From 'How to be a Carioca'

[Thais]

Some important words - from "How to be a Carioca: the alternative guide for the tourist in Rio", by Priscilla Ann Goslin (www.howtobe.com)

Aí (ah 'ee): Hey! - term used at the beginning of ninety percent of the sentences spoken by a Carioca.
A gente se vê (ah 'gen tche see 'veh): see you
Alucinante (ah loo see 'nan tche): cool, awesome, excellent
Babaca (bah bah kah): a jerk
Baranga (bah 'rran gah): woman with an unappealing body
Bunda ('boon dah): derriere. Watching women's bundas is a popular Carioca year-round sport.
Cachaça (kah 'shah sah): Brazil's answer to kerosene and alcohol.
Caipirinha (kahee pee 'rreen nyah): favorite Carioca drink. Always followed by another.
Cara ('kah rrah) a guy or man. As in "Aí, cara": Hey, man
Chifrar (she 'frah): to be unfaithful to your lover or spouse
chopp ('showp) or choppinho: draft beer
Dançar (dun 'sah): 1. to dance; 2. to get caught doing something you were not supposed to.
Gata ('gah tah): nice-looking woman. For a man - Gato.
Grana ('grruh nuh): money.

Well... This is just a sample. There are lot's of other words you should know before coming to Brazil. I suggest you buy this book!

[mykfin]

Thanks Thais,some handy words there! How difficult is it to learn the language?

[Thais]

I think it was very easy for me to learn Portuguese, though I don't even remember how it happened or when I did it. Anyway, of course you have to consider that I'm a brilliant, smart woman.

Seriously, I don't know. I guess it all depends on the person and its commitment to learn the language.

My ex-boyfriend is danish and it took him about 1 year to learn Portuguese. However, the fact that he speaks French and used to know a little of Italian (odd, but he forgot his Italian after learning Portuguese) might have helped him. Besides, he had a Brazilian girlfriend. He lives in Brazil now and his Portuguese is perfect, apart from a couple of gender mistakes. As a latin language, gender applies not only for people, but also for things. The moon (a lua) is feminine, while the sun (o sol) is masculine. This is something difficult to learn as there is no rule to tell you what is considered a feminine or a masculine word.

On the other hand, a friend from Birmingham has lived here for 3 years but his Portuguese is still a mess and his strong accent prevents most people to understand what he says.

beijos,
Thaís

[mykfin]

Its little wonder that you dont understand the brummie( from Birmingham ).I have difficulty with that accent and i only live 80 miles up the road.

They say Portuguese is a romantic language,what do they mean?Is it the way it is spoken?

Cheers.

[Thais]

I do understand the brummie. I translate his portuguese into portuguese. (lol)

Romantic language? Nobody has ever told me that. I believe people tend to think of all the latin languages as romantic. I always thought that French is a romantic language - speaking French is like speaking Love (too bad I don't speak French... though I've learnt how to say mon amour, just in case). Anyway, if I had known Portuguese is a romantic language I would have posted at Love and Romance instead of Language. (lol)

beijos,
Thaís

[Niquie]

I just heard the most exquisite song in Portuguese! I haven't a clue what she was singing about, but it HAD TO BE A LOVE SONG. The damned thing gave me goosebumps!

I would give anything to know who the artist was.

[Thais]

If you only knew the name of the song or the singer I could try to help you. There are just too many romantic Brazilian songs and singers for me to guess something here.

[Niquie]

This is the artist! I got this email from the radio station, God bless them!

The artist, actually goddess is more appropriate, is Maria Bethania. The song, Tocando em Frente, is from her 1999 release entitled A Interprete. She also has a really wonderful "best of" cd in which you might be interested.

Have you ever heard her? My God! That woman just sends me running for Kleenex and I don't even know what she is saying!

[Thais]

Yes, yes. Maria Bethania is a well known singer and I do know the song. In spite of my poor talent for versions, I dared to do it for you. It is not perfect, but I'm sure it is better than the google automated-translation. I will post some note about Maria Bethania on the Music Forum.

Tocando em frente
Going ahead
(Almir Sater and Renato Teixeira. Performed by Maria Bethânia)

Ando devagar porque já tive pressa
I walk slowly because I’ve been on a hurry before
E levo esse sorriso porque já chorei demais.
And I keep this smile because I’ve cried too much before
Hoje me sinto mais forte
Today I feel stronger
Mais feliz quem sabe?
Happier, who knows?
Eu só levo a certeza do que muito pouco eu sei..
And the only certainty I have is the little I know
E nada sei..
And I know nothing
Conhecer as manhas e as manhãs...
To get to know the mourning and the mornings
O sabor das massas e das maçãs...
The taste of pastas and the taste of apples
(N.T. please note that in Portuguese she is playing with words... massa – pasta – and maçãs – apples – have similar writing and pronunciation.)
É preciso amor para poder pulsar..
Love is needed for us to pulse
(N.T. meaning to live)
É preciso paz para poder sorrir..
Peace is needed for us to smile
É preciso chuva para florir..
Rain is needed for us to blossom
Penso que cumprir a vida seja simplesmente
I think that living is just
Compreender a marcha e ir tocando em frente..
Understanding the path and keep going ahead
Como um velho boiadeiro levando a boiada
As an old cowboy taking the cows
Eu vou tocando os dias pela longa estrada
And I go taking the days through the long journey
Eu sou...e pela estrada eu vou...
And I go... and on the road I go…
Conhecer as manhas e as manhãs...
To get to know the mourning and the mornings
O sabor das massas e das maçãs...
The taste of pastas and the taste of apples
É preciso amor para poder pulsar..
Love is needed for us to pulse
É preciso paz pra poder sorrir..
Peace is needed for us to smile
É preciso chuva para florir..
Rain is needed for us to blossom
Todo o mundo ama um dia..todo o mundo chora..
Everybody loves one day every body cries
Um dia agente chega..o outro vai embora..
One day we arrive and on the next we go away
Cada um de nos compõe a sua historia..
Each one of us writes its own story
e cada ser em si carrega o dom de ser capaz de ser feliz....
and each being has in itself the gift of being able to be happy
Conhecer as manhas e as manhãs...
To get to know the mourning and the mornings
O sabor das massas e das maçãs...
The taste of pastas and the taste of apples
É preciso amor para poder pulsar..
Love is needed for us to pulse
É preciso paz pra poder sorrir..
Peace is needed for us to smile
É preciso chuva para florir..
Rain is needed for us to blossom
Ando devagar porque já tive pressa
I walk slowly because I’ve been on a hurry before
E levo esse sorriso porque já chorei demais..
And I keep this smile because I’ve cried too much before
Cada um de nos compõe a sua historia..
Each one of us writes its own story
e cada ser em si carrega o dom de ser capaz...de ser feliz..
and each being has in itself the gift of being able to be happy

[Niquie]

Geez, the words gave me goosebumps too. Isn't it odd...I know NOT ONE WORD of that language, yet when this song was playing, I stopped my work, turned up the volume on the radio and was just mesmerized.

And the words just make the experience even greater.

I hope you can download this song and listen to it....grab your hankies first, though.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=music

[mykfin]

He he! the land that VCI forgot,

Looks like nobody knows this place exists.