Tá Falado: Brazilian Portuguese Pronunciation for Speakers of Spanish

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Lesson 9: Pronunciation of Vowel Raising, Parking Meters Dec 18, 2006

Show notes

asset title: Lesson 9: Pronunciation of Vowel Raising, Parking Meters
filename: tafalado_09.mp3
track number: 10/46
time: 10:59
size: 7.72 MB
bitrate: 96 kbps

This lesson takes on some pretty advanced stuff. We're going to talk about 'vowel raising.' No, it really doesn't have anything to do with the Future Farmers of America or with the building of a barn. But, do come on out for some good old Texas ... that is Brazilian 'vowel raisin'.' And don't worry about where to park your pick-up because Valdo and Michelle will also talk to you about parking cars in the U.S. and Brazil. I know, a corny intro, but we just couldn't resist!
Dialog
Portuguese
Valdo: Onde podemos estacionar o carro? Já estou morrendo de fome.
Michelle: Menino, como é complicado estacionar aqui nos Estados Unidos, né?
Valdo: Já sei. Vamos parar à esquerda daquele restaurante pequeno. Você tem moedas?
Michelle: Tenho sim. Quanto você precisa?
Valdo: Quatro moedinhas.
Michelle: Agora só espero que a comida e a bebida sejam boas.
Spanish
Valdo: ¿Dónde podemos estacionar el carro? Ya estoy muriendo de hambre.
Michelle: Niño, Cómo es complicado estacionar aquí en los Estados Unidos, ¿no?
Valdo: Ya lo sé. Vamos a la izquierda de aquel restaurante pequeño? ¿Tiene usted las monedas?
Michelle: Sí, las tengo, ¿Cuánto necesita usted?
Valdo: Cuatro moneditas.
Michelle: Ahora solo espero que la comida y la bebida sean buenas.
English
Valdo: Where can we park the car? I'm dieing of hunger.
Michelle: Man it is hard to park here in the United State, you know?
Valdo: I know. Let's park to the left of that little restaurant. Do you have change?
Michelle: I do. How much do you need?
Valdo: Four little coins.
Michelle: Now let's just hope that the food and drinks are good.

Lesson 8: Pronunciation of Nasal Diphthongs, Buying Fruits and Vegetables Dec 18, 2006

Show notes

asset title: Lesson 8: Pronunciation of Nasal Diphthongs, Buying Fruits and Vegetables
filename: tafalado_08.mp3
track number: 9/46
time: 13:08
size: 9.24 MB
bitrate: 96 kbps

Somehow it always seems more difficult to buy food in other countries. We just get used to how everything is done in our home country: park in front of the supermarket, grab the cart, choose your fruits and vegetables, get your packaged meat, find a loaf of bread, pick up a carton of milk. Easy, right? Wrong. Little nuances in how shopping is different can make things more difficult. These shopping challenges are even greater than learning the pronunciation of nasal diphthongs, which is the language topic of this lesson. We're sure that Valdo and Michelle with help us with both.
Dialog
Portuguese
Valdo: Em que seção estão as frutas e verduras?
Michelle: Bem atrás daquele balcão.
Valdo: Então põe aqui no carrinho uns pães, uns melões, e um montão de limão.
Michelle: Tem muita gente na fila. Vamos logo pro caixa.
Valdo: Mas tem uma condição. Aqui quem pesa são os clientes.
Michelle: Ah, então me dá uma mão aqui senão as nossas mães vão nos matar!
Spanish
Valdo: ¿En que sección están las frutas y verduras?
Michelle: Están bien detrás del balcón.
Valdo: Entonces, pon aquí en el carrito unos panes, unos melones, y una gran cantidad de limones.
Michelle: Hay mucha gente en la fila, vamos luego a la caja.
Valdo: Mas hay una condición. Aquí quienes pesan son los clientes.
Michelle: Ah, entonces dame una manita aquí sino nuestras madres nos van a matar.
English
Valdo: What section do you find the fruits and vegtables in?
Michelle: OK, put here in my cart some bread, mellons, and a whole bunch of lemons.
Valdo: There are a lot of people in line. Let's head to the check out.
Michelle: There are a lot of people in line. Let's head to the check out.
Valdo: But there is one more thing. Here it's the customers who have to weigh things.
Michelle: OK, give me a hand here or else our mom's will kill us!

Lesson 7: Pronunciation of Nasal Vowels, Invitations to Parties Dec 18, 2006

Show notes

asset title: Lesson 7: Pronunciation of Nasal Vowels, Invitations to Parties
filename: tafalado_07.mp3
track number: 8/46
time: 12:47
size: 8.99 MB
bitrate: 96 kbps

Often people hear, 'I think Portuguese sounds a lot like French and Spanish combined.' Maybe those that say this are hearing the nasalized vowels in Portuguese, and there are a lot of them. Either way, this lesson introduces the nasalized vowels. As to the cultural element, Michelle and Valdo talk about how surprised they were to see that sometimes invitations to parties in the United States not only tell you when the party starts, but also when the party ends. How bizarre is that?
Dialog
Portuguese
Michelle: Olha aqui o convite de casamento que a minha irmã me enviou hoje de manhã.
Valdo: Mas ela não é muito tua fã, né? Mandou o convite com horário pra começar e terminar? Sem noção!
Michelle: Sim, quando eu vim pra cá também estranhei.
Valdo: Bom, no Brasil isso não funcionaria de jeito nenhum.
Michelle: Concordo contigo.
Valdo: Tudo bem ter um horário pra começar a festa, mas pra terminar nunca.
Spanish
Michelle: Mira aquí la invitación de la boda que mi hermana me envió hoy por la mañana.
Valdo: Pero ella no es fanática tuya, ¿verdad? ¿Mandó la invitación con horario para comenzar y terminar? ¡Difícil de creer!
Michelle: Sí, cuando vine aquí también pensé que era raro.
Valdo: Bueno, en Brasil eso no funcionaría de ninguna manera.
Michelle: De acuerdo contigo.
Valdo: Todo bien en tener un horario para comenzar la fiesta, pero para terminar nunca.
English
Michelle: Look at this wedding invitation that my sister sent to me this morning.
Valdo: She must not be much of a fan of yours, right? She sent the invitation with the beginning and an ending time? Hard to believe!
Michelle: Yeah, when I first came here I thought it was weird too.
Valdo: Well, in Brazil this would never work at all.
Michelle: I agree with you.
Valdo: No problem with a starting time for a party, but never for an ending time.

Lesson 6: Pronunciation of Oral Diphthongs, Going to the Pharmacy Nov 27, 2006

Show notes

asset title: Lesson 6: Pronunciation of Oral Diphthongs, Going to the Pharmacy
filename: tafalado_06.mp3
track number: 7/46
time: 12:22
size: 8.70 MB
bitrate: 96 kbps

In this lesson Valdo and Michelle can't figure out why it is so difficult to get medicine from a pharmacy in the United States. This whole idea of going to a doctor first to get a prescription seems to complicate things a lot. It took them a while to get used to it, but it doesn't mean that they have to like it. As to pronunciation, today we look at diphthongs. It's a fancy word, to be sure, but it basically means that we are talking about Portuguese vowel sounds that come one right after another.
Dialog
Portuguese
Michelle: Oi Valdo, como vai?
Valdo: Vou bem. Já está gastando dinheiro?
Michelle: Só um pouquinho. O salário já é tão baixo, né? Eu precisava comprar uma caixa de anticoncepcional.
Valdo: Mas eu soube que a lei aqui diz que a maioria dos remédios só com reita.
Michelle: Meu pai do céu! Eu não tenho receita.
Valdo: Então nada feito. Bom, se cuida. A gente se vê depois. Beijo, tchau!
Spanish
Michelle: Hola Valdo, ¿Cómo te va?
Valdo: Me va bien. ¿Ya estás gastando dinero?
Michelle: Solo un poquito. El sueldo ya es tan bajo, ¿verdad? Yo necesitaba comprar una caja de anticonceptivos.
Valdo: Pero supe que la ley aquí dice que la mayoría de las medicinas solo sólo con receta.
Michelle: ¡Mi padre del cielo! No tengo receta.
Valdo: Entonces no pasa nada. Bueno, cuídate. Nos vemos después. Beso, ciao.
English
Michelle: Hi Valdo, how are you doing?
Valdo: I'm OK. Are you already spending a lot of money?
Michelle: Just a little bit. My salary is really low, right? I needed to buy a box of contraceptives.
Valdo: But I hear that the law says that most medicines need to have a prescription.
Michelle: Oh my! I don't have a prescription.
Valdo: So nothing doing. OK, take care. We'll see you later. Kisses, good bye!

Supplementary Lesson 1: English, Spanish, and Portuguese Vowel Sounds Nov 12, 2006

Show notes

asset title: Supplementary Lesson 1: English, Spanish, and Portuguese Vowel Sounds
filename: tafalado_suppl_01.mp3
track number: 6/46
time: 9:25
size: 6.63 MB
bitrate: 96 kbps

Unlike the regular podcast lessons, we've included some other supplementary lessons. Think of these as a sort of Appendix to the regular lessons. In this first supplementary lesson we provide an audio sample of all of the vowel sounds in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. We're sure it will help listeners get a feel for each of the sounds.

Lesson 5: Stressed and Unstressed /a/, Self-Checkout at the Supermarket Nov 12, 2006

Show notes

asset title: Lesson 5: Stressed and Unstressed /a/, Self-Checkout at the Supermarket
filename: tafalado_05.mp3
track number: 5/46
time: 9:30
size: 6.52 MB
bitrate: 96 kbps

There is a tendency for almost every vowel in unstressed syllables in English to turn into what is called a 'schwa'. It is the sound like 'uh'. Listen, for example the 'e' in 'delivery'. When learning Spanish, one of the great challenges is to stop saying 'uh.' 'It's 'nada' not 'naduh'! However, in Portuguese Brazilians also pronounce unstressed /a/ as a schwa. You see, all this time you thought you had bad Spanish and you really just have good Portuguese. As to the cultural situation in this lesson, both Michelle and Valdo had to get used to the self-checkout lines at the supermarket.
Dialog
Portuguese
Valdo: Ah, essa fila tá enorme!
Michelle: É verdade. Vamos pagar no auto-atendimento.
Valdo: Onde fica a máquina?
Michelle: Está lá na entrada.
Valdo: Você sabe como se usa essa coisa aqui?
Michelle: Claro, é fácil. É só passar o cartão.
Spanish
Valdo: Esta fila está muy larga.
Michelle: Es verdad. Vamos a pagar en el auto-servicio
Valdo: ¿Dónde queda la máquina?
Michelle: Está allá en la entrada.
Valdo: ¿Sabes cómo se usa esa cossa aquí?
Michelle: Claro, es fácil. Es sólo pasar la tarjeta.
English
Valdo: This line is really long.
Michelle: That's right. Let's pay at the self-service machine.
Valdo: Where is the machine?
Michelle: Over there by the entrance.
Valdo: Do you know how to use this thing here?
Michelle: Of course, it's easy. Just insert your card.

Lesson 4: Pronunciation of Open /ó/ and Closed /ô/, Getting on a City Bus Nov 12, 2006

Show notes

asset title: Lesson 4: Pronunciation of Open /ó/ and Closed /ô/, Getting on a City Bus
filename: tafalado_04.mp3
track number: 4/46
time: 10:21
size: 7.28 MB
bitrate: 96 kbps

Spanish speakers learn to sing 'a, e, i, o, u, el burro sabe más que tú' and it's a way to show that there are only 5 vowel sounds in Spanish. Portuguese, however, complicates things with what are called 'open' and 'closed' vowel sounds. In this lesson we learn about open /ó/ and closed /ô/. Culturally Michelle and Valdo talk about how different it is to ride a bus in the United States. All we can say is that at least they don't have to cram as tightly into limited space and then wonder the whole time how they are going to get off the bus!
Dialog
Portuguese
Valdo: Lá vem o nosso ônibus! Vamos correr!
Michelle: Corre, sobe logo!
Valdo: Cadê o cobrador? Como podemos pagar?
Michelle: Aqui só se pode pagar passando um cartão ou colocando dinheiro na máquina.
Valdo: Que máquina?
Michelle: Aquela do lado do motorista.
Spanish
Valdo: Ahí viene nuestro autobús. Vamos a correr
Michelle: Corre, súbete luego.
Valdo: ¿Dónde está el colector? ¿Como podemos pagar?
Michelle: Aquí sólo se puede pagar pasando una tarjeta o poniendo dinero en la máquina.
Valdo: ¿Qué máquina?
Michelle: Aquella al lado del conductor.
English
Valdo: Here comes our bus. Let's run.
Michelle: Run, let's get on up.
Valdo: Where's the fare collector? How do you pay?
Michelle: Here you just pay by inserting your card or by putting the bills or coins in the machine.
Valdo: What machine?
Michelle: That one next to the bus driver.

Lesson 3: Pronunciation of /é/ and /ê/, Public Health and Health Insurance Nov 12, 2006

Show notes

asset title: Lesson 3: Pronunciation of /é/ and /ê/, Public Health and Health Insurance
filename: tafalado_03.mp3
track number: 3/46
time: 8:45
size: 6.15 MB
bitrate: 96 kbps

Welcome to one of the great challenges of Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation. Sometimes 'e' sounds similar to the English sound in words like 'get, met, set.' Other times Brazilian 'e' sounds like the Spanish 'e' in words like 'bebe, vive, lleve.' Valdo and Michelle help us out. Culturally they also help us understand how different it is for Brazilians to have to worry about personal health insurance.
Dialog
Portuguese
Valdo: Você já quebrou o pé?
Michelle: Quebrei a perna. E você não sabe como pesou no bolso.
Valdo: Por quê?
Michelle: Porque paguei uma nota pelo gesso. Até mesmo com seguro-saúde o preço é elevado.
Valdo: Teve que engessar, é?
Michelle: O médico achou que era melhor. Dê uma olhada aqui e veja você mesmo como ficou.
Spanish
Valdo: ¿Usted se ha quebrado el pié?
Michelle: Me quebré la pierna. Y usted no sabe como pesó en mi bolsillo.
Valdo: ¿Por qué?
Michelle: Porque pagué mucha plata por el yeso. Así mismo con el seguro médico, el precio es elevado.
Valdo: Tuviste que enyesarlo, ¿verdad?
Michelle: El médico pensó que era mejor. Dé una mirada aquí y vea usted mismo como quedó.
English
Valdo: Have you ever had a broken foot?
Michelle: I broke my leg. And you can't imagine how hard it hit my wallet.
Valdo: Why?
Michelle: Because I paid a lot for my cast. Even with insurance the price was high.
Valdo: So you had to get a cast?
Michelle: The doctor thought it would be better. Check it out yourself and see how it ended up.

Lesson 2: Pronunciation of /u/, Slamming the Car Door Nov 12, 2006

Show notes

asset title: Lesson 2: Pronunciation of /u/, Slamming the Car Door
filename: tafalado_02.mp3
track number: 2/46
time: 9:27
size: 6.65 MB
bitrate: 96 kbps

The good news about Lesson #2 is that we're back. It must be that Lesson #1 gave us hope to move on. In this lesson we listen for the sound /u/ in Portuguese. The tricky thing is that many times it is spelled with an 'o.' Culturally, Valdo and Michelle talk to us about not slamming car doors. It's really true, Brazilians are amazed at how hard Americans slam car doors!
Dialog
Portuguese
Valdo: Puxa vida. Você não tem geladeira em casa, não? Seja mais educada.
Michelle: Sinto muito eu ter batido a porta do carro.
Valdo: Você sabe que no Brasil a gente não faz isso.
Michelle: Eu sei. Esqueci. Prometo ficar mais atenta.
Valdo: Ótimo. Espero que sim.
Michelle: Isso é muito chato. Você quer sempre tudo certinho.
Spanish
Valdo: ¡Qué Barbaridad! ¿No tienes nevera en casa? Sea más educada.
Michelle: Lo siento mucho haber tirado la puerta del coche.
Valdo: Sabes que en Brasil no hacemos eso.
Michelle: Lo sé. Se me olvidó. Te prometo estar más atenta.
Valdo: Excelente. Espero que sí.
Michelle: Esto es muy aburrido. Siempre quieres todo perfecto.
English
Valdo: Gee whiz. Don't you have a fridge at home? Don't be so rude.
Michelle: Sorry to have slammed the car door.
Valdo: You know that in Brazil we don't do that.
Michelle: I know. I forgot. I promise to be more careful.
Valdo: Great. I hope so.
Michelle: What a drag. You always want everything so perfect.

Lesson 1: Pronunciation of /i/, Getting the Check at a Restaurant Nov 12, 2006

Show notes

asset title: Lesson 1: Pronunciation of /i/, Getting the Check at a Restaurant
filename: tafalado_01.mp3
track number: 1/46
time: 10:32
size: 7.41 MB
bitrate: 96 kbps

There's only one Lesson #1. We'll never have a first again. Today we introduce listeners to the team: Orlando, Valdo, Michelle, and José Luis. Pronunciation wise, we'll look at when Brazilians say words with the sound [i] and culturally Michelle and Valdo talk about what it was like to get the bill in restaurants in the United States. Tune in, join our discussion, download the lesson notes, and become part of Brazilpod.
Dialog
Portuguese
Valdo: Que bife gostoso. Acho que vou pedir mais.
Michelle: Mas ele já trouxe a conta. E agora?
Valdo: Eh, você me disse que aqui era assim. Acho isso uma falta de educação.
Michelle: É o sistema deles, né? Mas se você continua com fome, pede.
Valdo: Ah, vou pedir um monte então.
Michelle: É isso aí.
Spanish
Valdo: Qué biftec sabroso. Creo que voy a pedir más.
Michelle: Pero él ya trajo la cuenta. ¿Y ahora?
Valdo: Me dijiste que aquí era así. Creo que esto es una falta de educación.
Michelle: Es el sistema de ellos, ¿verdad? Pero si tú sigues con hambre, pída-lo.
Valdo: Ah, voy a pedir un montón, entonces.
Michelle: Eso es.
English
Valdo: What a tasty steak. I think I'll ask for more.
Michelle: But he already brought the check. Now what?
Valdo: Yea, you told me that this is what they do here. I think that it's really rude.
Michelle: That's the way they do things here, right? But if you're still hungry, go ahead and ask.
Valdo: OK, I'm going to ask for a whole bunch then.
Michelle: You go for it.

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Tá Falado: Brazilian Portuguese Pronunciation for Speakers of Spanish

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