Table of Contents

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

Foolish Assumptions 3

How This Book Is Organized 4

Part I: Getting Started 4

Part II: Portuguese in Action 4

Part III: Portuguese on the Go 4

Part IV: The Part of Tens 4

Part V: Appendixes 5

Icons Used in This Book 5

Where to Go from Here 6

Part I: Getting Started 7

Chapter 1: You Already Know Some Portuguese! 9

Exploring the Roots of Portuguese 10

Reciting Your ABCs 11

Conquering Consonants 12

The letter C 13

The letter D 13

The letter G 14

The letter H 14

The letter J 14

The letter L 15

The letters M and N 15

The letter R 15

The letter S 16

The letter T 16

The letter W 17

The letter X 17

Exercising Your Jowls with Vowels 17

The letters A and à 17

The letters E and Ê 18

The letter I 19

The letters O and Ô 19

The letter U 19

Differentiating Regional Accents 19

Rio de Janeiro 20

Interior of São Paulo state 20

Northeastern Brazil 20

Rio Grande do Sul 21

Recognizing the Sound of Portugal’s Portuguese 21

Chapter 2: The Nitty-Gritty: Basic Portuguese Grammar 23

Agreeing with Nouns and Adjectives 23

Looking at Articles 25

Introducing Pronouns 26

Examining Verbs and Building Simple Sentences 27

Delving into Verb Conjugations 27

Using the -ar verbs 28

Using the -er and -ir verbs 30

Making Contractions: It’s a Cinch! 32

To Me, to You: Indirect Objects 33

Chapter 3: Oi! Hello! Greetings and Introductions 37

Saying Hello 38

Making Introductions 39

Using First Names, Last Names, and Nicknames — Brazilian-Style 40

Dividing the World between Formal and Informal 41

Describing Permanent Qualities: Ser 44

Using an example 44

Warming up to ser 45

Describing Temporary Qualities: Estar 49

Using an example 49

Warming up to estar 50

Speaking about Speaking: Falar 51

Saying Goodbye 54

Chapter 4: Getting Your Numbers, Times, and Measurements Straight 57

Counting to 100 and Beyond 57

Ordering Sequences: First, Second, Third 60

Telling Time 61

Talking about Days of the Week 63

Specifying Times and Dates 66

Getting Familiar with the Metric System 67

Chapter 5: Speaking Portuguese at Home 71

Talking about a Home 71

Getting Some Sleep 74

Waking Up 75

Chatting about Food 75

Getting breakfast 77

Discussing lunch 78

Cooking up dinner 79

Cleaning House 80

Making a Phone Call 81

Connecting with the calling verb: Ligar 84

Dealing with verbal mush 85

Being a Gracious Guest 88

Part II: Portuguese in Action 91

Chapter 6: Getting to Know You: Small Talk 93

Where Are You From? 93

Figuring Out Family Connections 97

Using Possessives: “My ” 98

Knowing Who, What, and Where 101

Talking in the Past Tense 102

Pulling It Together with Connector Words 106

Three “Save Me!” Phrases 107

Sharing Your Contact Information 107

Chapter 7: Dining Out and Going to the Market 111

Trying Brazilian Foods 111

Sampling the classics 112

Finding a place to eat 113

Perusing the menu 114

Bom apetite! Ordering and enjoying your meal 115

Satisfying your sweet tooth 118

Buying Drinks 120

Basking in Brazilian Barbeque 122

Mastering Eating and Drinking Verbs 123

Shopping at the Market 124

Picking up practical items 125

Buying produce at an outdoor market 125

Chapter 8: Shopping 131

Scoping Out the Shopping Scene 131

Saying What You’re Looking For 132

Talking about what you want to buy 132

Naming colors in Portuguese 133

Trying and Trying On: The Verb Experimentar 134

Taking It: The Verb Levar 135

Making Comparisons and Expressing Opinions 138

Exploring Brazilian Treasures 140

Negotiating Price in Outdoor Markets 142

Chapter 9: Going Out on the Town 145

Talking about Going Out 145

Inviting someone out and being invited 146

Asking what a place or event is like 147

Taking in Brazil’s Musical Culture 148

Using the musical verb: Tocar 149

Using the dancing verb: Dançar 150

Using the singing verb: Cantar 151

Exploring Art 152

Going to the Movies 153

Falling in Love — in Portuguese 156

Chapter 10: Chatting About Business and the Economy 161

O que você faz? What Do You Do? 162

Applying the doing verb: Fazer 163

Using the working verb: Trabalhar 164

E-mailing 167

Mailing Things the Old-Fashioned Way 169

Placing a Business Call 170

Making Appointments and Conducting Meetings 171

Expressing profi t, loss, revenue, and expenses 172

Asking about business goals 173

Talking about Currency and Stock Prices 173

Chapter 11: Recreation and the Outdoors 177

Finding Out What’s Really on a Brazilian Beach 178

Getting outfi tted for a day at the beach 178

Checking out other beach attractions 179

Describing beautiful beaches 182

Exploring the Amazon Rainforest 184

Talking about Biodiversity 184

Considering plant life 185

Identifying wildlife 185

Getting Hip to Soccer — Brazil’s National Pastime 186

Asking People What They Like to Do 187

Part III: Portuguese on the Go 193

Chapter 12: Planning a Trip 195

Picking the Best Time for Your Trip 195

Obtaining a Passport and Visa 199

Going Through Customs 200

Packing for Your Brazilian Getaway 201

Deciding Where to Go 202

The North 202

The Northeast 203

The Central-West 204

The Southeast 204

The South 206

Talking about Going: The Verb Ir 208

Choosing a Place to Sleep 211

Making reservations 212

Checking in and out: Registration 213

Asking about amenities 214

Getting Possessive 215

Chapter 13: Money, Money, Money 219

Introducing Brazilian Reais and Centavos 219

Getting Ahold of Brazilian Currency 220

Using Brazilian Banks and ATMs 222

Checking Prices and Making Purchases 223

The paying verb: Pagar 224

Paying for items and services 225

Chapter 14: Getting Around: Planes, Buses, Taxis, and More 229

Making a Plane Reservation 230

Taking Buses 234

Traveling by Taxi 235

Renting a Car 237

Interpreting traffi c signs 238

Parking it 239

Talking About Coming and Going 239

Announcing an arrival 240

Talking about leaving 241

Discussing the wait 242

Navigating Cityscapes 243

Talking about distance 244

Asking for directions 246

Discussing how to get there 249

Over here, over there 251

Chapter 15: Going to Sporting Events 253

Buying Tickets 254

Finding Your Seat 256

Ordering Brazilian Concessions 256

Making Sense of Yelling Fans 258

Watching Brazil’s Summer Olympics in 2016 259

Asking for an Autograph 260

Talking about Sports 261

Using the verb jogar, to play 261

Considering practice 262

Expressing preferences 263

Winning and losing 263

Searching the Place 264

Chapter 16: O Carnaval! 269

Exploring Carnaval in Brazil 269

Rio’s Carnaval 270

Carnaval in Salvador 274

Carnaval in Recife/Olinda 278

Dancing the Samba! 280

Chapter 17: Me Ajuda! Help! Handling Emergencies 285

Stick ’em Up: What to Say (and Do) if You’re Robbed 286

Don’t panic! 287

Asking for and receiving help 288

Reporting a problem to the police 289

Handling Health Emergencies 290

Heading off illnesses with vaccines 290

Watching out for tropical illnesses 291

Dealing with your normal illnesses 291

Handling injuries 292

Talking about your health problem 293

Discussing Legal Problems 296

Part IV: The Part of Tens 299

Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Pick Up Portuguese Quickly 301

Go to Brazil! 301

Find Brazilians (Or Other Portuguese Speakers) Near You 302

Date a Brazilian 302

Read the News in Portuguese 302

Check Out Brazilian Websites 303

Listen to Brazilian Music 304

Rent a Brazilian Movie 305

Watch Globo 305

Take a Portuguese Language Class 305

“Say It Again, João!” 306

Chapter 19: Ten Common Portuguese Slang Words 307

Brega/Cafona 307

Cara 307

Chato 308

Chique 308

Esperto 308

Gato and Gata 309

Grana 309

Legal 309

Pinga 310

Valeu 310

Chapter 20: Ten (Plus One) Terms That Make You Sound Fluent 311

Né? 311

Tá 312

Ah é? 312

Então 312

Sabe? 312

Meio 313

Ou seja/E tal 313

Cê Instead of Você 313

A gente 313

Pra 314

Tô 314

Part V: Appendixes 315

Appendix A: Mini-Dictionary 317

Portuguese-English Mini-Dictionary 317

English-Portuguese Mini-Dictionary 323

Appendix B: Verb Tables 329

Portuguese Verbs 329

Regular Portuguese Verbs 330

Irregular Portuguese Verbs 333

Appendix C: On the CD 337

Track Listing 337

Customer Care 339

Appendix D: Answer Key 341

Index 343

About the Author

Karen Keller spent three years as a reporter in Brazil and traveled extensively throughout the country. She's fluent in Portuguese and has worked as an online foreign language instructor.