Exploring Ser and Estar - and describing people

Como é or como está ela? - What is the difference? It can feel like an insurmountable task to non-native speakers of Portuguese to tease out the difference between these two, and use them correctly. But if we focus on giving ourselves access to plenty of correct examples in meaningful contexts we will programme our (amazing!) brains to see the pattern and cleverly divide up the situations into those requiring SER (sou, és, é.. / fui, foste, foi… / era, éras, éra…) - those defining and fact differentiating; and those requiring estar (estou, estás, está… / estive, estiveste, esteve… / estava, estavas, estava…) - those current, right now states and moods.

Como é ela? What is she like? Describe her. I want to know the usual description of her - physically, mentally. Ela é alta, ela é bonita, ela é creativa, ela é um pouco tímida… (She is tall, pretty, creative, a bit shy…)

Como está ela? How is she? What is her current state. I want to know about her health, her mood. Today. Ela está muito constipada, ela está cansada, ela não está muito boa hoje… (She is full of cold, tired, not good today…)

Given enough clear examples in meaningful contexts we get a feel for what is right or wrong here.

(** please not permanent and temporary… if you want to get confused these are the labels to use - Sou casada, but I could get divorced. Ele é gordo, but he could lose weight, Somos americanos, but we may rescind our nationality… **)

Here are some phrases for this week - phrases for describing people. Notice how we use é for descriptions, the adjectives match the gender - baixa, loira (ela), alto, moreno (ele), azuis, castanhos (olhos) and if you are getting into the details - ele tem barba - not uma barba :)

• ele tem olhos azuis - he has blue eyes

• ela tem olhos castanhos - she has brown eyes

• ele tem barba - he has a beard

• ela tem cabelo curto - she has short hair

• ela tem cabelo comprido - she has long hair

• ele é alto - he is tall

• ela é baixa - she is short

• ele usa óculos - he wears glasses

• ela é loira - she is blond

• ele é moreno - he is dark haired

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with.

If you would like to join the weekly chat group (chatting about this theme) - Thurs 13h-13h45 - all details are in the sign up form here Your first chat is free :)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Stories:

A0 / A1 – Na escola

Na minha turma há muitos colegas diferentes. O João é alto e moreno. Ele tem olhos azuis e usa óculos. A Inês é baixa e loira. Ela tem cabelo curto e olhos castanhos. O professor é simpático e tem barba. Ele fala devagar e ajuda todos os alunos. Na aula de português, nós falamos, lemos e escrevemos. Eu gosto muito da minha turma. Todos são amigos e gostam de aprender. Depois da aula, vamos ao café perto da escola. Lá, bebemos sumo ou café e falamos da lição. É um dia normal, mas eu fico contente porque gosto de estudar com os meus amigos.

A2 – Um encontro no parque

No domingo, o Miguel encontra a Sofia no parque. Ele é alto, moreno e tem barba. Usa óculos escuros porque há muito sol. A Sofia é baixa e tem cabelo comprido e olhos castanhos. Ela é muito sorridente. Eles falam sobre o trabalho e os planos para o verão. Miguel quer fazer férias na praia e Sofia prefere ir às montanhas. Depois de caminhar um pouco, sentam-se num banco e compram gelados. O Miguel pede um de morango e a Sofia um de chocolate. É uma conversa simples, mas divertida. No fim, trocam números de telefone e combinam ver-se outra vez.

B1+ – Uma nova colega no escritório

Ontem chegou uma nova colega ao escritório, chamada Marta. Ela é loira, tem cabelo comprido e olhos castanhos. É muito simpática e fala com todos logo no primeiro dia. O Pedro, que é alto e tem barba, ajuda-a a instalar-se no computador. A Marta diz que gosta muito de trabalhar em equipa. À hora de almoço, o grupo vai comer a um restaurante perto. Conversam sobre viagens, hobbies e filmes. Descobrem que têm muito em comum. No final do dia, todos ficam com a sensação de que a Marta vai ser uma excelente colega. O ambiente no escritório torna-se mais alegre e positivo.

Translations : )

A0 / A1 – At school

In my class there are many different classmates. João is tall and dark-haired. He has blue eyes and wears glasses. Inês is short and blond. She has short hair and brown eyes. The teacher is nice and has a beard. He speaks slowly and helps all the students. In the Portuguese lesson, we speak, read, and write. I like my class very much. Everyone is friendly and likes learning. After class, we go to the café near the school. There, we drink juice or coffee and talk about the lesson. It’s an ordinary day, but I’m happy because I like studying with my friends.

A2 – A meeting in the park

On Sunday, Miguel meets Sofia in the park. He is tall, dark-haired and has a beard. He wears sunglasses because it’s very sunny. Sofia is short and has long hair and brown eyes. She smiles a lot. They talk about work and their plans for the summer. Miguel wants to go on holiday to the beach, and Sofia prefers the mountains. After walking a bit, they sit on a bench and buy ice creams. Miguel orders strawberry and Sofia chocolate. It’s a simple but fun conversation. At the end, they exchange phone numbers and agree to see each other again.

B1+ – A new colleague in the office

Yesterday a new colleague arrived at the office, called Marta. She is blond, has long hair and brown eyes. She is very friendly and talks to everyone on her first day. Pedro, who is tall and has a beard, helps her set up her computer. Marta says she really enjoys working in a team. At lunchtime, the group goes to eat at a nearby restaurant. They talk about travel, hobbies and films, and discover they have a lot in common. By the end of the day, everyone feels that Marta will be an excellent colleague. The atmosphere in the office becomes more cheerful and positive.

Atividades dos tempos livres - and thoughts about verbs :)

Putting phrases together correctly in the same way as native speakers of a language would naturally do is often a challenge. We know the words that we would use in our own language, but then struggle to come up with the equivalent in Portuguese. Two good examples are phrases including the words PLAY and TAKE in English.

In English I can play a game, play a musical intrument, or play around. In Portuguese these are disctinct situations that use different verbs.

JOGAR - for a game, something with rules, a game with a ball (often)
jogar ténis, jogar futebol, jogar xadrez (chess), jogar cartas, jogar no computador

TOCAR - a musical intrument. (also means to touch) - and no article - i.e. play piano, not play the piano
tocar piano, tocar guitarra, tocar flauta, tocar bateria (drums)

BRINCAR - mess around, joke, play with the dog, play in the playground
brincar com o cão, estou a brincar! (I’m kidding), brincar com os amigos

And take, another interesting verb to translate. In English I can take a photograph, take a ticket, take off a sticker, take off shoes, take a shower, take a bus. In Portuguese I will use different verbs.

TIRAR - gives the idea of removal, also for photographs
tirar uma fotografia, tirar uma senha, tirar sapatos ou roupa

TOMAR - has the idea of consuming - take a shower, (also food, drink, pills)
tomar duche, tomar café, tomar pequeno-almoço, tomar medicamentos

APANHAR - to catch, get (also pick, sunbathe)
apanhar o autocarro, apanhar um vírus, apanhar uma bola, apanhar azeitonas, apanhar sol

Here are some phrases for this week - phrases with verbs and nouns to talk about things we like doing. There are a few containing play and take :) Notice also how in some phrases we use prepositions and articles, in others not - falar ao telefone, but simply ouvir música (not ouvir a música…)

• beber chá - drink tea

• escrever cartas - write letters

• falar ao telefone - talk on the phone

• ir ao cinema - go to the cinema

• ir a festas - go to parties

• jogar cartas - play cards

• jogar futebol - play football

• jogar no computador - play computer games

• jogar ténis - play tennis

• ler livros - read books

• ouvir música - listen to music

• tirar fotografias - take photographs

• apanhar sol - sunbathe (lit. catch sun)

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join the weekly chat group (chatting about this theme) - - Thurs 13h-13h45 - all details are in the sign up form here Your first chat is free :)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Dialogues this week:

A0/A1 – “No parque”

Sofia: Olá, Tiago! O que fazes hoje?

Tiago: Olá, Sofia! Hoje é sábado. Quero ir ao parque.

Sofia: Boa ideia! Gosto muito de passear no parque.

Tiago: Eu também. Posso levar o meu cão, o Max.

Sofia: Que giro! Podemos andar e depois sentar no café.

Tiago: Sim, boa ideia. Queres beber um café ou um sumo?

Sofia: Um sumo, por favor. E depois, jogamos às cartas?

Tiago: Claro! O parque é um bom lugar para relaxar.

Sofia: Concordo. Adoro passar tempo ao ar livre.

A2 – “Uma tarde de cinema”

Marta: João, queres ir ao cinema esta tarde?

João: Sim, boa ideia! Há um filme novo de comédia.

Marta: Perfeito. A que horas começa?

João: Às cinco e meia. Podemos jantar depois?

Marta: Sim, conheço um restaurante italiano perto do cinema.

João: Óptimo! Gosto muito de massa. Vês muitos filmes no cinema?

Marta: Nem sempre. Às vezes vejo filmes em casa, mas prefiro o grande ecrã.

João: Eu também. A experiência é diferente. E podemos rir juntos!

Marta: É verdade. Vamos comprar os bilhetes online para não fazer fila.

João: Boa ideia, assim chegamos com calma.

B1+ – “Um fim de semana ativo”

Inês: Então, Ricardo, o que vais fazer este fim de semana?

Ricardo: No sábado vou fazer uma caminhada na serra com uns amigos.

Inês: Que bom! Eu adoro caminhar na natureza. É muito relaxante.

Ricardo: Sim, e ajuda a esquecer o stress da semana.

Inês: E no domingo? Vais descansar?

Ricardo: Talvez um pouco, mas à tarde quero andar de bicicleta junto ao rio.

Inês: És muito ativo! Eu, quando tenho tempo livre, gosto de ler ou cozinhar algo novo.

Ricardo: Também é ótimo! O importante é fazer o que nos faz sentir bem.

Inês: Concordo. O lazer é essencial para manter o equilíbrio.

Translations of the dialogues:

A0/A1 – “In the park”

Sofia: Hi, Tiago! What are you doing today?
 Tiago: Hi, Sofia! Today is Saturday. I want to go to the park.
 Sofia: Good idea! I really like walking in the park.
 Tiago: Me too. I can take my dog, Max.
 Sofia: How nice! We can walk and then sit at the café.
 Tiago: Yes, good idea. Do you want to drink a coffee or a juice?
 Sofia: A juice, please. And then, shall we play cards?
 Tiago: Of course! The park is a good place to relax.
 Sofia: I agree. I love spending time outdoors.

A2 – “An afternoon at the cinema”

Marta: João, do you want to go to the cinema this afternoon?
 João: Yes, good idea! There’s a new comedy film.
 Marta: Perfect. What time does it start?
 João: At half past five. Shall we have dinner afterwards?
 Marta: Yes, I know an Italian restaurant near the cinema.
 João: Great! I really like pasta. Do you watch many films at the cinema?
 Marta: Not always. Sometimes I watch films at home, but I prefer the big screen.
 João: Me too. The experience is different. And we can laugh together!
 Marta: True. Let’s buy the tickets online so we don’t have to queue.
 João: Good idea, that way we can take our time.

B1+ – “An active weekend”

Inês: So, Ricardo, what are you doing this weekend?
 Ricardo: On Saturday I’m going hiking in the mountains with some friends.
 Inês: How nice! I love walking in nature. It’s very relaxing.
 Ricardo: Yes, and it helps me forget the stress of the week.
 Inês: And on Sunday? Will you rest?
 Ricardo: Maybe a bit, but in the afternoon I want to go cycling by the river.
 Inês: You’re very active! When I have free time, I like reading or cooking something new.
 Ricardo: That’s great too! The important thing is to do what makes us feel good.
 Inês: I agree. Leisure is essential to keep balance in life.

Televisão

O tema esta semana é Televisão - The theme this week is television.  

Televisão is an easy word for English speakers to understand as the English word is almost the same. This is because they both come from the same Latin root. We call words like this cognates, and as a language learner (and teacher) we are often looking out for them, as they are imensely helpful to the adult language learner. We can greatly reduce our memory load by tapping into the cognates :) And as over 30% of the root words in English come from Latin, we can very often find a word in English, change it slightly, pronounce it correctly (never in the same way…) and bingo!
So, there are a whole lot of words ending in -sion that we can change to -são at the end. Words like - decisão, confusão, explosão, divisão, conclusão… (they are all feminine too! - and almost the same in French usually too)

Here are some words for this week - idiomatic expressions this week! They are great for learning – everybody finds them interesting, and we often remember them for that reason. I usually don’t recommend using them unless you have heard them used a lot and are super clear on the context they are used in.
BUT they are fantastic vehicles for learning some new words – this week words l ike patrão (boss), moinho (mill), vizinho (neighbour).

• a galinha da minha vizinha é sempre melhor que a minha - the grass is always greener on the other side (lit. the chicken of my neighbour is always better than mine)

• patrão fora, dia santo na loja - when the cat's away the mice will play (lit. boss out, saints day in the shop)

• Roma e Pavia não se fizeram num dia - Rome was not built in a day (lit. Rome and Pavia one didn't make in a day)

• homem prevenido, vale por dois - forewarned is forearmed (lit. man prewarned, is worth (for) two)

• águas passadas não movem moinhos - that's water under the bridge (lit. waters gone don't move mills)

• filho de peixe sabe nadar - like father like son / a chip off the old block (lit. son of fish knows (how to) swim)

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join the weekly chat group (chatting about this theme) - - Thurs 13h-13h45 - all details are in the sign up form here Your first chat is free :)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Stories:

A0 / A1

Gosto de ver televisão todos os dias. Vejo as notícias de manhã e séries à noite. A minha família também gosta de televisão. Vemos filmes juntos no fim de semana. Tenho um canal favorito de desporto. O meu irmão mais novo vê desenhos animados. Às vezes, vejo programas de culinária para aprender novas receitas. Uso o telemóvel para escolher o que ver. A televisão é divertida e ajuda-me a relaxar depois do trabalho. Falo sobre os programas com os meus amigos. Ver televisão é uma atividade importante na minha vida.

A2

A minha rotina de televisão muda todos os dias. Durante a semana, vejo principalmente notícias e programas educativos. Às quartas-feiras, gosto de ver concursos e séries de comédia. No fim de semana, a minha família vê filmes de aventura e documentários sobre animais. Prefiro canais com filmes estrangeiros porque gosto de aprender novas palavras em inglês. Às vezes, também vejo programas de música para conhecer novos cantores. Converso com os meus colegas sobre os programas que vemos. A televisão ajuda-me a descansar e a aprender coisas novas. Uso o horário de televisão para planear o meu dia e não perder os meus programas favoritos.

B1+

Nos últimos anos, os meus hábitos de televisão mudaram bastante. Antes, via apenas séries de comédia, mas agora prefiro documentários, notícias e filmes históricos. Gosto de ver programas sobre ciência e tecnologia, porque me ajudam a compreender melhor o mundo. Além disso, a televisão é uma forma de relaxar depois de um dia de trabalho. Costumo falar sobre programas interessantes com os meus amigos ou colegas de trabalho. Nos fins de semana, a minha família e eu vemos filmes juntos, e cada um escolhe um filme diferente. Também gosto de ver programas estrangeiros com legendas, porque isso melhora o meu inglês. Apesar de passar algum tempo na televisão, tento equilibrar com outras atividades, como ler livros ou praticar desporto. A televisão continua a ser uma parte importante da minha rotina diária.

Translations of the stories:

A0/ A1

I like to watch television every day. I watch news programs in the morning and series at night. My family also likes television. We watch movies together at the weekend. I have a favorite sports channel. My younger  brother watches cartoons. Sometimes, I watch cooking programs to learn new recipes. I use my mobile phone to choose what to watch. Television is fun and helps me relax after work. I talk about the programs with my friends. Watching television is an important activity in my life.

A2

My television routine changes every day. During the week, I mainly watch news and educational programs. On Wednesdays, I like to watch game shows and comedy series. At the weekend, my family watches adventure movies and documentaries about animals. I prefer channels with foreign films because I like to learn new words in English. Sometimes, I also watch music programs to discover new singers. I talk with my classmates about the programs we watch. Television helps me rest and learn new things. I use the TV schedule to plan my day and not miss my favorite programs.

B1+

In recent years, my television habits have changed a lot. Before, I only watched comedy series, but now I prefer documentaries, news, and historical films. I like watching programs about science and technology because they help me understand the world better. Also, television is a way to relax after a day of work. I usually discuss interesting programs with my friends or colleagues. At the weekend, my family and I watch movies together, and everyone chooses a different film. I also like to watch foreign programs with subtitles because it improves my English. Although I spend some time watching television, I try to balance it with other activities, like reading books or doing sports. Television is still an important part of my daily routine.

Outono

O tema esta semana é Outono- The theme this week is autumn.  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

folhas - leaves
abóbora - pumpkin
bolota - acorn
nevoeiro - fog
cogumelos - mushrooms
está mais fresco - it's cooler
está mais escuro - it's darker
fogueira - bonfire
frutos secos - dried nuts and fruits
vindima - grape harvest
castanhas - chestnuts
colheita - harvest

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join the weekly chat group - - Thurs 13h-13h45 - all details are in the sign up form here Your first chat is free :)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Stories:

A0 / A1

No outono, eu gosto de passear no parque. As folhas são verdes, amarelas e vermelhas. Vejo uma abóbora grande no jardim e muitas bolotas debaixo das árvores. Há também cogumelos pequenos. O ar está mais fresco e também está mais escuro à tarde. No campo, há colheita de uvas e chamamos isso de vindima. As pessoas apanham uvas com alegria. Em casa, comemos frutos secos e castanhas quentes. À noite, fazemos uma fogueira com amigos. O nevoeiro chega de manhã e tudo parece misterioso. Eu gosto muito do outono orque há muitas cores e comidas boas.

A2

O outono chega e a natureza muda bastante. As folhas das árvores ficam amarelas e caem. Nos campos aparecem cogumelos e bolotas para os animais. Algumas famílias cultivam abóboras e usam-nas para sopas ou decorações. De manhã, muitas vezes há nevoeiro, e à noite está mais escuro e também está mais fresco. É o tempo da colheita: não só das abóboras, mas também das uvas, na grande festa da vindima. As pessoas trabalham juntas e celebram no fim. À volta de uma fogueira, comem-se castanhas assadas e frutos secos. O cheiro é delicioso e cria um ambiente especial. Para mim, o outono é uma estação cheia de tradições, sabores e encontros com amigos.

B1+

No outono, a paisagem transforma-se por completo. As folhas caem em tapetes coloridos, e os passeios no campo revelam abóboras enormes, bolotas escondidas e grupos de cogumelos. O ar fresco da estação mistura-se muitas vezes com o nevoeiro que cobre as manhãs. Os dias ficam mais curtos, está mais escuro cedo e está mais fresco à noite. Para muitas regiões, é tempo de colheita: a vindima traz famílias inteiras às vinhas, onde se canta e se celebra a apanha das uvas. Depois, em aldeias e cidades, as pessoas reúnem-se em torno de fogueiras para assar castanhas, partilhar frutos secos e conversar. Esta época marca não só o fim do verão, mas também um momento de união e tradição, onde a comida e o convívio se tornam protagonistas.

Translations of the stories:

A0/A1

In autumn, I like to walk in the park. The leaves are green, yellow and red. I see a big pumpkin in the garden and many acorns under the trees. There are also small mushrooms. The air is cooler and it’s also darker in the afternoon. In the countryside, there is a grape harvest and we call it vindima. People pick grapes happily. At home, we eat dried fruits and warm chestnuts. At night, we make a bonfire with friends. In the morning, the fog arrives and everything looks mysterious. I really like autumn because there are many colours and good foods.

A2

Autumn arrives and nature changes a lot. The leaves on the trees turn yellow and fall. In the fields, mushrooms and acorns appear for the animals. Some families grow pumpkins and use them for soups or decorations. In the morning, there is often fog, and in the evening it’s darker and also cooler. It is harvest time: not only for pumpkins but also for grapes, in the great festival of the vindima. People work together and celebrate at the end. Around a bonfire, roasted chestnuts and dried fruits are eaten. The smell is delicious and creates a special atmosphere. For me, autumn is a season full of traditions, flavours, and gatherings with friends.

B1+

In autumn, the landscape changes completely. Leaves fall in colourful carpets, and countryside walks reveal huge pumpkins, hidden acorns, and groups of mushrooms. The fresh air of the season often mixes with the fog that covers the mornings. The days are shorter, it’s darker earlier, and it’s cooler at night. For many regions, it is harvest time: the vindima brings whole families to the vineyards, where songs are sung and the grape-picking is celebrated. Afterwards, in villages and towns, people gather around bonfires to roast chestnuts, share dried fruits, and talk. This season marks not only the end of summer but also a moment of togetherness and tradition, where food and companionship take centre stage

Família

O tema esta semana é Família- The theme this week is family.  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

tio - uncle
tia - aunt
primo - cousin (m)
prima - cousin (f)
neto - grandson
neta - granddaughter
sobrinho - nephew
sobrinha - niece
rapaz - boy
rapariga – girl

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Stories:

A0 / A1

A família do Miguel é muito grande. O rapaz vive numa aldeia com os pais e os avós. O avô gosta de brincar com o neto e a avó adora cantar com a neta. O tio do Miguel toca guitarra e a tia gosta de cozinhar. O primo joga futebol e a prima dança balet. O sobrinho pequeno gosta de correr e a sobrinha gosta de desenhar. Todos estão juntos ao domingo. Eles falam, riem e comem pão com queijo. O Miguel é feliz porque tem sempre companhia. Na família dele, cada pessoa tem um talento e todos gostam de partilhar momentos simples.

A2

No verão, a família da Ana encontra-se sempre na casa dos avós. A neta ajuda a avó na horta e o neto aprende com o avô a arranjar bicicletas. O tio João e a tia Marta trazem comida deliciosa e histórias engraçadas. O primo Luís é um rapaz curioso que gosta de explorar a floresta, e a prima Inês prefere ficar a desenhar no terraço. Os filhos mais novos, o sobrinho Pedro e a sobrinha Sofia, jogam às escondidas com os cães da família. No ano passado, todos organizaram um piquenique. Foi divertido: comeram frutas, cantaram músicas e tiraram fotografias. A Ana adora estes encontros porque sente união e alegria. Para ela, a família é como uma pequena festa que nunca acaba.

B1+

A família do Rui é numerosa e vive espalhada entre a cidade e o campo. Todos os anos, no Natal, encontram-se na antiga quinta dos avós. O avô orgulha-se de ver o neto tornar-se um rapaz responsável, enquanto a avó ensina a neta a preparar sobremesas tradicionais. O tio Carlos conta piadas intermináveis e a tia Teresa recorda viagens feitas quando era jovem. O primo Diogo adora falar de tecnologia, e a prima Clara interessa-se por literatura, criando conversas animadas. As crianças mais novas, o sobrinho Tiago e a sobrinha Rita, correm pela casa e inventam jogos barulhentos. Apesar das diferenças de idade e personalidade, todos partilham a mesma vontade de estar juntos. Rui considera que a família é um refúgio: um lugar onde encontra apoio, histórias inspiradoras e, acima de tudo, amor verdadeiro.

Translations of the stories:

A1

Miguel’s family is very big. The boy lives in a village with his parents and grandparents. The grandfather likes to play with his grandson and the grandmother loves to sing with her granddaughter. Miguel’s uncle plays the guitar and his aunt enjoys cooking. His cousin (male) plays football and his cousin (female) dances ballet. The little nephew likes to run and the niece likes to draw. They are all together on Sundays. They talk, laugh and eat bread with cheese. Miguel is happy because he always has company. In his family, each person has a talent and everyone likes to share simple moments.

A2

In the summer, Ana’s family always meets at her grandparents’ house. The granddaughter helps her grandmother in the vegetable garden and the grandson learns from the grandfather how to fix bicycles. Uncle João and Aunt Marta bring delicious food and funny stories. Cousin Luís is a curious boy who likes to explore the forest, while cousin Inês prefers to stay on the terrace drawing. The younger children, nephew Pedro and niece Sofia, play hide-and-seek with the family dogs. Last year, everyone organised a picnic. It was fun: they ate fruit, sang songs and took photos. Ana loves these gatherings because she feels unity and joy. For her, family is like a small party that never ends.

B1

Rui’s family is large and lives spread between the city and the countryside. Every year, at Christmas, they meet at the grandparents’ old farm. The grandfather is proud to see his grandson becoming a responsible boy, while the grandmother teaches her granddaughter how to prepare traditional desserts. Uncle Carlos tells endless jokes and Aunt Teresa recalls journeys she made when she was young. Cousin Diogo loves to talk about technology, and cousin Clara is interested in literature, creating lively conversations. The youngest children, nephew Tiago and niece Rita, run around the house inventing noisy games. Despite differences in age and personality, everyone shares the same desire to be together. Rui believes that family is a refuge: a place where he finds support, inspiring stories and, above all, true love

Transportes

O tema esta semana é Transportes - The theme this week is transport.  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

o transporte público - the public transport
o táxi - the taxi
o condutor - the driver
a estação - the station
metro - metro, underground
a plataforma - the platform
o túnel - the tunnel
a linha - the line
o norte - the north
o sul - the south

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Stories:

A0 / A1

Eu uso muito o transporte público na cidade. Quando chego à estação, vejo muitos autocarros e o metro. Quero ir para o sul, por isso procuro a linha correta. Desço até a plataforma, onde espero pelo comboio. Vejo o túnel escuro e o comboio chega depressa. Às vezes, quando tenho pressa, apanho o táxi. O condutor é simpático e conhece bem o caminho. Mas gosto mais do metro porque é rápido e barato. Para ir para o norte ou para o sul, só preciso de mudar de linha.

A2

De manhã, vou de casa até à estação para apanhar o transporte público. Normalmente uso o metro, porque é cómodo. Primeiro, compro o bilhete, depois sigo as placas para encontrar a plataforma certa. Quero ir para o norte, mas a minha amiga precisa de ir para o sul, por isso escolhemos direções diferentes na mesma linha. O comboio passa pelo túnel, e as luzes fazem um barulho especial. Quando tenho muitas malas, prefiro o táxi, e o condutor ajuda-me a pôr tudo no porta-bagagens. No entanto, o metro é quase sempre mais rápido.

B1+

Na semana passada, decidi experimentar diferentes formas de transporte público. Saí cedo de casa e fui a pé até à estação central. Lá, procurei o mapa do metro e escolhi a linha azul para ir para o sul da cidade. Desci até a plataforma e esperei alguns minutos. O comboio chegou pelo túnel, e as portas abriram automaticamente. A viagem foi tranquila. Mais tarde, quando precisei de regressar ao norte, já estava cansado e optei por chamar um táxi. O condutor conversou comigo durante o percurso e contou histórias interessantes sobre a vida na cidade. Percebi que, embora o metro seja mais barato, o táxi pode ser mais confortável e pessoal.

Translations of the stories:

A0 / A1

I use public transport a lot in the city. When I arrive at the station, I see many buses and the metro. I want to go to the south, so I look for the right line. I go down to the platform, where I wait for the train. I see the dark tunnel and the train arrives quickly. Sometimes, when I am in a hurry, I take a taxi. The driver is friendly and knows the way well. But I prefer the metro because it is fast and cheap. To go to the north or the south, I just need to change line.

A2

In the morning, I go from home to the station to take public transport. I usually use the metro, because it is convenient. First, I buy the ticket, then I follow the signs to find the right platform. I want to go to the north, but my friend needs to go to the south, so we choose different directions on the same line. The train goes through the tunnel, and the lights make a special sound. When I have a lot of luggage, I prefer the taxi, and the driver helps me put everything in the boot. However, the metro is almost always faster.

B1+

Last week, I decided to try different forms of public transport. I left home early and walked to the central station. There, I looked for the metro map and chose the blue line to go to the south of the city. I went down to the platform and waited a few minutes. The train came through the tunnel, and the doors opened automatically. The journey was calm. Later, when I needed to return to the north, I was already tired and chose to call a taxi. The driver talked with me during the journey and told interesting stories about life in the city. I realised that, although the metro is cheaper, the taxi can be more comfortable and personal

Animais

O tema esta semana é Animais- The theme this week is animals.  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

rato - mouse
coelho - rabbit
coruja - owl
raposa - fox
ouriço - hedgehog
texugo - badger
esquilo - squirrel
veado - deer
lontra - otter
cobra - snake 

Here´s a link to a quizlet with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Stories:

A1

O Tomás tem um cão chamado Max. O Max é pequeno, mas é muito enérgico. Todas as manhãs, Tomás leva o cão ao jardim perto da sua casa. O Max corre muito, brinca com outros cães e gosta de cheirar as flores. O Tomás leva sempre uma bola e o Max corre atrás dela. Às vezes, o cão não apanha a bola, mas continua feliz. Depois, descansam um pouco num banco do jardim. O Tomás dá água ao Max e faz-lhe festas. As crianças no jardim gostam de falar com o cão e Max abana a cauda. Todos ficam contentes porque o Max é simpático e divertido.

A2

A Marta adora animais e tem um gato chamado Tobias. Quando ela chega a casa depois do trabalho, o Tobias espera sempre à porta. O gato gosta de dormir no sofá, mas também adora observar os pássaros pela janela. Um dia, a Marta decide levar o Tobias ao veterinário. O veterinário vê que o gato está saudável, mas aconselha a Marta a brincar mais com ele para evitar que fique preguiçoso. Por isso, a Marta compra brinquedos novos, como bolas e um arranhador. Todas as noites, ela brinca com o Tobias antes de dormir. O gato fica mais ativo e também mais carinhoso. A Marta sente-se feliz porque cuida bem do seu animal.

B1+

O Rui sempre gostou de animais selvagens, especialmente aves. No último outono, decidiu visitar um parque natural no Alentejo para observar aves migratórias. Levou uns binóculos, um caderno e muita paciência. Durante a visita, viu cegonhas brancas a voar em grupo, águias a sobrevoar os campos e pequenos pássaros coloridos escondidos nas árvores. Ficou impressionado com a beleza e com o silêncio do lugar. O guia do parque explicou que muitas aves viajam milhares de quilómetros todos os anos, passando por Portugal antes de seguir para África. Rui percebeu que a proteção destes habitats é essencial para a sobrevivência das espécies. Voltou para casa inspirado e começou a ler mais sobre conservação da natureza. Agora, pensa em ser voluntário em projetos ambientais.

Translations of the stories:
A0 / A1
Tomás has a dog called Max. Max is small, but very energetic. Every morning, Tomás takes the dog to the garden near his house. Max runs a lot, plays with other dogs and likes smelling the flowers. Tomás always takes a ball and Max runs after it. Sometimes the dog doesn’t catch the ball, but he is still happy. Afterwards, they rest a little on a bench in the garden. Tomás gives Max some water and strokes him. The children in the garden like to talk to the dog and Max wags his tail. Everyone is happy because Max is friendly and fun.
A2
Marta loves animals and has a cat called Tobias. When she arrives home after work, Tobias always waits at the door. The cat likes sleeping on the sofa, but also loves watching the birds through the window. One day, Marta decides to take Tobias to the vet. The vet sees that the cat is healthy but advises Marta to play more with him so that he doesn’t become lazy. So, Marta buys new toys, such as balls and a scratching post. Every night, she plays with Tobias before going to bed. The cat becomes more active and also more affectionate. Marta feels happy because she takes good care of her pet.
B1+
Rui has always liked wild animals, especially birds. Last autumn, he decided to visit a natural park in the Alentejo to observe migratory birds. He took some binoculars, a notebook and plenty of patience. During the visit, he saw white storks flying in groups, eagles soaring over the fields and small colourful birds hiding in the trees. He was impressed by the beauty and silence of the place. The park guide explained that many birds travel thousands of kilometres every year, passing through Portugal before heading to Africa. Rui realised that protecting these habitats is essential for the survival of the species. He returned home inspired and started reading more about nature conservation. Now, he is thinking about volunteering in environmental projects

Planos

O tema esta semana é Planos- The theme this week is future plans.  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

agora - now
já - right now
hoje - today
hoje à noite - tonight
ontem - yesterday
amanhã - tomorrow
de manhã - in the morning
de tarde - in the afternoon
à noite - at night
na semana passada - last week
na semana que vem - next week
na próxima semana - next week
no princípio do mês - at the beginning of the month
ao fim de semana - at the weekend
todo o tempo - all the time

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :) (Only Thursday chats running in August)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Dialogues:

A1

Sofia: Olá, Pedro! Tens planos para o fim de semana?

Pedro: Olá, Sofia! Sim, no sábado vou ao cinema com a minha irmã.

Sofia: Que bom! Que filme vais ver?

Pedro: Vamos ver uma comédia. E tu, tens planos?

Sofia: Sim, no domingo vou ao parque com os meus amigos.

Pedro: Ah, muito bem! Vão fazer um piquenique?

Sofia: Sim, levamos sandes, fruta e sumo.

Pedro: Que divertido! No domingo, de manhã, também quero dar um passeio no parque. Se

calhar nos encontramos lá.

Sofia: Sim, é possível! Até logo, Pedro.

Pedro: Até logo, Sofia!

A2

Rita: Olá, João! O que vais fazer nas férias de verão?

João: Olá, Rita! Este ano vou ao Algarve com a minha família.

Rita: Que sorte! Vão de carro ou de comboio?

João: Vamos de carro, porque queremos visitar várias praias e pequenas vilas.

Rita: Parece ótimo! Eu vou ficar em Lisboa, mas quero fazer algumas visitas culturais.

João: Onde, por exemplo?

Rita: Quero ir ao Mosteiro dos Jerónimos e ao Museu do Azulejo.

João: Boa ideia! Assim aproveitas para conhecer melhor a cidade.

Rita: Exato. E também quero passar tempo com amigos.

João: Isso é importante. Desejo-te boas férias!

Rita: Obrigada, João! Igualmente!

B1

Miguel: Olá, Ana! Já decidiste o que vais fazer no próximo fim de semana?

Ana: Olá, Miguel! Ainda estou a pensar, mas gostaria de fazer uma escapadinha ao norte de Portugal.

Miguel: Isso soa bem. Queres ir de carro ou de comboio?

Ana: Talvez de comboio, é mais conveniente. Quero visitar o Porto e também Guimarães.

Miguel: Guimarães é muito interessante, é considerada a cidade berço de Portugal.

Ana: Sim, e ouvi dizer que tem um centro histórico muito bonito. Também gostava de provar a gastronomia local.

Miguel: Vais adorar! Eu, por outro lado, vou ficar em Lisboa. Tenho muito trabalho para organizar, mas quero aproveitar o tempo livre para descansar e ler.

Ana: Parece um bom plano também. Desejo-te um fim de semana tranquilo!

Miguel: Obrigado, e boa viagem para ti!

Translations of the dialogues:

A0 / A1

Sofia: Hi, Pedro! Do you have plans for the weekend?

Pedro: Hi, Sofia! Yes, on Saturday I’m going to the cinema with my sister.

Sofia: That’s nice! What film are you going to see?

Pedro: We’re going to see a comedy. And you, do you have plans?

Sofia: Yes, on Sunday I’m going to the park with my friends.

Pedro: Oh, great! Are you going to have a picnic?

Sofia: Yes, we’re taking sandwiches, fruit and juice.

Pedro: That sounds fun! On Sunday morning, I also want to go for a walk in the park. Maybe we’ll meet there.

Sofia: Yes, that’s possible! See you later, Pedro.

Pedro: See you later, Sofia!

A2

Rita: Hi, João! What are you going to do in the summer holidays?

João: Hi, Rita! This year I’m going to the Algarve with my family.

Rita: Lucky you! Are you going by car or by train?

João: We’re going by car, because we want to visit several beaches and small towns.

Rita: Sounds great! I’m staying in Lisbon, but I want to do some cultural visits.

João: Where, for example?

Rita: I want to go to the Jerónimos Monastery and the Tile Museum.

João: Good idea! That way you’ll get to know the city better.

Rita: Exactly. And I also want to spend time with friends.

João: That’s important. I wish you a nice holiday!

Rita: Thank you, João! You too!

B1

Miguel: Hi, Ana! Have you already decided what you’re going to do next weekend?

Ana: Hi, Miguel! I’m still thinking, but I’d like to take a short trip to the north of Portugal.

Miguel: That sounds good. Do you want to go by car or by train?

Ana: Maybe by train, it’s more convenient. I want to visit Porto and also Guimarães.

Miguel: Guimarães is very interesting, it’s considered the birthplace of Portugal.

Ana: Yes, and I’ve heard it has a very beautiful historic centre. I’d also like to try the local food.

Miguel: You’ll love it! I, on the other hand, am going to stay in Lisbon. I’ve got a lot of work to organise, but I also want to use my free time to rest and read.

Ana: That sounds like a good plan too. I wish you a relaxing weekend!

Miguel: Thanks, and have a great trip

Natureza

O tema esta semana é Natureza- The theme this week is nature.  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

frio de rachar - very cold, biting cold (lit. cold of cracking)
chamar-lhe um figo - to do or eat something with great pleasure (lit. call one a fig)
ficar em águas de bacalhau - something that doesn't happen (lit. stay in waters of cod)
mandar à fava - tell someone to go away (lit. send to the broad bean)
com a cabeça na lua - be distracted (lit. with the head in the moon)

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :) (Only Thursday chats running in August)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Stories:

A0 / A1 – No campo

Eu moro numa aldeia pequena. A aldeia tem casas baixas, uma igreja e uma praça. No campo, vejo árvores verdes e flores bonitas. As pessoas trabalham na terra e cuidam dos animais. Todos os dias, eu caminho até o rio. O rio é calmo e a água é fresca. Gosto de ouvir os pássaros e de ver as vacas no prado. A vida aqui é tranquila.

A2 – Um passeio na natureza

No fim-de-semana, eu vou muitas vezes ao campo com a minha família. Apanhamos o comboio de manhã e, depois, caminhamos por trilhos estreitos. Vemos campos de trigo e muitas oliveiras. Também encontramos cabras e ovelhas que pastam na relva. Levamos comida e fazemos um piquenique à sombra de uma árvore grande. Conversamos, rimos e tiramos fotografias. No final do dia, voltamos para casa cansados, mas felizes.

B1 – Memórias da casa dos avós

Quando era criança, passava todos os verões na casa dos meus avós, numa aldeia no interior de Portugal. A casa ficava rodeada de vinhas e campos de milho. Lembro-me do cheiro a pão quente que a minha avó fazia no forno de lenha. O meu avô ensinava-me a tratar da horta: regávamos os tomates e apanhávamos legumes frescos. À noite, sentávamo-nos à porta e víamos o céu cheio de estrelas. Hoje, sempre que volto ao campo, sinto a mesma paz e recordo esses dias felizes

Translations of the stories:

A1 – In the countryside

I live in a small village. The village has low houses, a church and a square. In the countryside, I see green trees and beautiful flowers. People work on the land and look after the animals. Every day, I walk to the river. The river is calm and the water is fresh. I like listening to the birds and watching the cows in the meadow. Life here is peaceful.

A2 – A walk in nature

At the weekend, I often go to the countryside with my family. We take the train in the morning and then walk along narrow paths. We see wheat fields and many olive trees. We also find goats and sheep grazing on the grass. We bring food and have a picnic under the shade of a big tree. We talk, laugh and take photos. At the end of the day, we go home tired but happy.

B1 – Memories of my grandparents’ house

When I was a child, I spent every summer at my grandparents’ house, in a village in inland Portugal. The house was surrounded by vineyards and cornfields. I remember the smell of fresh bread that my grandmother baked in the wood-fired oven. My grandfather taught me how to look after the vegetable garden: we watered the tomatoes and picked fresh vegetables. In the evening, we sat at the doorstep and looked at the sky full of stars. Today, whenever I return to the countryside, I feel the same peace and remember those happy days

Aeroporto

O tema esta semana é Aeroporto - The theme this week is airport .  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

a bagagem - the luggage
a bagagem de mão - the hand luggage
a bagagem de porão - the hold luggage
porta de embarque - boarding gate
recolha de bagagens - baggage reclaim
fazer o check-in - to do the check in
o cartão de embarque - the boarding card
controlo de passaportes - passport control
o ecrã de informação - the information screen
alfândega – customs

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :) (Only Thursday chats running in August)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Dialogues:

A0 / A1 — No balcão de check-in

— Bom dia! Tenho um voo para Madrid.

— Bom dia. Pode mostrar o passaporte e o bilhete, por favor?

— Claro. Aqui estão.

— Obrigado. Tem bagagem de porão?

— Sim, uma mala grande.

— Muito bem. Coloque-a na balança.

— Está feito.

— Aqui está o seu cartão de embarque. O embarque começa às 9h na porta 12.

— Obrigado. Onde fica a segurança?

— É ali à esquerda.

— Perfeito. Muito obrigado.

— Boa viagem!

A2 — Na porta de embarque

— Boa tarde. Este voo para Paris está atrasado?

— Boa tarde. Sim, infelizmente, está atrasado trinta minutos.

— Oh, que pena. A que horas vamos embarcar?

— Prevemos começar às 17h15.

— Certo. Tenho tempo para comprar alguma coisa para comer?

— Sim, mas não se afaste muito, por favor.

— Não se preocupe, vou só ao café aqui ao lado.

— Está bem. Lembre-se de ter o cartão de embarque e o passaporte prontos.

— Sim, claro. Muito obrigado pela informação.

— De nada. Boa viagem

B1 — Conversa com um passageiro ao lado

— Olá, vai para Nova Iorque também?

— Sim, é a minha primeira vez nos Estados Unidos. E você?

— Já lá estive duas vezes. É uma cidade incrível, mas muito movimentada.

— Estou um pouco nervoso por causa do voo tão longo.

— Compreendo. Pode ver um filme ou dois, temos muitos disponíveis aqui. Ajuda a passar o

tempo.

— Boa ideia. Vou tentar dormir também.

— Sim, o fuso horário pode ser difícil. Quando chegar, tente ficar acordado até à noite local.

— Boa ideia, vou fazer isso. Obrigado!

— De nada. Espero que tenha uma excelente viagem.

Translations of the dialogues:

A0 / A1 — At the check-in desk

— Good morning! I have a flight to Madrid.

— Good morning. Could you show me your passport and ticket, please?

— Of course. Here they are.

— Thank you. Do you have any bags to check in?

— Yes, one large suitcase.

— Very well. Please put it on the scale.

— Done.

— Here’s your boarding pass. Boarding starts at 9 o’clock at gate 12.

— Thank you. Where is security?

— It’s over there, to the left.

— Perfect. Thank you very much.

— Have a good flight!

A2 — At the boarding gate

— Good afternoon. Is this flight to Paris delayed?

— Good afternoon. Yes, unfortunately, it’s delayed by thirty minutes.

— Oh, what a shame. What time will we start boarding?

— We expect to start at 5.15 p.m.

— Right. Do I have time to buy something to eat?

— Yes, but please don’t go too far.

— Don’t worry, I’ll just go to the café next door.

— All right. Remember to have your boarding pass and passport ready.

— Yes, of course. Thank you very much for the information.

— You’re welcome. Have a good flight!

B1 — Talking to a passenger next to you

— Hello, are you going to New York as well?

— Yes, it’s my first time in the United States. And you?

— I’ve been there twice. It’s an amazing city, but very busy.

— I’m a bit nervous about such a long flight.

— I understand. You can watch a film or two, we have a lot availble here. It helps pass the time.

— Good idea. I’ll try to sleep as well.

— Yes, the time difference can be tricky. When you arrive, try to stay awake until the local night-time.

— Good idea, I’ll do that. Thank you!

— Not at all. I hope you have an excellent trip

Festas populares

O tema esta semana é Festas populares - The theme this week is local festas.  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

arraial - decorated area where the festa takes place
pimba - music played at festas
bailarico - dance event with traditional or pimba music
marchas - populares traditional parades and dances
romaria - religious festival
sardinhada - festa with barbequed sardines
farturas - deep fried traditional sweet
palco - stage
rulotes - food trucks and stalls
fogo de artifício - fireworks

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you are in Portugal this summer you can’t fail to miss the festas going on every weekend.  Bigger towns have more organised grand events – with fairs, markets, rides for the kids and big name Portuguese bands playing, and almost very smaller town and village has its own festa.  There will always be a religious element – a parade and mass, and then there’s the food – often made and served by volunteers from the local community – and entertainment ranging from traditional dances – ranchos – to rifas – raffle stalls, and then the music that will start around 11 and go on until the early hours.

Here’s a link to a site that lists hundreds of locations and dates – if you want to know what you’re missing!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :) (Only Thursday chats running in August)

And – we have a Whatsapp community – join us via this link. 

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Stories:

AO/ A1

A Ana e o João vão à festa da vila no sábado. O arraial é muito bonito, com bandeiras coloridas e muitas luzes. Há um palco grande com música pimba e muitas pessoas gostam de cantar e dançar no bailarico. Perto do palco há várias rulotes com comida e bebidas. A Ana compra uma fartura com açúcar e canela, e o João come uma sandes de carne. Também há uma sardinhada, mas eles preferem comer mais tarde. Muitas famílias passeiam pelo arraial e falam com os amigos. À noite, toda a gente olha para o céu porque há fogo de artifício. A Ana diz que esta festa é uma das melhores da região e o João concorda.

A2

No verão passado, o Miguel e a Sofia visitaram uma pequena vila durante uma romaria. As ruas tinham muitas flores e bandeiras, e o arraial estava cheio de pessoas. Primeiro, assistiram às marchas populares, com grupos vestidos de forma tradicional. Depois, ouviram música pimba junto ao palco e participaram no bailarico. Mais tarde, comeram sardinhas numa sardinhada e compraram uma fartura para sobremesa. Também experimentaram algumas especialidades das rulotes, onde havia sandes, bifanas e doces. No fim da noite, todos esperaram pelo fogo de artifício. As cores iluminaram o céu e criaram um ambiente muito especial. O Miguel disse que queria voltar no ano seguinte, porque gostou muito da festa e da simpatia das pessoas.

B1

Todos os anos, a Inês e o Ricardo passam um fim de semana numa vila diferente para conhecer festas tradicionais portuguesas. Desta vez escolheram uma localidade famosa pela sua romaria. Quando chegaram, o arraial já estava cheio de visitantes e havia música pimba em frente ao palco. Depois de observarem as marchas populares, decidiram explorar as rulotes, onde encontraram pratos regionais e doces típicos. Durante a sardinhada, conversaram com habitantes da vila, que lhes explicaram algumas tradições locais. Mais tarde, entraram no bailarico e dançaram durante quase uma hora. Antes de regressarem ao hotel, assistiram ao fogo de artifício, que terminou a noite com um espetáculo impressionante. A viagem deu-lhes vontade de descobrir outras festas populares em diferentes regiões de Portugal.

Translations of the stories:

A0 / A1

Ana and João go to the village festival on Saturday. The festival area is very beautiful, with colourful 

flags and lots of lights. There is a large stage with pimba music, and many people enjoy singing and 

dancing at the dance event. Near the stage there are several food stalls selling food and drinks. Ana 

buys a fartura, a traditional fried sweet covered with sugar and cinnamon, and João eats a meat 

sandwich. There is also a barbecued sardine feast, but they prefer to eat there later. Many families 

walk around the festival area and talk to friends. In the evening, everyone looks at the sky because 

there are fireworks. Ana says this festival is one of the best in the region, and João agrees.

A2

Last summer, Miguel and Sofia visited a small village during a religious festival. The streets were decorated with flowers and flags, and the festival area was full of people. First, they watched the traditional parades, with groups dressed in traditional costumes. Afterwards, they listened to pimba music near the stage and joined the dance event. Later, they ate grilled sardines at a sardine feast and bought a fartura for dessert. They also tried some local specialities from the food stalls, where there were sandwiches, bifanas and traditional sweets. At the end of the evening, everyone waited for the fireworks. The colourful display lit up the sky and created a very special atmosphere. Miguel said he wanted to return the following year because he really enjoyed the festival and the friendliness of the local people.

B1+

Every year, Inês and Ricardo spend a weekend in a different village to discover traditional Portuguese festivals. This time they chose a place that is famous for its religious festival. When they arrived, the festival area was already full of visitors, and pimba music was playing in front of the stage. After watching the traditional parades, they decided to explore the food stalls, where they found regional dishes and typical sweets. During the barbecued sardine feast, they chatted with local residents, who explained some of the area's traditions. Later, they joined the dance event and danced for almost an hour. Before returning to their hotel, they watched the fireworks, which ended the evening with an impressive display. The trip made them want to discover more traditional festivals in other parts of Portugal

Viagens

O tema esta semana é Viagens - The theme this week is travel .  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

vai de férias este ano? - are you going on holiday this year?

foi de férias no ano passado? - did you go on holiday last year?

onde vai? - where are you going?

onde foi? - where did you go?

costuma ficar num hotel ou apartamento? - do you usually stay in a hotel or apartment?

gosta de fazer campismo? - do you like to go camping?

costuma comer fora quando está de férias? - do you usually eat out when you are on holiday?

prefere ir de férias na primavera, no verão, no outono, ou no inverno? - do you prefer going on holiday in the spring, in the summer, in the autumn or in the winter?

o que é que gosta de fazer durante as férias? - what is it that you like to do during holidays?

com quem é que gosta de ir de férias? - who do you like to go on holiday with?

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :) (Only Thursday chats running in July and August)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Dialogues:

A0 / A1 – No aeroporto

– Olá! Tu vais de férias?

– Sim! Eu vou ao Algarve. E tu?

– Eu vou à Madeira com a minha família.

– Que bom! Tu gostas de praia?

– Sim, gosto muito. Eu nado e jogo vólei com os meus filhos.

– Eu também gosto da praia. Eu leio e descanso.

– O teu voo é agora?

– Não, é às onze. E o teu?

– É às dez. Eu vou embarcar. Boas férias!

– Boas férias! Até logo!

A2 – Fazer uma rreserva num hotel

– Boa tarde. Queria reservar um quarto, por favor.

– Claro. Para que datas?

– De 12 a 17 de agosto.

– Quarto individual ou duplo?

– Duplo, com cama de casal, se possível.

– Sim, temos um quarto disponível. Quer pequeno-almoço incluído?

– Sim, por favor. Quanto custa por noite?

– Custa 95 euros por noite com pequeno-almoço.

– Está bem. O hotel tem estacionamento?

– Sim, gratuito para os hóspedes.

– Perfeito. Posso pagar com cartão?

– Pode sim. Vai fazer a reserva agora?

– Sim, por favor. Obrigado!

B1+ – Falar sobre uma viagem

– Olá, como correu a tua viagem a Itália?

– Foi maravilhosa! Visitei Roma, Florença e Veneza.

– Que sorte! Do que mais gostaste?

– Acho que gostei mais de Florença. A cidade é linda e cheia de arte.

– Comeste bem? Dizem que a comida italiana é excelente.

– Sim, comi muita massa, pizza e muitos gelados.

– Foste sozinho?

– Não, fui com dois amigos. Fizemos tudo de comboio.

– Que bom! Também quero fazer uma viagem assim um dia.

– Devias! É uma ótima maneira de conhecer vários sítios.

– E o alojamento era bom?

– Ficámos em hostels. Eram simples, mas limpos e centrais.

– Parece ter sido uma ótima experiência!

Translations of the dialogues:

A0 / A1 – At the airport

– Hi! Are you going on holiday?

– Yes! I'm going to the Algarve. And you?

– I'm going to Madeira with my family.

– How nice! Do you like the beach?

– Yes, I like it a lot. I swim and play volleyball with my children.

– I like the beach too. I read and relax.

– Is your flight now?

– No, it’s at eleven. And yours?

– It’s at ten. I’m going to board. Have a good holiday!

– Have a good holiday! See you later!

A2 – Booking a hotel

– Good afternoon. I’d like to book a room, please.

– Of course. For which dates?

– From the 12th to the 17th of August.

– Single or double room?

– Double, with a double bed, if possible.

– Yes, we have a room available. Would you like breakfast included?

– Yes, please. How much is it per night?

– It’s 95 euros per night with breakfast.

– All right. Does the hotel have parking?

– Yes, free for guests.

– Perfect. Can I pay by card?

– Yes, you can. Are you making the booking now?

– Yes, please. Thank you!

B1+ – Talking about a trip

– Hi, how was your trip to Italy?

– It was wonderful! I visited Rome, Florence and Venice.

– Lucky you! What did you like the most?

– I think I liked Florence the most. The city is beautiful and full of art.

– Did you eat well? They say Italian food is excellent.

– Yes, I had lots of pasta, pizza and ice cream.

– Did you go alone?

– No, I went with two friends. We travelled everywhere by train.

– Great! I want to do a trip like that one day.

– You should! It’s a great way to see lots of places.

– And was the accommodation good?

– We stayed in hostels. They were simple, but clean and central.

– Sounds like a great experience

Música

O tema esta semana é Música - The theme this week is Music.  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

uma canção - a song
uma banda - a band
disco - record
faixa - track
letra - lyrics
melodia - melody
ritmo - beat
concerto - concert
os fãs - the fans
palco - stage

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :) (Only Thursday chats running in July and August)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0 / A1

Hoje vou a um concerto com os meus amigos. Vamos ver uma banda muito boa. Eles vão tocar uma canção nova. A melodia é simples e o ritmo é forte. O palco é grande e tem muitas luzes. No fim, vou comprar o novo disco deles com cinco faixas. A minha faixa favorita é a primeira. Gosto muito da banda. Quero ouvir mais músicas deles!

A2

Ontem à noite, assisti a um concerto da minha banda preferida. Eles tocaram músicas do novo disco. Cada faixa tinha uma melodia única e um ritmo diferente. As letras das canções falavam de amor, amizade e esperança. Os fãs estavam muito animados e cantaram todas as canções. O palco estava cheio de cor e luzes. Foi uma noite especial. Depois do concerto, comprei o disco e ouvi outra vez a minha canção favorita. A banda disse que vai lançar mais faixas em breve.

B1+

No fim de semana passado, fui a um concerto ao ar livre de uma banda portuguesa que sigo há anos. Tocaram várias canções do novo disco, que tem dez faixas. A minha favorita tem uma letra poética, uma melodia suave e um ritmo contagiante. No palco, os músicos mostraram muita energia e os fãs responderam com entusiasmo. Era visível a ligação entre a banda e o público. A certa altura, pararam para falar sobre a inspiração por trás de cada canção. Foi um momento bonito e íntimo. No final, comprei o disco em vinil. Agora ouço-o em casa e lembro-me da emoção desse concerto incrível.

Translations for the stories

A0 / A1  

Today I’m going to a concert with my friends. We’re going to see a very good band. They are going to  play the new song. The melody is simple and the beat is strong. The stage is big and has many lights. At  the end, I’m going to buy their new record with five tracks. My favourite track is the first one. I really like  the band. I want to listen to more of their music!

A2 

Last night, I went to a concert by my favourite band. They played songs from their new record. Each  track had a unique melody and a different beat. The song lyrics spoke about love, friendship and hope.  The fans were very excited and sang all the songs. The stage was full of colour and lights. It was a  special night. After the concert, I bought the record and listened again to my favourite song. The band  said they will release more tracks soon. 

B1 + 
Last weekend, I went to an outdoor concert by a Portuguese band I've followed for years. They played  several songs from their new record, which has ten tracks. My favourite has poetic lyrics, a soft melody  and a catchy beat. On stage, the musicians were full of energy, and the fans responded with  enthusiasm. The connection between the band and the audience was clear. At one point, they  stopped to talk about the inspiration behind each song. It was a beautiful and intimate moment. At the  end, I bought the record on vinyl. Now I listen to it at home and remember the excitement of that amazing concert

Vais de férias?

O tema esta semana é Férias - The theme this week is Hollidays.  

Here are some words for this week - are there many new words here? How do you remember new words? It’s an interesting, and often frustrating process! Trying to find connections to words you already know, and playing around with the words really helps, if you haven’t already do try out the Quizet set below of the words - there are games and quizzes there as well as the audio.

um voo - a flight

descolar - to take off (lit. to unstick)

aterrar - to land

cruzeiro - cruise

caminhada - hike

alojamento - accommodation

acampar - to camp

meia-pensão - half-board

pensão completa - full board

a bagagem - the baggage

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :) (Only Thursday chats running in July and August)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0 / A1 Férias na Praia
Nas férias, costumo ir à praia com a minha família. Vamos sempre para o mesmo lugar, perto do mar. O tempo é normalmente bom e faz sol. Nadamos no mar, fazemos castelos de areia e comemos gelados. À tarde, jogamos às cartas ou lemos livros. À noite, passeamos à beira-mar. Gosto muito destas férias. É sempre divertido e relaxante!

A2 – Uma viagem ao Porto

No verão passado, fiz uma viagem ao Porto com dois amigos. Fomos de comboio e a viagem durou cerca de três horas. Visitámos muitos lugares interessantes, como a Ribeira, a Torre dos Clérigos e o Palácio da Bolsa. Também provámos a famosa francesinha e bebemos vinho do Porto. O tempo estava quente, mas agradável. Ficámos num hotel pequeno, mas confortável. Foram uns dias muito bem passados!

B1+ – Férias em Itália

No mês passado, passei uma semana em Itália, um país que sempre quis visitar. Cheguei a Roma e fiquei surpreendido com a beleza da cidade. Visitei o Coliseu, o Vaticano e comi muita massa e pizza! Depois, fui para Florença e adorei os museus e a arte renascentista. Andei de comboio entre cidades — foi muito prático. Tentei falar um pouco de italiano, mas por vezes tive de falar inglês. Foi uma viagem inesquecível, cheia de cultura, boa comida e belas paisagens.

Translations of the stories:

A0 / A1 – Holiday at the Beach 

On holiday, I usually go to the beach with my family. We always go to the same place near the sea. The weather is usually good and sunny. We swim in the sea, build sandcastles, and eat ice creams. In the afternoon, we play cards or read books. In the evening, we walk by the sea. I really like this holiday. It is always fun and relaxing!

A2 – A trip to Porto

Last summer, I went on a trip to Porto with two friends. We took the train and the journey took about three hours. We visited many interesting places, like the Ribeira, Clérigos Tower, and the Palácio da Bolsa. We also tried the famous francesinha and drank Port wine. The weather was hot but pleasant. We stayed in a small but comfortable hotel. They were very well spent days!

B1+– Holiday in Italy

Last month, I spent a week in Italy, a country I had always wanted to visit. I arrived in Rome and was surprised by the beauty of the city. I visited the Colosseum, the Vatican, and ate lots of pasta and pizza! Then I went to Florence and loved the museums and Renaissance art. I travelled by train between cities — it was very practical. I tried to speak a bit of Italian, but sometimes I had to speak English. It was an unforgettable trip, full of culture, good food, and beautiful scenery.

Comida

O tema esta semana é Comida - The theme this week is Food.  

Here are some phrases for this week - Idioms again to go with the tema -they are great for learning – everybody finds them interesting, and we often remember them for that reason. I usually don’t recommend using them unless you have heard them used a lot and are super clear on the context they are used in. BUT they are fantastic vehicles for learning some new words – this week words like garfo (fork), apagar (to put out a light or a fire), favas (broad beans).
não fazer farinha - to not get on well with (lit. to not make flour)

ser um bom garfo - to appreciate food, to eat well (lit. to be a good fork)

apagar o fogo com azeite - to worsen a situation (lit. to put out the fire with olive oil)

misturar alhos com bugalhos - to confuse things (lit. mix garlic with oak apples)

pagar as favas - to suffer the consequences of what others have done (lit. pay the broad beans)

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. Your first chat is free :) (Only Thursday chats running in July and August)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)~ This week to go with the food theme - we have 3 traditional recipes.

Recipes:

A0 / A1 – Sopa de Legumes

Para fazer sopa de legumes, precisa de batatas, cenouras, cebola e água. Primeiro, descasque as batatas e as cenouras. Depois, corte tudo em pedaços pequenos. Numa panela grande, ponha um pouco de azeite e a cebola picada. Cozinhe durante cinco minutos. Junte os legumes e cubra com água. Cozinhe durante vinte minutos. No fim, use a varinha mágica para fazer um creme. Pode pôr um pouco de sal e azeite. Sirva quente com pão. É uma sopa simples, saudável e muito comum em Portugal.

A2 – Bacalhau à Brás

O Bacalhau à Brás é um prato tradicional português feito com bacalhau desfiado, batatas fritas palha, ovos e cebola. Primeiro, coza o bacalhau e desfie-o em pedaços pequenos. Frite batatas finas e reserve. Numa frigideira, refogue a cebola cortada às rodelas em azeite. Depois, junte o bacalhau e misture bem. Bata os ovos e adicione à mistura, mexendo sempre em lume brando até os ovos estarem cozinhados. No final, junte salsa picada e azeitonas pretas. Sirva quente. É um prato muito popular e fácil de fazer.

B1+ – Arroz de Pato

O Arroz de Pato é uma receita tradicional que se costuma preparar em ocasiões especiais. Começa-se por cozer o pato com chouriço, cebola, sal e louro. Depois de cozido, desfia-se o pato e reserva-se o caldo. Refoga-se cebola e alho num tacho, junta-se arroz e um pouco do caldo. Quando o arroz estiver quase pronto, junta-se o pato desfiado. Coloca-se tudo num tabuleiro, decora-se com rodelas de chouriço por cima e leva-se ao forno para alourar. O resultado é um prato delicioso e reconfortante, muito apreciado pelas famílias portuguesas.

Translations of the recipes:

A0 / A1  – Vegetable Soup

To make vegetable soup, you need potatoes, carrots, onion and water. First, peel the potatoes and carrots. Then, cut everything into small pieces. In a large pot, put a little olive oil and chopped onion. Cook for five minutes. Add the vegetables and cover with water. Cook for twenty minutes. At the end, use a hand blender to make a cream. You can add a little salt and olive oil. Serve hot with bread. It is a simple, healthy soup and very common in Portugal.

A2 – Bacalhau à Brás

Bacalhau à Brás is a traditional Portuguese dish made with shredded codfish, matchstick fried potatoes, eggs and onion. First, cook the cod and shred it into small pieces. Fry thin potatoes and set aside. In a frying pan, sauté sliced onion in olive oil. Then, add the codfish and mix well. Beat the eggs and add to the mixture, stirring constantly on low heat until the eggs are cooked. Finally, add chopped parsley and black olives. Serve hot. It’s a very popular and easy dish to make.

B1+  – Duck Rice

Duck Rice is a traditional recipe often prepared for special occasions. You start by cooking the duck with chorizo, onion, salt and bay leaf. Once cooked, shred the duck and set the broth aside. In a pan, sauté onion and garlic, then add rice and some of the broth. When the rice is nearly ready, add the shredded duck. Put everything in a baking dish, decorate with chorizo slices on top, and bake until golden. The result is a delicious, comforting dish, much loved by Portuguese families.

Animais de estimação

O tema esta semana é Animais de estimação - The theme this week is Pets.  

Idiomatic expressions this week! They are great for learning – everybody finds them interesting, and we often remember them for that reason. I usually don’t recommend using them unless you have heard them used a lot and are super clear on the context they are used in. BUT they are fantastic vehicles for learning some new words – this week words l ike pásaro (bird), caça (hunts / hunting), morder (to bite).

cão que ladra não morde - the dog that barks doesn't bite

mais vale um pássaro na mão do que dois a voar - a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush (lit. more worth a bird in the hand than two flying)

gato escaldado de água fria tem medo - once bitten twice shy (lit. cat covered in cold water is afraid)

grão a grão enche a galinha o papo - economise, save slowly to get something big (lit. grain by grain fills the chicken the crop)

filho de peixe sabe nadar - the son does similar things to the father (lit. son of fish knows how to swim)

a cavalo dado não se olha o dente - don't look a gift horse in the mouth (lit. the given horse you don't look the tooth)

quem não tem cão caça com gato - do what you need to do with the resources you have (lit. who has no dog hunts with cat)

Here´s a link to a quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here. (Only Thursday chats running in July and August)

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A1 – O Gato do João
O João tem um gato. O gato chama-se Nico. Ele é pequeno e branco. Todos os dias, João dá comida ao Nico de manhã e à noite. O Nico gosta de dormir no sofá e brincar com uma bola pequena. Às vezes, sobe à janela para ver os pássaros. João gosta muito do Nico. Ele é o seu melhor amigo.

A2 – A Cão Tímido da Ana
A Ana tem uma cadela chamada Luna. Ela é de raça labrador e tem dois anos. A Luna é muito tímida com pessoas novas, mas adora a Ana. Quando vão ao parque, a Luna corre atrás da bola e abana a cauda. No entanto, quando vê outros cães, ela esconde-se atrás da dona. A Ana tenta ajudar a Luna a ser mais confiante. Com o tempo, a Luna está a melhorar e já consegue brincar com um ou dois cães.

B1 – A História do Papagaio Fugitivo
Na semana passada, o papagaio do senhor Manuel fugiu da gaiola. A porta ficou aberta e o pássaro voou pela janela. O papagaio chama-se Chico e sabe dizer algumas palavras, como "Olá" e "Bom dia". O senhor Manuel ficou muito triste e começou a procurá-lo. Fez cartazes, falou com os vizinhos e publicou um anúncio na internet. Dois dias depois, uma senhora telefonou a dizer que tinha visto o Chico no seu jardim. O senhor Manuel foi lá imediatamente e, com a ajuda de algumas sementes, conseguiu apanhar o papagaio. Agora, o Chico está de volta a casa e a gaiola tem um novo fecho de segurança!

Translations of the stories:

A1– João’s Cat
 João has a cat. The cat’s name is Nico. He is small and white. Every day, João gives Nico food in the morning and at night. Nico likes to sleep on the sofa and play with a small ball. Sometimes, he climbs to the window to watch the birds. João likes Nico a lot. He is his best friend.

A2 – Ana’s Shy Dog
 Ana has a dog named Luna. She is a Labrador and is two years old. Luna is very shy with new people, but she loves Ana. When they go to the park, Luna runs after the ball and wags her tail. However, when she sees other dogs, she hides behind her owner. Ana tries to help Luna be more confident. Over time, Luna is improving and can already play with one or two dogs.

B1 – The Story of the Runaway Parrot
 Last week, Mr Manuel’s parrot escaped from its cage. The door was left open and the bird flew out the window. The parrot is called Chico and knows how to say a few words, like “Hello” and “Good morning”. Mr Manuel was very sad and started looking for him. He made posters, spoke to the neighbours and posted an ad online. Two days later, a lady called to say she had seen Chico in her garden. Mr Manuel went there immediately and, with the help of some seeds, managed to catch the parrot. Now, Chico is back home and the cage has a new safety lock!

Rotina Diária

O tema esta semana é Rotina Diária- The theme this week is Daily routine.

Here are some useful phrases about our daily routine.

tomo duche - I take a shower
tomo o pequeno almoço - I eat (take) (the) breakfast
faço compras - I do shoping
faço as tarefas domésticas - I do the housework
encontro-me com os amigos - I meet friends
vou ao cinema - I go to the cinema
vou ao ginásio - I go to the gym
trabalho - I work
estudo - I study
tomo café - I have (take) coffee
vejo televisão - I watch TV

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0/ A1 O dia da Ana

A Ana acorda às sete horas. Ela lava a cara e escova os dentes. Depois, toma o pequenoalmoço: pão com manteiga e café com leite. Vai para o trabalho de autocarro às oito. Trabalha num escritório até às cinco da tarde. Almoça sempre ao meio-dia. Depois do trabalho, vai ao supermercado. Às sete, janta com a família. Vê televisão ou lê um livro. Deita-se às dez da noite.

A2 Rotina do João durante a semana

Durante a semana, o João acorda cedo, por volta das seis e meia. Ele faz exercício físico em casa durante trinta minutos. Depois, toma banho, veste-se e toma o pequeno-almoço. Sai de casa às oito menos um quarto e apanha o comboio para Lisboa. Trabalha num banco das nove às cinco e meia. Almoça com os colegas num restaurante perto do trabalho. Quando chega a casa, prepara o jantar e fala com os filhos. Normalmente, vai dormir por volta das onze.

B1+ A rotina equilibrada da Marta

A Marta é professora de inglês e tem uma rotina bastante equilibrada. Acorda todos os dias às sete e quinze, toma um duche rápido e prepara um pequeno-almoço saudável. Come fruta, iogurte e cereais. Ensina em duas escolas diferentes, por isso passa muito tempo em deslocações. Ao final da tarde, gosta de caminhar no parque perto de casa para relaxar. Ao fim de semana, aproveita para descansar, ler e encontrar-se com os amigos. Ela acredita que manter uma boa rotina ajuda a ter uma vida mais feliz e produtiva

Translations of the stories:

A0 / A1  Ana’s Day

Ana wakes up at seven o’clock. She washes her face and brushes her teeth. Then, she has breakfast: bread with butter and coffee with milk. She goes to work by bus at eight. She works in an office until five in the afternoon. She always has lunch at midday. After work, she goes to the supermarket. At seven, she has dinner with her family. She watches television or reads a book. She goes to bed at ten at night.

A2  João’s Weekday Routine

During the week, João wakes up early, around half past six. He does physical exercise at home for thirty minutes. Then, he takes a shower, gets dressed and has breakfast. He leaves the house at a quarter to eight and takes the train to Lisbon. He works in a bank from nine to half past five. He has lunch with his colleagues in a restaurant near work. When he gets home, he prepares dinner and talks with his children. Normally, he goes to bed around eleven.

B1+  Marta’s Balanced Routine

Marta is an English teacher and has a very balanced routine. She wakes up every day at quarter past seven, takes a quick shower and prepares a healthy breakfast. She eats fruit, yoghurt and cereals. She teaches at two different schools, so she spends a lot of time commuting. In the late afternoon, she likes to walk in the park near her house to relax. At the weekend, she takes the opportunity to rest, read and meet up with friends. She believes that keeping a good routine helps to have a happier and more productive life

Planos

O tema esta semana é Planos - The theme this week is Plans.

Pois…. - Well…. Now… So… Then… This is a great example of a 'filler word'. We use these in conversation to show interest, that we are listening. They are great leanguage tools that we can learn to 'fill the gaps'!

que interessante! - how interesting!
é verdade - that's true
então - well
boa ideia! - good idea!
acho que - I think that
concordo - I agree
que sorte! - how lucky!
que bom! - how good!
eu também - me too
claro - obviously 

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0 /A1

Maria: Olá, João! O que vais fazer no fim de semana?

João: Olá, Maria! No sábado vou visitar os meus pais. E tu?

Maria: Eu vou ao cinema com a Ana. Vamos ver um filme novo.

João: Que bom! Depois do cinema, vais jantar fora?

Maria: Sim, vamos jantar no restaurante italiano perto da praça.

João: Gosto muito desse restaurante.

Maria: Eu também! No domingo vou descansar em casa. Preciso de dormir bem!

João: Boa ideia! Eu também vou descansar.

A2

Carlos: Olá, Inês! Já sabes o que vais fazer nas férias de verão?

Inês: Sei! Vou à Itália com os meus amigos. Vamos visitar Roma, Florença e Veneza.

Carlos: Que sorte! Eu vou trabalhar em julho, mas em agosto quero ir para o norte de Portugal.

Inês: Boa escolha! A natureza no Gerês é maravilhosa.

Carlos: Sim, gosto muito de fazer caminhadas e nadar nas prais fluviais.

Inês: E vais sozinho?

Carlos: Não, vou com a minha irmã e os meus primos.

Inês: Vai ser divertido! Vais fazer campismo?

Carlos: Talvez. Ainda estamos a planear.

Inês: Boa viagem! Depois conta tudo!

Carlos: Claro, prometo

B1+

Ana: Então, Miguel, já decidiste o que vais fazer para o ano?

Miguel: Decidi, finalmente! Vou tirar um curso de design gráfico numa escola em Lisboa.

Ana: Que interessante! Sempre gostaste de desenhar.

Miguel: É verdade. E tu? Vais continuar a trabalhar na mesma empresa?

Ana: Sim, mas estou a pensar mudar de departamento. Quero aprender coisas novas.

Miguel: Boa ideia! Também gostava de trabalhar numa área diferente no futuro.

Ana: Acho que é importante sair da zona de conforto.

Miguel: Concordo. E quem sabe, um dia posso abrir o meu próprio estúdio.

Ana: Isso era ótimo! Eu adorava ter o meu próprio negócio também.

Miguel: Vamos ver o que o futuro nos reserva!

Translations of the stories:

Ao / A1
Maria: Hi João! What are you going to do at the weekend?
João: Hi Maria! On Saturday I’m going to visit my parents. And you?
Maria: I’m going to the cinema with Ana. We’re going to see a new film.
João: That’s nice! Are you going to have dinner out after the cinema?
Maria: Yes, we’re having dinner at the Italian restaurant near the square.
João: I really like that restaurant.
Maria: Me too! On Sunday I’m going to rest at home. I need a good sleep!
João: Good idea! I’m going to rest too.
A2
Carlos: Hi Inês! Do you already know what you’re doing for the summer holidays?
Inês: Yes! I’m travelling to Italy with my friends. We’re going to visit Rome, Florence and Venice.
Carlos: Lucky you! I’m going to work in July, but in August I want to go to northern Portugal.
Inês: Good choice! Nature in Gerês is wonderful.
Carlos: Yes, I really like hiking and swimming in the river beaches.
Inês: And are you going alone?
Carlos: No, I’m going with my sister and my cousins.
Inês: That’ll be fun! Are you going camping?
Carlos: Maybe. We’re still planning.
Inês: Have a great trip! Tell me all about it after!
Carlos: Of course, I promise!
B1+
Ana: So, Miguel, have you decided what you’re going to do next year?
Miguel: Yes, finally! I’m going to take a graphic design course at a school in Lisbon.
Ana: That’s interesting! You’ve always liked drawing.
Miguel: True. And you? Are you going to keep working at the same company?
Ana: Yes, but I’m thinking about changing departments. I want to learn new things.
Miguel: Good idea! I’d also like to work in a different area in the future.
Ana: I think it’s important to get out of our comfort zone.
Miguel: I agree. And who knows, one day I might open my own studio.
Ana: That would be great! I’d love to have my own business too.
Miguel: Let’s see what the future holds for us

Trabalho

O tema esta semana é Trabalho - The theme this week is Jobs.

Idioms esta semana - these are always interesting, and we can learn some new words from within the expressions.  But take care when using them!  

cesteiro que faz um cesto faz um cento - if you make one mistake you are likely to make others (lit. basket maker who makes one basket makes a hundred)
em casa de ferreiro espeto de pau - often you do not find something in the place you would expect it (lit. in the blacksmith's house skewer of stick)
não vá o sapateiro além da chinela - people should not go beyond their competences (lit. the shoemaker doesn't go beyond the slipper)
os ossos do ofício - obligations of a job, what makes a job difficult (lit. the bones of a trade)
talho da vida - job (lit. butcher, carve of the life)

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0 / A1 – A Marta trabalha num café

A Marta é empregada de mesa. Ela trabalha num café pequeno, no centro da cidade. Todos os dias, ela começa às oito da manhã. A Marta serve cafés, bolos e sandes aos clientes. Ela gosta de falar com as pessoas e é sempre simpática. Ao meio-dia, ela faz uma pausa e come uma sopa e pão. Depois, continua a trabalhar até às cinco da tarde. Ao fim do dia, a Marta vai para casa e descansa. Ela gosta do seu trabalho.

A2 – O João está à procura de emprego

O João terminou o curso de informática há três meses. Agora, ele está à procura de emprego. Todos os dias, ele envia currículos por e-mail e responde a anúncios na internet. Já fez duas entrevistas, mas ainda não recebeu propostas. João quer trabalhar numa empresa de tecnologia, onde possa aprender mais e crescer profissionalmente. Enquanto espera, ajuda o pai na oficina de carros e faz pequenos trabalhos de informática para amigos. Ele acredita que vai encontrar um bom emprego em breve.

B1+ – A mudança de carreira da Inês

A Inês trabalhou como bancária durante dez anos. Apesar de ter um bom salário, não se sentia feliz. Há dois anos, decidiu mudar de vida. Tirou um curso de pastelaria e começou a fazer bolos em casa para vender. Ao princípio, foi difícil, mas agora tem muitos clientes e recebe encomendas para festas e casamentos. Inês diz que, apesar de trabalhar mais horas, sente-se realizada. Para ela, é importante fazer algo que gosta. Ela acredita que é possível mudar de carreira em qualquer idade.

Translations of the stories:

A0 / A1 – Marta works in a café Marta is a waitress. She works in a small café in the city centre. Every day, she starts at eight in the morning. Marta serves coffee, cakes and sandwiches to customers. She likes talking to people and is always friendly.  At midday, she takes a break and eats soup and bread. Then, she continues working until five in the afternoon. At the end of the day, Marta goes home and rests. She likes her job. 

A2 – João is looking for a job João finished his IT course three months ago. Now, he is looking for a job. Every day, he sends CVs by email  and replies to adverts on the internet. He has already had two interviews, but hasn’t received any offers yet.  João wants to work in a tech company, where he can learn more and grow professionally. While he waits,  he helps his father in the car workshop and does small IT jobs for friends. He believes he will find a good job  soon. 

B1+ – Inês’s career change Inês worked as a bank employee for ten years. Although she had a good salary, she didn’t feel happy. Two  years ago, she decided to change her life. She took a pastry course and started baking cakes at home to  sell. At first, it was difficult, but now she has many clients and gets orders for parties and weddings. Inês says  that even though she works more hours, she feels fulfilled. For her, it’s important to do something she enjoys.  She believes it’s possible to change career at any age.