Post by Bozur on Mar 2, 2005 18:58:01 GMT -5
Portugues Tips
Prof. Cláudia
One of my students recently asked me about the difference between aqui, ali and lá. As you will see, it's quite easy to understand the difference between aqui and lá but what about ali?
Activity 1
Lets take a look at the lyrics for some Brazilian songs:
"Às vezes é difícil esquecer: "--------------------sometimes it's hard to forget
- Sinto muito, ela não mora mais aqui." ------I'm sorry, she doesn't live here anymore
Acrilic on Canvas, by Legião Urbana
"Ali o malandro na praça outra vez over there, ---------the cunning man in the square again
Caminhando na ponta dos pés..."-------------------------- walking on tiptoes
A volta do malandro, by Chico Buarque
"Vou ler a carta que o Biel mandou ----------------------I'll read the letter sent by Gabriel
Pra você, lá do Brasil." ----------------------------------------to you, from there, Brazil.
A carta, by Djavan
Aqui, as seen in the first song, means "here", while lá, seen in the third song, means "there". Ali, however as seen in the second song, doesn't always have a consistent meaning, it depends on the context. It can mean "over there", as well as "not far".
Activity 2
Let's have a closer look at this difference. Imagine you are on the corner of Paulista Ave. and Augusta St. in São Paulo:
"O meu escritório é aqui, na Avenida Paulista.------------------ my office is here, on Paulista Ave.
Eu costumo almoçar ali, na Bela Cintra.--------------------------- I usually have lunch over there, on Bela Cintra St.
Como moro em Moema, nunca almoço lá em casa." --------as I live in Moema, I never have lunch there, at home.
Activity 3
Ok now for an exercise, try to place the correct word (aqui, ali or lá) according to the context.
1. (man in a shop):
Com licença, vocês vendem balas nesta loja?
Com licença, vocês vendem balas ............?
2. (woman on Faria Lima, to a taxi driver)
Por favor, quanto tempo leva até o aeroporto em Cumbica?
Por favor, quanto tempo leva até .............?
3. (child in Ibirapuera Park, near the lake)
Pai, olha o lago! Quantos patos!
Pai, olha ..........! Quantos patos!
Answers: 1. aqui 2. lá 3. ali
See you next class!
Prof. Cláudia
----------
Portuguese Tips: Comparative and Superlative
By Prof. Claudia
In Portuguese, we use "mais" for both more and most, the comparative and superlative, in English. Don`t confuse it with mas, which means but. Also, be careful with common errors such as "mais grande". The correct way to say bigger in Portuguese is maior.
Activity 1 - Superlative
Have a look at the beginning of the song Pessoa, by Marina Lima:
"Olhar você
E não saber
Que você é a pessoa mais linda do mundo..."
to look at you
yet not be aware
that you are the most beautiful person in the world
The expression "a pessoa mais linda do mundo" is a superlative, because there's no one else more beautiful.
Activity 2 - Comparative
Now read this sentence:
O Monte Everest é mais alto do que o Monte Fuji.
Mt Everest is higher than Mt Fuji
The expression "mais alto do que" is a comparative, because it is comparing two objects.
Here are more examples:
O estado da Bahia é maior do que o estado do Ceará.
Bahia state is bigger than Ceará
Hoje o tempo está pior do que ontem.
The weather today is worse than yesterday
Activity 3 - Exceptions
Here are some "irregular" terms which don`t use mais in the comparative or superlative.
Check this table:
Superlative---------------------- Comparative ------------------------------Wrong usage
o (a) melhor The best -------Melhor que better than
--------------------------------------(Or melhor do que)
o (a) maior The biggest---- Maior que bigger than
-------------------------------------(Or maior do que) -----------------------o (a) mais grande
o (a) pior The worst---------- Pior que worse than
--------------------------------------(Or pior do que)
o (a) menor The smallest-- Menor que smaller than
---------------------------------------(Or menor do que)--------------------- o (a) mais pequena
Attention:
In Portuguese, adjectives follow the noun, so they can be in the plural form, as in this example:
O Pantanal possui algumas das mais belas paisagens do Brasil.
The Pantanal has some of the most beautiful landscapes in Brazil
Prof. Cláudia
One of my students recently asked me about the difference between aqui, ali and lá. As you will see, it's quite easy to understand the difference between aqui and lá but what about ali?
Activity 1
Lets take a look at the lyrics for some Brazilian songs:
"Às vezes é difícil esquecer: "--------------------sometimes it's hard to forget
- Sinto muito, ela não mora mais aqui." ------I'm sorry, she doesn't live here anymore
Acrilic on Canvas, by Legião Urbana
"Ali o malandro na praça outra vez over there, ---------the cunning man in the square again
Caminhando na ponta dos pés..."-------------------------- walking on tiptoes
A volta do malandro, by Chico Buarque
"Vou ler a carta que o Biel mandou ----------------------I'll read the letter sent by Gabriel
Pra você, lá do Brasil." ----------------------------------------to you, from there, Brazil.
A carta, by Djavan
Aqui, as seen in the first song, means "here", while lá, seen in the third song, means "there". Ali, however as seen in the second song, doesn't always have a consistent meaning, it depends on the context. It can mean "over there", as well as "not far".
Activity 2
Let's have a closer look at this difference. Imagine you are on the corner of Paulista Ave. and Augusta St. in São Paulo:
"O meu escritório é aqui, na Avenida Paulista.------------------ my office is here, on Paulista Ave.
Eu costumo almoçar ali, na Bela Cintra.--------------------------- I usually have lunch over there, on Bela Cintra St.
Como moro em Moema, nunca almoço lá em casa." --------as I live in Moema, I never have lunch there, at home.
Activity 3
Ok now for an exercise, try to place the correct word (aqui, ali or lá) according to the context.
1. (man in a shop):
Com licença, vocês vendem balas nesta loja?
Com licença, vocês vendem balas ............?
2. (woman on Faria Lima, to a taxi driver)
Por favor, quanto tempo leva até o aeroporto em Cumbica?
Por favor, quanto tempo leva até .............?
3. (child in Ibirapuera Park, near the lake)
Pai, olha o lago! Quantos patos!
Pai, olha ..........! Quantos patos!
Answers: 1. aqui 2. lá 3. ali
See you next class!
Prof. Cláudia
----------
Portuguese Tips: Comparative and Superlative
By Prof. Claudia
In Portuguese, we use "mais" for both more and most, the comparative and superlative, in English. Don`t confuse it with mas, which means but. Also, be careful with common errors such as "mais grande". The correct way to say bigger in Portuguese is maior.
Activity 1 - Superlative
Have a look at the beginning of the song Pessoa, by Marina Lima:
"Olhar você
E não saber
Que você é a pessoa mais linda do mundo..."
to look at you
yet not be aware
that you are the most beautiful person in the world
The expression "a pessoa mais linda do mundo" is a superlative, because there's no one else more beautiful.
Activity 2 - Comparative
Now read this sentence:
O Monte Everest é mais alto do que o Monte Fuji.
Mt Everest is higher than Mt Fuji
The expression "mais alto do que" is a comparative, because it is comparing two objects.
Here are more examples:
O estado da Bahia é maior do que o estado do Ceará.
Bahia state is bigger than Ceará
Hoje o tempo está pior do que ontem.
The weather today is worse than yesterday
Activity 3 - Exceptions
Here are some "irregular" terms which don`t use mais in the comparative or superlative.
Check this table:
Superlative---------------------- Comparative ------------------------------Wrong usage
o (a) melhor The best -------Melhor que better than
--------------------------------------(Or melhor do que)
o (a) maior The biggest---- Maior que bigger than
-------------------------------------(Or maior do que) -----------------------o (a) mais grande
o (a) pior The worst---------- Pior que worse than
--------------------------------------(Or pior do que)
o (a) menor The smallest-- Menor que smaller than
---------------------------------------(Or menor do que)--------------------- o (a) mais pequena
Attention:
In Portuguese, adjectives follow the noun, so they can be in the plural form, as in this example:
O Pantanal possui algumas das mais belas paisagens do Brasil.
The Pantanal has some of the most beautiful landscapes in Brazil