Wednesday 31 December 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #73

Ainda estar de pé - To still be on [its] feet


When someone asks you if the plans you’ve made are “still on its feet” they’re asking you if it’s still on, if you’re still planning on going.


I suppose the idea is that you’re asking if the plan’s still “ready to go” in a way (rather than sitting down…?)


Thursday 18 December 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #72

Não tem santo nem capeta que faça ela/ele mudar de ideia - There’s no saint nor devil that than make her/him change [their] mind


Tuesday 16 December 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #70

Televisão de cachorro - Dog television


A rotisserie.


Rotisseries in Brazil are near the entrance to stores, and placed lower than in Canada, so it’s in a perfect place for dogs to sit and stare at the revolving meat (which they often do).


Monday 15 December 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #69

Nossa!


A multipurpose exclamation. It can denote surprise, shock, exasperation… I’m probably missing a bunch of uses here, but these are three of the main ones - it’s a very versatile exclamation.


Literally, Nossa means “Our”.


"Um, wtf?" you may ask. This one actually makes sense: Nossa in this context is a shortening of Nossa Senhora (Our Lady), a reference to the Virgin Mary.


It was likely considered a nasty swear way back in the day (a la “My God!”, which we also use - Meu Deus!). Nowadays it holds no hint of being a swear anymore.


Variants of Nossa! include (but are certainly not limited to):


Nossa Senhora! - Our Lady!


Nossa Mãe! - Our Mother!


Ave Maria! - Hail Mary!


Santa Maria! - Saint Mary!


Vixe! - Virgin!


In English people would say “Gee” instead of “Jesus”. Like Gee, vixe is a way of referring to a holy person without using their proper name/title (the proper word for “virgin” in Portuguese is virgem - it might sound familiar due to its Latin root: Virgo).


I doubt many Brazilians even realize that’s what vixe (pronounced “vee-shee” or “vee-shh”) even refers to (I certainly didn’t until I actually stopped to think about it); it’s just a popular exclamation nowadays.


Vixe Maria! - Virgin Mary!


Thursday 11 December 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #65

Cada louco com sua mania - [To] each crazy person their craze/habit


The Brazilian more or less equivalent of “to each their own.”


Literally, “each crazy person with their craze/habit/mania.


Monday 8 December 2014

Sunday 7 December 2014

Brazilian Holidays: Christmas #5

In Brazil Santa’s reindeer don’t have names.


They’re just the dudes that pull the sleigh and help Santa in the super important job of handing out the Christmas loot.


Rena - Reindeer (singular)


Renas - Reindeer (plural)


Saturday 6 December 2014

Brazilian Holidays: Christmas #4

In Brazil Mrs. Claus is called Mamãe Noel (Mother/mom/mommy Christmas), which is quite fitting since her husband is Papai Noel (Father/dad/daddy Christmas).


Thursday 4 December 2014

Brazilian Holidays: Christmas #2

Santa Claus/Father Christmas/St.Nick is called Papai Noel in Brazil.


Papai - Father/dad/daddy


Noel - French for “Christmas” (remember how in an earlier post we talked about how Brazil went all borrow-happy on French in the 1800’s?)


Wednesday 3 December 2014

(Estar) careca de saber - (To be) bald from knowing The Brazilian equivalent of “to know full...

(Estar) careca de saber - (To be) bald from knowing


The Brazilian equivalent of “to know full well”


ie. Você está careca de saber que eu sou alérgica a gatos - You know full well that I’m allergic to cats


A variant of this is saber muito bem (to know very well).


…You know, the more I translate these the more I realize how weird languages are. Most of the time we’re really just babbling nonsense that for some reason we think sounds logical.


Sunday 30 November 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #61

Vô num pé e volto n’outro - I will go/am going on one foot and coming back on the other


A way of saying “I’ll be right back/be back in a jiffy/etc.”


in this case is a colloquial shortening of eu vou (I will).


It can also be a shortening of avô (grandpa/grandfather), but due to context it’s pretty easy to tell which word is being shortened.


Vou ali e volto já (vô comprá maracujá) - i’m going over there and will be right back (I’m going to buy [some] passion fruit)


A way of saying “I’ll be right back/be back in a jiffy/etc.”


The part about the passion fruit is rhyming slang (sort of - ‘cause it’s being used due to it rhyming but it’s not actually slang…)


Comprá is a shortening of the verb comprar (to buy/purchase).


Brazilians (and I would guess Lusophones in general) tend to remove the R at the end of the verb when speaking informally.


Wednesday 26 November 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #58

Fazendo uma tempestade d’um copo d’água - Making a storm out of a glass of water


To be making a big deal out of nothing; to make a problem seem bigger than it is. The Brazilian equivalent of “making a mountain out of a molehill.”


Tuesday 25 November 2014

Monday 24 November 2014

Brazilian Pop Culture: Protesting #27

image


I don’t want my change in [the form of] bullets


This is a cultural reference with a play on words.


Bala can mean “bullet” or “hard candy.”


NOTE: In Portuguese troco is not a play on “change of the way things are done” vs “money-related change.” Troco specifically refers to the money you receive when you pay for something and receive some money back.


In Brazil it’s been a tradition in small businesses to sometimes give you hard candy instead of change if the change would come to a small amount (say, 15¢ or something). It’s become a cultural ongoing joke, especially since most people find the tradition really irritating.


Sunday 23 November 2014

Saturday 22 November 2014

Brazilian Portuguese: Loanwords #5

Filme - Film, movie


Filmar - To shoot a film or video


Flash - Flash from a camera


Esnobe - Snob


Drinque - Alcolhoolic beverage (from “drink”)


Thursday 20 November 2014

Brazilian Portuguese: Loanwords #4

Bife - Beef


Rosbife - Roast beef


Sanduíche - Sandwich


Lanche - A light snack (comes from lunch)


Monday 17 November 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #56

Dar zebra - To end in zebra


Literally, “to give zebra.”


When something ends in an unexpected outcome


i.e. Team A is renown for being good, Team B is renowned for being bad, but Team B wins a game against Team A.


Sunday 16 November 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #55

Uma vez na vida, outra vez na morte - Once in life, once in death


The Brazilian equivalent of “once in a blue moon/once in a while.”


Literally “one time in life, another time in death.”


Saturday 15 November 2014

Brazilian Portuguese: Loanwords #3

Portuguese words hardly ever end in consonants.


The only exceptions are L, R, S, M, X, and Z (and the occasional stray N).


So when a loanword ends in a consonant other than those mentioned you can assume that the pronunciation will have a consonant sound at the end (usually an “ee”), even if the original spelling was retained.


ie. King Kong is spelled the same as in English, but in Brazil we pronounce it King-ee Kong-ee.


Thursday 13 November 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #54

Eu devo ter jogado pedra na cruz (numa outra vida, só pode ser)… - I must’ve thrown rock[s] at the cross (in a [past] life, I must have)…


The more-or-less equivalent of “what did I do in a past life to deserve this?”


The idea is “my karma’s just so bad that in order for me to desrve this I must have thrown stones at Jesus’ cross.” Which is pretty ironic, if you think about it. I mean, Christianity’s supposed to be a “you only get one Earthly life” type of religion. Brazilian logic, I guess. ;P


Numa is the colloquially shortened version of em uma (the female form of in one/in a/in another depending on the context)


Monday 10 November 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #53

Nunca vi mais gordo - I’ve never seen fatter


A way of saying “i’ve never heard of her/him before in my life” or “i’ve no idea who that is.”


It’s not meant as an insult in any way - it’s just how the turn of phrase is.


Sunday 9 November 2014

Brazilian Pop Culture: Jokes #1

A one-liner parenting joke that always makes my mom giggle:


Eu gosto de crianças - especialmente as japonesas; elas estão no outro lado do mundo e quando eu estou acordada(o) elas estão dormindo.


I like kids - especially Japanese [ones]; they’re on the other side of the world and when I’m awake they’re asleep.


Monday 3 November 2014

Brazilian Pop Culture: Protesting #24

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Get off xvideos and #come to the street


Note: “come to the street” is understood to mean “join us out here in demanding change”


Saturday 1 November 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #50

Chorando de barriga cheia - Crying on a full tummy


When someone’s said to be “crying on a full tummy” they’re complaining/getting upset without having a good reason.


Thursday 30 October 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #48

A mentira tem pernas curtas - Lies have short legs


Literally, “The lie has short legs”


A way of saying “lying doesn’t pay, because you’ll get found out sooner or later.”


Sort of the Portuguese equivalent of “the truth will out.”


Tuesday 28 October 2014

Thursday 23 October 2014

Tuesday 21 October 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #45

Péra eu! - Slow down!/Wait uuuup!


A common shortening of espera eu, which in turn is a colloquial form of espere por mim (wait for me).


Particularly popular by younger children running after their older siblings.


Sunday 19 October 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #44

Vira-Folha - Turn Leaf


Someone who used to cheer for one team but changed sides because their team lost; someone who cheers for whoever’s winning. Derogatory, but can have various level of how insulting it is depending on who says it an in what tone.


Saturday 18 October 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #43

Eminha é filhote de ema! - A little emu is an emu’s baby!


A play on the words é minha (it’s mine) and eminha (little emu). Often used by parents when their kids are arguing (it’s mine, she can’t have it!” etc) as a way of saying “it’s not yours/stop arguing/give me that” etc.


Friday 17 October 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #42

Nem que a porca torça o rabo - Not even if/when the sow twists her tail


A way of saying never ever/not in a million years


Thursday 16 October 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #41

Filho de peixe peixinho é - The child of a fish is [bound to be] a fish [too]


Similar to “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” but doesn’t usually hold the somewhat negative connotation of its English equivalent.


Literally, “the offspring/child of a fish is a little fish.”


Sunday 12 October 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #38

[Estar com] cara de quem comeu e não gostou - [To look like] someone who ate [it/something] and didn’t like it


To be scowling, making an unpleasant/displeased face.


Saturday 11 October 2014

Brazilian Pop Culture: Protesting #19

image


Public transport’s [even] worse than Tim!!!


Tim is a big phone/internet service provider in Brazil (Italian in origin, I believe).


Wednesday 8 October 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #37

Quem pariu Mateus que o embale - Whomsoever gave birth to Matthew [should/shall/ought to] bury him


A way of saying “you created the problem, you fix it.” More or less equivalent to “you made your bed, now you must lie in it.”


Literally, embalar in this context means “to embalm” (it can also mean “to wrap up/package”).


Monday 6 October 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #36

Tentando ensinar Pai Nosso ao vigário - Trying to teach Our Father to the priest


Someone who’s “trying to teach Our Father to the priest” is someone who’s trying to teach something to someone who’s already an expert - NOT “preaching to the choir.”


Vigário is another name for a priest (the Portuguese word for vicar)


Sunday 5 October 2014

Brazilian vs European Portuguese #1

You know how in the UK a “rubber” means “the school supply you use to erase pencil marks with” while in Canada/the US it means “a condom”?


Well, in Brazil durex means “scotch tape.”


In Portugal it means “condom.”


Saturday 4 October 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #35

Nem a pau - Not even by stick


No chance whatsoever, no snowball’s chance in hell, etc.


The general idea is that the thing won’t work/the person won’t do what they’re being asked to do even if prodded/beaten with a stick.


Friday 3 October 2014

Brazilian Culture: Differences #5

Unlike in Anglo-Saxon culture, mooning and streaking are taboo in Brazil.


They’re such bizarre concepts to Brazilians that we don’t even have terms for it. If you did either one you could end up with a charge of indecent exposure.


Saturday 27 September 2014

Brazilian Portuguese Grammar: Homonyms #2

Expirar - To expire, die, pass away.


Espirar - To exhale.


Similar but not quite:


Espirrar - to sneeze


Wednesday 24 September 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #32

A última bolacha do pacote - the last cookie in the container; the last biscuit in the packet


Used when referring to someone who thinks they’re the best, “all that and a bag of chips,” the greatest thing since sliced bread, etc. can be used for men or women.


Tuesday 23 September 2014

Thursday 28 August 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #30

TPM - PMS


TPM stands for Tensão Pré-Menstrual. Literally translated, it means Pre-Menstrual Tension/Stress.


Which reminds me:


Males, just so you know, in Brazil talking about the stages of a woman’s reproductive cycle isn’t anywhere near as taboo as it is in North America. Girls won’t come up to you and expect you to be able to start discussing which kind of pad is best or anything, but you’d best get over the embarrassment of words related to female-specific bodily functions and the accessories they require during the time of said functions.


Don’t get me wrong - it’s not all we talk about, nor do we make a point to discuss feminine matters around men; but it isn’t something that’s not to be spoken of near males so as to spare their delicate sensibilities like it is in Anglo-Saxon culture either.


At least not in my personal experience, nor that of family/friends.


Friday 15 August 2014

Monday 28 July 2014

Brazilian Colloquialisms, Sayings, and Slang #27

Mais realista qure o rei - [Even] more regal than the king


A play on the double meaning of real (real and royal). Someone who’s acting “more regal than the king” is even more of a stickler for the rules and/or oppressive than the actual person in charge.


Colar na prova - To cheat on a test


Literally, “to glue on the test”. Colar is the verb for cheating on a test in Portuguese (as well as the verb “to glue/stick on” and the noun “necklace”).


Brazilian Portuguese Grammar: Homonyms #1

Manga - Mango. Y’know, the fruit?


Manga - shirt sleeve


Similar but not quite:


Mangá - Japanese-style comics, spelled “manga” in English.


Thursday 10 July 2014

Brazilian Portuguese Grammar #3

In Brazilian Portuguese a person’s nationality is never capitalized (unless it’s the first word in a sentence, of course) while the name of a language always is capitalized.


So you can find yourself with sentences like “o nosso professor de Inglês é inglês” (our English teacher is English).


Monday 7 July 2014

Brazilian Portuguese Grammar #2

An important difference to remember:


Coco = coconut


Cocô = poop


Cocó - Onomatopoeia for the sound a chicken makes/toddler word for chicken


Oh the difference an accent can make…


Monday 16 June 2014

Brazilian Pop Culture: Protesting #15

Protest against the government prioritizing spending for the FIFA World Cup 2014 instead of much-needed funding for education and healthcare and the relocation of poor districts in preparation of the FIFA Cup.


image


This protest is against the corruption [linked to/caused by] the cup,not against the Cup [itself]!


#TheGiantHasAwoken


Literally, “This protest isn’t against the Cup - but rather against the corruption!”



Friday 13 June 2014

Brazilian Pop Culture: Protesting #14

Protest against the government prioritizing spending for the FIFA World Cup 2014 instead of much-needed funding for education and the relocation of poor districts in preparation of the FIFA Cup.



Who’s the Cup for?


Overpriced construction


Public money diverted


Families removed [from their homes]


Street animals murdered


[Public] education forgotten


[Public] health[care] abandoned….


Thursday 12 June 2014

Brazilian Pop Culture: Protesting #13

Protest against the government prioritizing spending for the FIFA World Cup 2014 instead of much-needed funding for education


image


15 billion [spent] on a stadium


and [what about] on education?????


Brazilian Pop Culture: Protesting #11

Protest against the government prioritizing spending for the FIFA World Cup 2014 instead of much-needed hospitals



Be a citizen as well as a fan/supporter of a team!


#FIFA standards in health and education!


Wednesday 11 June 2014

(Brazilian) Pop Culture: Internet Lingo #4

Arroba - The “at” symbol


The Portuguese word for @.


c/


Shortened form of com (with)


Thursday 15 May 2014

Pop Culture: Protesting

A gif protesting the rise in public transportation fare

image

I wanted to go to the protest, but I was short 20 cents.

Literally, I wanted to go to the protest, but I was missing 20 cents for the [bus] ticket.

Monday 12 May 2014

Pop Culture: Protesting
image

Only kisses will silence us

Literally, Only kisses will shut our mouths

Even more literally, Only kisses will cover our mouths

Brazilian warning sign for a dead end street. (Literally,...





Brazilian warning sign for a dead end street.

(Literally, “street without exit”).

Friday 9 May 2014

Pop Culture: Protesting

Protest against the rise in public transportation fare



Ash stole my bike, I need public transportation of good quality

Wednesday 7 May 2014

Pop Culture: Protesting

In a protest against public transport price rise



It’s a disgrace to have bus tickets that are more expensive than pot

Pop Culture: Protesting
Protest against the government prioritizing spending for the FIFA World Cup 2014 instead of much-needed hospitals



We want FIFA-standard hospitals

Sunday 4 May 2014

Pop Culture: Protesting



Peaceful yes! Passive never!

Pop Culture: Protesting



leave Candy Crush and come to the street

Note: “come to the street” is understood to mean “join us out here in demanding change”

Pop Culture: Protesting
Protest against police violence
I hate rubber bullets
Throw tic tac [instead]



Saturday 3 May 2014



Three-box short stories like this one are always found on the last page of aTurma da Mônica comic (in this case, due to the fact Monica’s name is after the “Monica’s Gang” logo, from a Monica-centric comic book).

A cover of the very first Turma da Mônica comic

Ironically, this came out on the same day that my aunt was born (my mom remembers that my grandpa got her a copy so she’d have something to do while they visited my grandma in the hospital). The irony? My aunt’s name is Mônica. For a completely unrelated reason.
Pop Culture: Internet Lingo

Kkkkk
A Brazilian equivalent of “lol,” referring to one of the onomatopoeia for laughter, which is pronounced in the same way as the letter K in Portuguese (cá).
The amount of K’s is not set. So long as there are three or more K’s the meaning is still “lol”. 
The more repeated the closer to “rofl” or “roflmao” the meaning gets (especially if in all caps).
Pop Culture: Internet Lingo

rsrsrsrsrs
A Brazilian equivalent of “lol,” referring to two of the more commonly used Portuguese words for laugh/laughter: riso and risada. The number of times “rs” is repeated is not set So long as there is at least one set of “rs” the meaning is “lol”.
The more repeated the closer to “rofl” or “roflmao” the meaning gets (especially if in all caps).
Pop Culture: Internet Lingo


tc
Short for “teclar.” Technically, teclar is the verb “to type,” but in internet lingo/messenger speak it’s used to mean “to chat online”
Usually used as a greeting in a chat  - “quer tc?” (wanna chat?)
Brazilian States: Tocantins

Capital: Palmas
Area: 277,720.52 km2

The blue stripe represents the rivers, the yellow is for the wealth of the state. The sun on the white stripe, means that it rises for all citizens of Tocantins.
Extra factoids:
Palmas literally translates as “Palms.”
Brazilian States Santa Catarina
Capital: Florianópolis
Area: 95.736,165 km2


The Phrygian cap symbolizes the republican forces that govern us; The stalk of wheat symbolizes the farming land; The coffee branch symbolizes the coastal farming; The shield contains the date of the establishment of the Republic in Santa Catarina on November 17, 1889; The key is to remember that Santa Catarina is a strategic point of First Order; The eagle represents the productive forces.

Extra factoids:
Santa Catarina literally translates as “Saint Catherine”
Brazilian History

Before the Portuguese arrived Brazil was known as “Pindorama” - Land of the Pindobas (pindoba is a type of fruit).
Pindobas
The Portuguese renamed it Vera Cruz (Cross of Truth).
The name Brazil comes from the name of a type of hardwood tree called “pau-brasil” which was extremely valued by the Portuguese as a source of red dye.
pau-brasil tree

Brazil’s states and which region they fall under.
Green = North
Blue = Northeast
Purple = Central West
Red = Southeast
Yellow = South




Pop Culture: Protesting
After two dictatorships (the most recent and violent of the two lasting from 1964-1989) Brazilians take their right to complain and be heard very seriously. 
As such, protesting is a huge part of pop culture. Anything about the way things are run can be grounds for a protest.
Anything.
Don’t believe me?
When my mother was in university the students were sick and tired of always being fed boiled eggs (ovo cozido). In true Brazilian style, they took the famous chant of
o povo                               the people
unido                                 united
jamais será vencido          will never [ever] be beaten
and tweaked it a bit.
Then, they took to their campus’ cafeteria chanting
o ovo                                 the boiled egg
cozido                               
jamais será comido!           will never [ever] be eaten!
until the cafeteria staff agreed to fry the eggs once in a while. 
While my mother has no picture of the protest, here’s a similar situation:
The Technology Federal University of Paraná (UTFPR) has the most expensive university cafeteria in the country. In 2013 the students felt that the the price was ridiculous for the quality of food they recieved.
Lo and behold, this happened: 

Bottom right:
beterraba de novo? - radishes again?
Top left:
comida ruím eu msm faço - if I wanted food that tastes bad I would cook it myself
Literally, “food that tastes bad I can make [by] myself”
au au au pelo menos bota sal! - at least put [some] salt [in the food]!
Note: While “au au” can mean “woof woof” in this case it is meant as a sound that that rhymes with sal (salt).
Top right:
temos o RU mais caro do país - we have the most expensive university caff in the country
RU stands for “restaurante universitário” (university restaurant), the Brazilian term for an university cafeteria
Side note: Brazil does not distinguish between university and college. Almost all post secondary education takes place in universities. The other version is called a faculdade (faculty), and the only thing that distinguishes it from an university how many courses it offers. Also, federal universities have the reputation for being the best universities in the country (as opposed private ones), and (like with all public universities) are tuition-free if you manage to pass the tough and extensive entrance exam (vestibular).

Thursday 3 April 2014

Colloquialisms, sayings, & Slang

Anta - Tapir
To call someone a tapir is to question their inteligence. It can be a light and playful way of poking fun such as if someone had a brain fart moment or it can also be used more harshly. Think calling someone "dummy" or "dum-dum" vs "idiot".  

Gato/Gata - Cat (male/female)
Calling someone a cat is the Brazilian equivalent of saying someone is hot/foxy/a total babe.


Saturday 22 March 2014

Colloquialisms, sayings, & Slang

Sayings about Patience
De grão em grão, a galinha enche o papo. - Grain by grain a chicken fills its tummy
De moeda em moeda se faz uma fortuna - Coin by coin one makes a fortune
Devagar se vai longe - [By] going slowly you go far
The Brazilian equivalent of “slow and steady wins the race”
Água mole em pedra dura, tanto bate até que fura. - If soft water strikes the hard stone long enough, eventually it will create a hole
Literally, “soft water on hard stone, strikes so much that it pierces [through]”
Pop Culture: Turma da Mônica

Turma da Mônica (Monica’s Gang) is a nationally renown comic series created by Mauricio de Souza.


An iconic picture of the 90's of Mauricio and his most famous creations 
The characters first appeared in comic strips for the newspaper (a la Peanutsor For Better or Worse), and eventually became so popular that they started to be made as comic books. 
Nowadays they come out in monthly and weekly installments, with various editions dedicated to showcasing stories that focus on a specific character as a protagonist.
These comics are so popular that they have their own tv show, movies, theme park, and store.



It’s not just something for the kids. This is huge in Brazil. They’re on cute baby diapers. They’re on food wrappers, shampoo bottles, and pet products.They have toys and dolls. They have every type of children’s memorabilia you can think of, from school notebooks to bed covers.
In fact, people often use the character names as a way of calling someone something related to the most famous traits of each character.
It has been translated into Spanish, EnglishChinese, and Greek. 
Turma da Mônica was officially translated into English as “Monica’s Gang”, but its meaning is something closer to “Monica & Friends”)