• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Street Smart Brazil

We teach smart Portuguese

  • Contact
  • My Account
  • Cart
  • Policies
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Disclaimer
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Speak Portuguese With Ease
  • Home
  • About
  • Shop for Lessons
  • Starter Kit
  • Testimonials
  • Resources
  • Blog
Resources for the Brazilian Portuguese word-lovers

Resources for the Brazilian Portuguese word-lovers

posted on February 6, 2014

Linguaphile – a lover of languages and words
(Logophile, however, is strictly a word lover)

As a self-described linguaphile, I enjoy finding out new and interesting words and their origins, a propensity which carries over to the Portuguese language. While once I had the idea to write an e-book on the origins of words in Brazilian Portuguese, I’ve since discovered Brazilian sites that have encouraged me away from such an endeavor. The principal three are listed below for you.

Origem da Palavra

Describes itself for “Articles and consultations on the origins of words, for those who are in a good mood and have a thirst for knowledge.” As for who they are, I can’t seem to locate that information but searching around the site, it can be seen that they have been active since December of 2004.

Dicionário Etimológico

Describes itself simply as a “Brazilian dictionary for word origins”, and is a little more of a straight forward, search-and-read, type site.

Significados

A slightly more robust search site. In its own words, it’s a “repository of meanings, concepts and definitions about the most varied of subjects. We explain what it is and what it means.” (Interestingly, their site’s description differentiates between ”o que significa” and “o que quer dizer cada coisa”, which I take to mean the literal meaning as well as its popular meaning).

False Connections

During the writing of this article, I also came across an interesting concept called “popular etymology”, that refers to folk origins given to words and phrases by regular people, where they often mix and confuse things that aren’t actually related. I’ll list a few words below.

Kit-net (correctly written as kitchenette, or quitinete)

A studio apartment in Brazil, as it’s known and sometimes written. It doesn’t have anything to do with being a starter’s kit to getting online (though, between me and you, I’ve never heard anyone thinking it was actually such a kit).

X-búrguer (also written X-burger)

Meaning a cheeseburger, where ‘cheese’ is substituted with the letter ‘X’ from the Portuguese alphabet (making the sound ‘sheez’).

K-7

Meaning (video/tape) cassete. The letter ‘K’, or “kaw”, joins the number ‘sete’, making kaw-sete, or cassete.

____

Bonus: A map of Brazilian states by their literal names.

Street Smart Brazil offers one-on-one Portuguese lessons via video meetings. We have over 10 years of experience teaching Portuguese online with great tutors and  exclusive class materials.

Book a Trial Lesson with us!Brazilian Portuguese Lessons via Skype - Trial Lesson

Related Posts:

  • Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: Words beginning in PS
  • 4 language learning hacks for your Portuguese
  • My Favorite Online Dictionaries to Learn Portuguese

About Adam Lee

Adam is a writer and a researcher who has studied Brazilian culture for over a decade and created several Brazil-themed blogs going back to 2008. Having taught himself Portuguese, he put it to practical use by spending three years doing Brazil on a budget (and living in favelas), from Rio de Janeiro to the Amazon.

He now resides in Lisbon, Portugal, developing a startup and dreaming about having a beachside B&B in the Northeast of Brazil.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Want to see your pic by your comment? Get a free custom avatar at Gravatar.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Brazil
  • Brazilian music
  • Brazilian Portuguese
  • Business Culture
  • Culture and History
  • Flashcards
  • Food
  • Grammar
  • Idiomatic Expressions
  • Learning Languages
  • Pronunciation
  • Resources
  • Video lessons
  • Visiting Brazil
  • Vocabulary

Schedule a Trial Session

Testimonials

I always wanted to learn a second language, but as much as I tried, I couldn’t manage to do it on my own. Much to my surprise, after learning with Street Smart Brazil, I find myself speaking in sente… Read more
Michael
Learning a new language can be one of the most challenging things you can do. The individualized and wholly personal tact of teaching at Street Smart Brazil makes it a challenge that you will want to … Read more
Gary
Street Smart Brazil has been incredible. As someone who is focused on international business as a profession and a passion, learning languages has always been critical in helping me bridge cultures an… Read more
Jessica
The group classes have been fantastic! The class is a perfect blend of fun and challenging.
Megan

Find Resources

Make your learning fun and easy with good resources.
Learn More

51 Portuguese Idioms – Speak Like a Brazilian

You will learn each expression inside a real-life context: everyday situations that could happen to any of us.
Purchase Now >

Recent Posts

  • Meio or Meia? How to say KIND OF in Portuguese
  • Family Vocabulary in Portuguese
  • The Power of Rehearsal to Improve Language Learning
  • Learn the Numbers in Portuguese: All you need to know
  • The Difference Between ESTE, ESSE, ISSO in Portuguese

Search

Cart

Classes

  • Trial Lesson
  • One-on-One Portuguese Lessons via Video Meetings – Subscription
  • One-on-One Portuguese Lessons via Video Meetings – Packages
  • Celpe-Bras Prep Classes with Street Smart Brazil

Footer Subscribe

Books

  • 51 Portuguese Idioms
  • Master the Word MESMO in Portuguese

Footer Video CTA

Subscribe to my YouTube channel to get all the new video lessons

Subscribe

https://youtu.be/xoNtWBolAzE

Footer Full CTA

Book a Trial Lesson today to get started.

Get Started Now

Footer CTA

Street Smart Brazil

  • About
  • Shop For a Portuguese Class
  • Testimonials
  • Blog

Portuguese Classes

  • Trial Lesson
  • One-on-One Portuguese Lessons via Video Meetings – Subscription
  • One-on-One Portuguese Lessons via Video Meetings – Packages
  • Celpe-Bras Prep Classes with Street Smart Brazil

Books

  • 51 Portuguese Idioms
  • Master the Word MESMO in Portuguese


Street Smart Brazil, LLC

phone 415.573.8180
email info@streetsmartbrazil.com
Oakland, California

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer
  • Sitemap

© 2014–2023 Street Smart Brazil, All Rights Reserved.