Class overview
The class began with introductions and personal exchanges among participants, including discussions about their reasons for learning Portuguese and experiences living in different countries. The group shared ideas about language learning challenges, particularly for Spanish speakers, and discussed differences between Brazilian and European Portuguese. The conversation ended with participants sharing personal achievements and experiences, including ocean swimming and writing an autobiography, before scheduling the next meeting.
Video
Highlight Video
Audio
Chat & additional resources, useful vocabulary, expressions, etc…📚
Carioca Connection Club | August 14, 2025 - Chat.txt1.3 KB
Conversation Fillers & Reactions
- E aí? - What's up? / How's it going? (very common, informal)
- Tudo bem? - Everything good? / How are you?
- Bom dia - Good morning
- Boa tarde - Good afternoon
- Tchau, tchau - Bye bye (doubled for emphasis)
- Bem-vindos - Welcome (plural)
- Olá - Hello (more formal than "oi")
- Nossa! - Wow! / Oh my!
- Claro - Of course / Obviously
- Com certeza - Certainly / For sure
- Uau - Wow
- Meu Deus! - My God!
- Ai - Oh! (expression of emotion)
- Enfim - Anyway / In the end
- Aliás - By the way / Actually
- Então - So / Then
- Aí - Then / There (filler word)
Expressing Opinions & Feelings
- Eu amo - I love
- Não gosto nada - I don't like it at all
- Estava horrível - It was horrible
- Foi ótimo - It was great
- Fiquei meio enjoada - I felt kind of nauseous
- Estou muito animada - I'm very excited
- Estava com saudades - I missed (someone/something)
📚 Essential Vocabulary
Weather & Climate
- abafado - humid, muggy, stuffy
- úmido - humid, damp
- calor - heat
- frio - cold
- gelado - freezing cold
Geography & Travel
- ilha - island (pronunciation: ee-lya)
- praia - beach
- mar - sea, ocean
- areia - sand
- fundo do mar - ocean floor
- ondas - waves
Marine Life & Beach
- água viva - jellyfish (literally "living water")
- caravelas de Portugal - Portuguese man o' war (dangerous jellyfish)
- bóia - buoy, float, life preserver
Family & Relationships
- sogros - in-laws
- noivo/noiva - fiancé/fiancée
- casamento - wedding
- família - family
Food & Dining
- salsichão com farofa - large sausage with farofa (traditional Brazilian side dish)
Body & Health
- enjoada - nauseous (feminine form)
- exausto - exhausted
Animals
- abelha - bee (another example of "lh" sound)
Useful Connectors
- Por último, mas não menos importante - Last but not least
- Porque - Because
- Por causa disso - Because of that
- Depois de - After
- Antes de - Before
Time Expressions
- Faz duas semanas - Two weeks ago (literally "it makes two weeks")
- No ano passado - Last year
- Este ano - This year
- Quando - When
- Agora mesmo - Right now
- Já - Already / Now
Describing Experiences
- A primeira vez que - The first time that
- Foi a primeira vez - It was the first time
- Experiência total - Complete experience
- Muito tempo - A long time
Brazilian Geography
- Rio de Janeiro - Major city, cultural center
- Búzios - Upscale beach resort town near Rio
- Popular with Argentine tourists in winter
- Known for jellyfish in summer months
- Gets quite cold during Brazilian winter (18-19°C)
- Cabo Frio - Coastal city in Rio de Janeiro state
Sports & Entertainment
- Fla x Flu - Classic Rio de Janeiro football rivalry
- Flamengo vs. Fluminense - Two major Rio football clubs
- Common way to refer to this traditional match
Seasonal Patterns
- Brazilian winter (June-August): Cooler, fewer tourists at beaches
- Summer jellyfish season: More água viva present in coastal waters
- Argentine tourism: Many Argentines vacation in Brazilian beaches during their winter
The Challenging "LH" Sound
Examples from class:
- ilha (island) - NOT "isla" (Spanish influence)
- abelha (bee)
- melhor (better)
Tip: The "lh" is produced at the back of the tongue, similar to the "lli" in "million" but more pronounced.
Common Mispronunciations
- Isla → Ilha (Spanish speakers often struggle with this)
💭 Contemporary Usage Notes
Informal Speech Patterns
- Repetition for emphasis: "Tchau, tchau" / "Muito, muito"
- Filler words: "E aí?" used frequently in conversation
- Softening statements: "Meio" (kind of) to make statements less direct
Regional Variations Mentioned
- Brazilian vs. European Portuguese: Spaniards find Brazilian Portuguese easier to understand
- Portunhol: Portuguese-Spanish mix, common among Spanish speakers learning Portuguese
Modern Context
- Gaming relationships: Meeting people through online games (mentioned as contemporary way to meet partners)
- Visa complications: Referenced in context of international relationships
- Coworking spaces: Modern work environments mentioned
🎪 Idiomatic Expressions
- Cheio de - Full of (used with people/things)
- "Cheio de argentinos" - Full of Argentines
- Por isso - That's why / Because of that
- E tal - And such / And so on
- Tanto faz - It doesn't matter / Whatever
- Vai dar certo - It's going to work out
🔄 Common Verb Patterns
Present Continuous
- Estou aprendendo - I am learning
- Está acontecendo - It is happening
- Estamos fazendo - We are doing
Recent Past with "Acabar de"
- A gente acaba falando - We end up talking
- Acabaram as férias - Vacation is over
Reflexive Constructions
- Se apresentar - To introduce oneself
- Se conheceram - They met each other
- Me engano - I'm mistaken