LESSON 08

 

 

Dialogue:

 

–        Por favor, onde é a farmácia?

–        É logo ali na esquina.

–        Obrigado.

 

Phonetic Transcription:

 

–        puhfaVÔh, Õdji é a fahMAsya?

–        é ló gwalí, naysK~Ina.

–        briGAdu.

 

Literal Translation:

 

–        Please, where is the drugstore?

–        It’s right there, at the corner.

–        Thanks.

 

Proper Translation

 

–        Excuse me, where is the drugstore?

–        Right there, at the corner.

–        Thanks.

 

Saying (and answering) “thanks”.

 

            The Portuguese translation for “thanks” (Spanish “gracias”, Italian “grazie”) is “graças”. So, “Thanksgiving Day” is the “Dia de Ação de Graças”. However, this word is not used when simple saying “thanks” or “thank you”. In this case, the word used is obrigado when said by a man and obrigada when said by a woman (many Brazilian women don’t know this, and wrongly use obrigado). The first “o” is hardly pronounced, only in very formal situations people really say obrigado and obrigada. Thus, you will say (and listen to) brigado and brigada in most times.

            The word graças is used in sentences like “Graças a você, estamos vivos.” (Thanks to you, we are alive). Its singular, graça, means “grace”, and is used in the expression de graça (free, for free, can also be replaced by the adjective grátis). It does make sens: something we don’t have to pay for is a “grace”. The verb to thank is translated as agradecer. See how far we have gone by just explaining how to say “thank you”!

 

 

The verb “to be” – Part I

 

            The English verb “to be” can be translated as ser or estar, both irregular. The verb ser is used basically for permanent conditions, qualities, and estar, for transitory conditions, for states. Ser is also used for the passive voice, and estar, for the continuous tense. This lesson, we’re going to study the verb ser. Let’s see how it is conjugated in the presente do indicativo (simple present):

 

Eu                  sou                êw sôw                      (If you’re not sure about the phonetical

Tu                   és                   tu és                           transcription, review Lesson 05)

Ele/Ela           é                     êli/éla é

Nós                somos           nóys Sõmus

Vós                sois                vóys sôys

Eles/ Elas     são                 êlis/élas sãw             Subject Pronouns: A Detailed View

 

Examples:

 

·        Eu sou brasileiro.                       êw sôw braziLÊYru              I am Brazilian

                                   (nationality/birthplace doesn’t change everytime)

 

·        Ele é feliz.                                   êli é fêLIS                              He is happy.

(meaning “He is a happy person.”)

 

·        Vocês são muito bonitas.  vôSÊYS sãw M~UYtu b~uNItas  You are very beautiful.

(notice that “bonitas” is feminine; this may be said to women)

 

·        É verdade?                                 é véhDAdji?                          Is it a truth (true)?

·        É bom aprender.                        é bõ aPR~Edêh                   It’s good to learn.

·        Quem é você?*                          k~ey é vôSÊ?                       Who are you?

 

* When asking “How are you?”, “Where are you”, the verb used is not ser, because you’re asking about a determined moment, not a permanent condition.

 

 

Exercise:

 

Complete with ser in the present form. Pass the mouse to check the answer and translation.

 

  1. Você ____ americano? (é, Are you American?)
  2. Quem _____ eles? (são, Who are they?)
  3. Nós _______ estudantes. (somos; We are students.)
  4. Eu ____ grato a vocês por tudo. (sou; I’m thankful to you/I thank you for everything.)
  5. Ele ___ meu irmão. (é; He is my brother.)
  6. Ela ___ ótima, não ___? (é, é; She is great, isn’t she?)
  7. “Vós ____ deuses”… (sois; “You are gods”, biblical excerpt)
  8. Seu pai ___ medico? (é; Is your father a doctor? Notice the article is not used in Portuguese in this case)
  9. ______ nós que vamos pagar a conta. (Somos; It’s we who are going to pay the Bill.)
  10. Alguém aperta a campainha…[Someone rings the door Bell...

–– Quem ___?                            é; Who is (out there)?

–– ____ eu!                                 Sou; It’s me!]

 

            Now, you can practice with your own affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences, using the vocabulary given in the previous lessons…

            Did I say “interrogative” and “negative”?! Yes!!! They’re much more easy than in English!

 

For negative sentences:

            Simply add “não” (not, no) before the verb:

–        Eu sou brasileiro. (Affirmative)

I am Brazilian

–        Eu não sou brasileiro. (Negative)

I am not Brazilian.

 

For interrogative sentences:

            Just change the “.” for an “?” (and, obviously, give the sentence an interrogative tone when talking):

–        Eu sou brasileiro?

Am I Brazilian?

 

 

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