and I recently spent a few days in São Paulo. It was a great trip! Seeing Carl use his credit card in Brazil, I realized that there is a script to making a payment in Brazil. There are keywords and phrases that will help you navigate the purchase process much easier. This is what this lesson Read More
In the middle of Mato Grosso there's a mountain range called the Serra do Roncador, shrouded in mystery. In 1925, a British explorer by the name of Percy Fawcett went there on a spiritual journey in search of the lost city of Atlantis. He was never seen again (well, unless you count the Read More
If you have been learning Portuguese and talking to Brazilians, you certainly have heard the word Já. Já vou. Volto já. Já vi esse filme. Você já foi ao Brasil? These are all very common phrases, right? The word Já truly is present in everyday Portuguese. It is a powerful little Read More
The Mercado Municipal de São Paulo, better known simply as the Mercadão, opened in 1933 and soon became a better place to shop for food than the nearby market on Rua 25 de março. The Mercadão is the go-to place to buy fresh food, have a bite to eat, and meet up with friends. Read More
Carl and I have just returned from four wonderful days in São Paulo. I really love Sampa! Saturday evening as I was going to bed I heard some yelling coming from the street. This woman was having a huge argument with someone. Maybe her boyfriend? His name was Gustavo. As I was drifting into Read More
A 2013 study by the Brazilian statistical institute IBGE reveals how the Brazilian woman will have, on average, around 1.5 kids by 2030. Currently, it's closer to 1.8 (the US is just above 2), so it's not that big of a drop. But going back 40 years shows how it all adds up over time. Read More
I had been meaning to show you how to say “without fail” in Portuguese, but for some reason this blog post was always being left for later. Today I used the expression at work and thought that I had to write this lesson without fail! So here it is, a short and practical lesson about an easy Read More
How about learning about coffee and chocolate to improve your Portuguese? I’d say that sounds like a lot of fun. Especially if you are an advanced Portuguese speaker, or feel that you have reached a plateau, you will greatly benefit from taking different courses in Portuguese. Chocolate and Read More
How often do you need to say ASAP? We might not notice, but we use it in many common situations like these ones: I will call you back as soon as possible. I want to visit Brazil as soon as possible. Please send me the report ASAP. We all say ASAP pretty often both at work and with family Read More
