Notes

Misc

  • fêmea- female (used more to describe animals)
  • mulher- woman or wife
  • homem
  • Homem- human species
  • Humanidade- humankind
  • marido, esposo- husband
  • esposa- wife
  • Eu sei cozinhar. – I know how to cook.
  • Luís Vaz de Camões- Famous Portuguese author
  • Os Lusíadas- important piece of Portuguese literature. Means “The Portuguese”
  • Lusitânia- Former country that evolved into Portuguese
  • Lusitânios- ancestors
  • ontem- yesterday (n not pronounced. Neither is m
  • ninguém – (nee-guy) nobody
  • amanhã – tomorrow
  • n and m are pronounced before a vowel. Only a nasalization when they come after a vowel and then they are not pronounced.

Verbs

saber- know (knowledge/facts/skill) sei- siy

conhecer- know (familiarity)

Sabes quem é o Michael Jackson?- Do you know who is Michael Jackson? Conheces o Michael Jackson?- Do you know (have met) Michael Jackson? Some speakers mix the two up Eu não conheço o Michael Jackson mas sei quem ele é.- I don’t know Michael Jackson but I know who he is.

Demonstratives

  • Two categories
    • invariable- no noun; the demonstrative is the noun; clear what is being talked about
      • isto- that (close to speaker)
      • Isto é brutal!- This is awesome
      • Isto é ótimo!- This is great
      • O que é isto?- What is this?
      • isso- that (close to listener)
      • Isso é nojento. – That (close) is disgusting.
      • Isso! or É isso! – That’s it! (You got the right thing.)
      • Isso é difícil!- (Are you learning Portuguese?) That’s difficult.
      • aquilo – that (far from speaker and listener, in space and time)
      • O que é aquilo no céu? – What is that (distant) in the sky?
      • Eu não sei o que foi aquilo. – (Someone did something odd that we saw in the past.) I don’t know what that (distant in time) was.
    • variable
      • Will learn next lesson