Learning Portuguese
Jan 10th 2021, 12:00 pm
#31
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Re: Learning Portuguese
Spot on. Our cleaner is a perfect example, even when she is speaking English. I try to avoid her on Wednesday afternoons. I hide far away and do my ironing.
Jan 10th 2021, 12:09 pm
#32
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Location: Central Italy
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Re: Learning Portuguese
Italians operate in the same way. You get a lot of chat but in the middle of it there might be a something useful that is easy to miss.
Jan 25th 2021, 11:51 am
#33
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Re: Learning Portuguese
I have been very much enjoying the free language training videos here ...
https://www.youtube.com/c/TalktheStreets/videos
And found they filled a lot of gaps in my rather 'intermediate' Portuguese language level. The lady (Liz) is a great teacher and fully deserves a few more YouTube supporters
https://www.youtube.com/c/TalktheStreets/videos
And found they filled a lot of gaps in my rather 'intermediate' Portuguese language level. The lady (Liz) is a great teacher and fully deserves a few more YouTube supporters
Jan 25th 2021, 12:10 pm
#34
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Re: Learning Portuguese
I have been very much enjoying the free language training videos here ...
https://www.youtube.com/c/TalktheStreets/videos
And found they filled a lot of gaps in my rather 'intermediate' Portuguese language level. The lady (Liz) is a great teacher and fully deserves a few more YouTube supporters
https://www.youtube.com/c/TalktheStreets/videos
And found they filled a lot of gaps in my rather 'intermediate' Portuguese language level. The lady (Liz) is a great teacher and fully deserves a few more YouTube supporters
Jan 26th 2021, 9:50 pm
#36
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Re: Learning Portuguese
I recently tried the Pimsleur course and thought it excellent for beginners.
Unfortunately there are a limited number lessons and so it doesn't take you very far.
I also found the BBC website ( BBC - Languages - Portuguese - Talk Portuguese - A video introduction to Portuguese ) and the BBC Talk Portuguese course very useful.
Unfortunately there are a limited number lessons and so it doesn't take you very far.
I also found the BBC website ( BBC - Languages - Portuguese - Talk Portuguese - A video introduction to Portuguese ) and the BBC Talk Portuguese course very useful.
Feb 3rd 2021, 7:05 pm
#38
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Re: Learning Portuguese
Funnily enough, I was told by my Portuguese wife just this week that I should never use 'Você' but always use 'O/A Senhore/a' as the former sounds a bit rude
Mind you, I could have written 'common' instead of 'rude' as she is an Alfacinha
Mind you, I could have written 'common' instead of 'rude' as she is an Alfacinha
Feb 3rd 2021, 7:09 pm
#39
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Re: Learning Portuguese
"Você" is a total no-no in Portugal, no? Made a big faux pas using it with my ex-landlord, and I don't think the relationship ever recovered!
I'd use 3rd person verb but probably without the "o senhor". But then I'm not a fluent Portuguese speaker, so what do I know?!
I'd use 3rd person verb but probably without the "o senhor". But then I'm not a fluent Portuguese speaker, so what do I know?!
Feb 3rd 2021, 10:26 pm
#40
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Re: Learning Portuguese
I'm not 'fluent', well I can talk fluently, but its not good 
The problem for me of just using the 3rd person verb and dropping the subject (is that a subject? I was at school when the UK decided teaching grammar structure was a bad thing, sorry) is that especially for irregulars I never really know if I have conjugated correctly and so tend to say 'Você' or whatever to ensure they know who I am talking about
Actually, I find that one of the hardest things - trying to understand who is doing what to who if I dont know the conjugations properly. In English its easy cause we dont much drop the 'he' she' 'them 'us' etc (sometimes we do -'hope you are alright')
Actually my main problem is that I dont talk sense in any language, I am null-lingual
The problem for me of just using the 3rd person verb and dropping the subject (is that a subject? I was at school when the UK decided teaching grammar structure was a bad thing, sorry) is that especially for irregulars I never really know if I have conjugated correctly and so tend to say 'Você' or whatever to ensure they know who I am talking about
Actually, I find that one of the hardest things - trying to understand who is doing what to who if I dont know the conjugations properly. In English its easy cause we dont much drop the 'he' she' 'them 'us' etc (sometimes we do -'hope you are alright')
Actually my main problem is that I dont talk sense in any language, I am null-lingual
Feb 4th 2021, 7:41 am
#41
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Re: Learning Portuguese
I'm not 'fluent', well I can talk fluently, but its not good
The problem for me of just using the 3rd person verb and dropping the subject (is that a subject? I was at school when the UK decided teaching grammar structure was a bad thing, sorry) is that especially for irregulars I never really know if I have conjugated correctly and so tend to say 'Você' or whatever to ensure they know who I am talking about
Actually, I find that one of the hardest things - trying to understand who is doing what to who if I dont know the conjugations properly. In English its easy cause we dont much drop the 'he' she' 'them 'us' etc (sometimes we do -'hope you are alright')
Actually my main problem is that I dont talk sense in any language, I am null-lingual
The problem for me of just using the 3rd person verb and dropping the subject (is that a subject? I was at school when the UK decided teaching grammar structure was a bad thing, sorry) is that especially for irregulars I never really know if I have conjugated correctly and so tend to say 'Você' or whatever to ensure they know who I am talking about
Actually, I find that one of the hardest things - trying to understand who is doing what to who if I dont know the conjugations properly. In English its easy cause we dont much drop the 'he' she' 'them 'us' etc (sometimes we do -'hope you are alright')
Actually my main problem is that I dont talk sense in any language, I am null-lingual
Feb 4th 2021, 8:08 am
#42
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Re: Learning Portuguese
Portuguese IS a bit tricky...(and my PT OH agrees) They have numerous words all meaning the same. For example, recently I have noticed on the TV that they use the word "altura" for "time" to mean (maybe not this) time. Always thought "altura" meant height. In English time is just... time! Another thing I find is that some words are a bit illogical/confusing . Eg the verb "subir" means to rise(numbers rising etc) Anything with "sub" in it must surely be under or below ... submarine, subterranean, so lower. What a confusing language.... AND they speak too fast!!!! I cheat a bit cos I use a hearing aid in one ear and I'll point to it, shake my head and hope they speak slower.
Feb 4th 2021, 9:12 am
#44
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Re: Learning Portuguese
Yes.. I've only just learned voce is a bit of a "faux pas". Always thought it was meant that you held the person in some regard similar to French "vous"
Knowing when to use the eu,tu,ele.ela,eles etc. is also confusing and when they start putting "se" in front of verbs ..Well!!!! I also think knowing other languages can sometimes be a hindrance. I sometimes find myself putting in a few French words by mistake. I think my verbal has got a bit better. Can get sliced bread now! ,but understanding them speaking ..not a chance at the moment. Relying too much on the PT news subtitles so don't listen to the speaker.
Knowing when to use the eu,tu,ele.ela,eles etc. is also confusing and when they start putting "se" in front of verbs ..Well!!!! I also think knowing other languages can sometimes be a hindrance. I sometimes find myself putting in a few French words by mistake. I think my verbal has got a bit better. Can get sliced bread now! ,but understanding them speaking ..not a chance at the moment. Relying too much on the PT news subtitles so don't listen to the speaker.
Feb 4th 2021, 10:40 am
#45
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Re: Learning Portuguese
YES ! O senhor and A senhora are definitely still in use and should be used to address anyone with whom you are not on friendly / first name terms. They take the third person of the verb, not the second.
So for example ' A senhora fala inglês , se faz favor ? ' .
Você is much less formal and should be used only if your interlocutor starts using it to you. This is how I understand it anyway.
Brazilian Portuguese has different usages - they use Você a lot more, including INformally, to friends. But I wouldn't go down that route within Portugal. Just be aware of it if you watch films subtitled in Brazilian. ( Which is most films on netflix for example ).
So for example ' A senhora fala inglês , se faz favor ? ' .
Você is much less formal and should be used only if your interlocutor starts using it to you. This is how I understand it anyway.
Brazilian Portuguese has different usages - they use Você a lot more, including INformally, to friends. But I wouldn't go down that route within Portugal. Just be aware of it if you watch films subtitled in Brazilian. ( Which is most films on netflix for example ).
