Boa noite! Why do I say dói-me a garganta, but doem-me os ouvidos?
Tip: To make the imperative (i.e. give and order or request) politely, you need to change the end of the verb. Start off with the first person present form (estudo(=I study) faço(=I do/make), como(=I eat), abro(=I open)) Then, take off the -o and add -e if the verb is in the -ar group (»» estudE, perguntE, guardE), or add -a if it is in the -er or -ir group (»» façA, comA, abrA, peçA, tenhA) Easy when you know how:)
Boa tarde! Which of these remedies is not good for flu (=gripe) xarope, comprimidos de paracetamol, antibiótico, descanso
Tip: When speaking, don’t give each word in the sentence equal emphasis… We naturally emphasise the main point we want to make. E.g. I’m HUNGRY, Estou com FOME. The other words are said much more quickly and run together… this is why we often have difficulty understanding… a lot of the words end up merged together! Think about how you speak your mother tongue
Bom dia! Which of these parts of the body can we use to complete this sentence: Cai e parti… (=I fell and I broke…) a cabeca, o nariz, o braco, a coracao, o dedo, a garganta, a perna. Any more?
Which of the following is not a reason to go to the chemist? estar constipado, ter uma gripe, ter uma erupcao, comprar medicamentos, estar com fome
Tip: Learning phrases, like the ones above is a lot more meaningful and useful than learning words alone. A good phrase book is an excellent learning aid.
Boa tarde! O computador está a funcionar finalmente! (=The computer is working finally) Queria xarope para a tosse. What’s wrong with me? a) Hay fever b) Cough c) sunburn
Tip: Many phrases are ‘the wrong way round’ in Portuguese E.g. dor de cabeca=pain of head-headache, repelente de insectos=repellent of insects-insect repellent, toalhita húmida=little towel damp-wet wipe
Bom dia! Temos um lindo dia aqui em Portugal :) Está sol
Unscramble the letters to make a word: e c r i e a t
Tip: Joining a class is a great way to learn a language . For many, it’s much more interesting and you can practise speaking and you have someone to answer your questions. A lot of courses start in the autumn… start having a look now.
Bom dia! Está a chover aqui!! (=It’s raining here) Re-order the words to make a question: coisa / Tem / para / dor / alguma / cabeca / de ?
Tip: Keep things simple when speaking Portuguese. In a conversation, you can repeat a lot of words the other person you’re talking to uses. E.g. Tudo bem? – Sim, Tudo bem; Gosta de esta cidade? Sim, gosto etc…
