I saw the picture below on Facebook and thought that it would be a good vocabulary lesson. The picture lists 8 problems and suggests the right wine and dosage for each one 🙂
In this lesson you will learn how to use these 8 words and expressions in real-life situations. These are all common emotions. I am positive that your new vocabulary will be useful in conversations with your Brazilian friends and family.
As a bonus you will learn some wine vocabulary and additional expressions.
6 Words That Are Good to Know
The picture brings a few good words in addition to the list of emotions. So you will actually learn a lot more than 8 words with this lesson. Yay!
1. Problema
= problem
Problema is a masculine word. It seems confusing because it ends in ‘a’. However words that end in ‘ema’ in Portuguese are usually masculine.
How to Use it
- Tenho um problema. = I have a problem.
- Qual é o problema? = What is the problem?
2. Vinho
= wine
How to Use it
- Esse vinho é delicioso. = This wine is delicious.
- Prefiro vinho tinto a vinho branco. = I prefer red wine to white wine.
Video lesson: Learn how to use the verb Preferir correctly + 4 power tips to avoid mistakes
3. Dosagem
= Dosage; prescribed amount (as in medicine)
How to Use it
- Preciso olhar a dosagem do remédio na bula.
= I need to look up the medicine dosage in the information leaflet.
4. Taça
= a glass of wine
How to Use it
- Aceita uma taça de vinho? = Would you like a glass of wine?
5. Qualquer um
You will find ‘qualquer um’ on the second column of the last line of the picture.
Qualquer um = either one.
How to Use it
Situation: Melissa and Rebeca are having dinner together. They are choosing the wine.
- Melissa: Você prefere Merlot ou Cabernet?
- Rebeca: Qualquer um. Gosto dos dois.
Translation:
- Melissa: Do you prefer Merlot or Cabernet?
- Rebeca: Either one. I like both.
6. Garrafa
= bottle
How to Use it
Situation: Melissa and Rebeca just had two bottles of wine with dinner. Melissa says:
- Não acredito que tomamos duas garrafas de vinho. Vamos ter ressaca amanhã!
= I can’t believe that we had two bottles of wine. We are going to have a hangover tomorrow!
8 Words and Expressions to Talk About Common Emotions
1. Coração partido
= broken heart
Partido is the past participle of the verb Partir, which means:
- divide, split up; share; cut, chop; break; abandon, depart;
Related phrase:
- Partir o coração = to break the heart
How to use it
Situation 1: Mirela broke up with her boyfriend Renato. Renato tells a friend:
- Estou com o coração partido.
= I have a broken heart.
- Meu coração está partido.
= My heart is broken.
Situation 2: Renato tells Mirela:
- Você partiu meu coração.
= You broke my heart.
2. Saudade
Saudade is considered one of the most difficult words to translate. But don’t worry! We have an article that talks about the meaning of Saudade. Click to learn.
How to use it
Saudade with the verb Estar
Situation 1: Cristina and Ronaldo have been dating for two years. Cristina has recently moved to New York to go to school there. She is on the phone with Ronaldo:
- Ronaldo: Você está com saudade de mim?
- Cristina: Claro que estou com saudade de você.
Translation:
- Ronaldo: Do you miss me?
- Cristina: Of course I miss you.
Situation 2: Cristina tells her parents:
- Estou com saudade de casa.
= I miss home. Or: I feel homesick.
- Ontem eu estava com muita saudade dos meus amigos.
= Yesterday I was missing my friends a lot.
Did you notice?
Notice the preposition de, instead of ‘para’ after the word saudade. I hear ‘para’ very often. It is not correct.
Saudade with the verb Ficar
The verb Ficar indicates a transition of feelings or moods when used together with an adjective or an adverb.
Situation 1: Before Cristina leaves, Ronaldo tells a friend:
- Vou ficar com saudade dela.
= I will miss her.
- Cristina ficou com muita saudade de Ronaldo quando ela foi embora.
= Cristina missed Ronaldo a lot when she left.
- É normal ficar com saudade de casa quando vamos morar fora.
= It is natural to feel homesick when we go live abroad.
Saudade with the verb Sentir
Situation: A classmate in New York asks Cristina:
- Você sente saudade de casa?
= Do you feel homesick?
- Sinto muita saudade de casa.
= I feel very homesick.
- Ontem fiquei um pouco triste. Senti muita saudade de Ronaldo.
= Yesterday I felt a bit sad. I missed Ronaldo very much.
3. Ansiedade
= Anxiety
Please notice that we spell Ansiedade with an S. So many Brazilians write it with a C 🙁
Here is a related word:
- ansioso/ansiosa = anxious
How to use it
There is a very interesting difference in the use of the word ansioso in Portuguese and in English. In Portuguese, we can use it to say that we are excited about something that is about to happen. The context will let you know whether the person is anxious or excited.
- Ansiedade é um problema comum hoje em dia.
= Anxiety is a common problem nowadays.
- Eu sempre fico ansiosa antes de uma prova.
= I always feel anxious before a test.
- Ana vai ao Brasil pela primeira vez. Ela está ansiosa com a viagem.
= Ana is going to Brazil for the first time. She is excited about the trip.
4. Mau Humor
= Bad mood.
The hyphen used in the picture is incorrect.
The opposite is: bom humor = good mood.
Related words:
- mal-humorado/a = a person who has bad mood or is in a bad mood
- bem-humorado/a = a person who has good mood or is in a good mood
Did you notice?
The noun is spelled with a U and without a hyphen: mau humor
The adjective is spelled with an L and with a hyphen: mal-humorado
I can see some of you thinking: “What in the world?” 🙂
How to use it
Situation: Melissa is talking with her friend Sandra:
- Melissa: Meu chefe é muito mal-humorado. Ele está sempre de mau-humor.
- Sandra: Eu tenho sorte. Minha chefe é bem-humorada. Ela está sempre de alto astral e bom humor.
Translation:
- Melissa: My boss is very cranky. He is always in a bad mood.
- Sandra: I’m lucky. My boss is good humored. She is always in high spirits and in a good mood.
5. Dor de cotovelo
This is a colloquial expression. Literally it means: elbow pain. Colloquially it means a heartache. Some people translate it as jealousy. It can be in a situation in which you are in pain because the person you love is with someone else, and not with you.
How to use it
Situation: Renato has been feeling down after the breakup. His friends are always inviting him out, but he hasn’t been feeling in the mood to party. His friends say:
- Renato está com dor de cotovelo.
= Renato has a heartache.
6. Impaciência
= Impatience
This is the noun. The adjective to describe someone who does not have patience is impaciente = impatient. It has only one form for both masculine and feminine.
How to use it
Situation: Melissa is in line at the bank. She is in a bad mood and complaining about the line. Her boyfriend asks:
- Por que tanta impaciência? A fila tá andando.
= Why so much impatience? The line is moving.
Melissa responde:
- Você sabe que eu detesto ficar em fila. Sou impaciente mesmo.
= You know that I hate to stand in line. I am really impatient.
7. Desânimo
= a state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage; discouragement; despondency
This is the noun.
The adjective is desanimado/a: A person who is feeling in low spirits, discouraged
How to use it
Situation: Renato has been feeling down after the breakup. His friends say:
- O fim da relação deu muito desânimo a Renato.
= The breakup caused Renato great discouragement.
Manuel calls Renato:
- Oi, cara, vamos sair e fazer alguma coisa com a galera. Você não pode continuar assim desanimado.
= Hey, dude, let’s go out and do something with the gang. You can’t stay discouraged like that.
8. Solidão
= loneliness, solitude
How to use it
Situation: Cristina is feeling lonely in New York. She is on the phone with Ronaldo and says:
- Sinto muita solidão aqui.
= I feel a sense of loneliness here.
Divida com alguém
On the bottom right side of the picture you will find good advice:
- Divida com alguém = Share with someone
We will be very grateful if you do just that and share our post with someone you know who speaks, or is learning, Portuguese 🙂
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