O jardim, as árvores

O tema esta semana é o jardim, as árvores - The theme this week is the garden and the trees.  

Did you know - sabias?  In Portuguese, generally, we do not refer to a tree as an árvore - tree - but we name the exact variety of tree that it is.  So we will talk about the oliverias - olive trees, pinheiros - pine trees etc.  Each variety has a special name, not árvore de azeitona, but oliveira, not árvore de laranja but laranjeira.  Here's a list of some common trees you will find here in Portugal.  Note also, the word árvore is feminine - a árvore. (similar to arboretum in English, if that works as a momory hook!) .  The words for the different trees are often feminine also - laranejeira, oliveira, but some are masculine - limoeiro for example.

Some words and phrases for talking about Gardens and Trees!

amendoeira - almond tree
figueira - fig tree
cerejeira - cherry tree
macieira - apple tree
pereira - pear tree
laranjeira - orange tree
pessegueiro - peach tree
limoeiro - lemon tree
alfarrobeira - carob tree
ameixeira - plum tree
nespereira - loquat / medlar tree

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0/ A1 – No centro de jardinagem

Cliente — Olá, bom dia!

Vendedor — Bom dia!

Cliente — Quero comprar uma planta.

Vendedor — Claro! Temos flores, ervas

aromáticas e árvores pequenas.

Cliente — Gosto da flor vermelha. Como se

chama?

Vendedor — É um gerânio. Precisa de sol e

água.

Cliente — Quanto custa?

Vendedor — Custa cinco euros.

Cliente — Está bem. Quero um.

Vendedor — Deseja mais alguma coisa?

Cliente — Sim, um vaso pequeno, por favor.

Vendedor — Aqui tem. São dois euros.

Cliente — Óptimo. Pago com cartão.

Vendedor — Obrigada. Bom dia!

Cliente — Obrigada. Igualmente!

A2 – Escolher plantas para a varanda

Cliente — Olá! Preciso de plantas para a

minha varanda.

Vendedor — A varanda tem sol ou sombra?

Cliente — Tem muito sol de manhã.

Vendedor — Então, pode levar alfazema,

alecrim ou manjericão.

Cliente — Gosto de alfazema. Cheira bem.

Vendedor — Sim, e também afasta insectos.

Quer ver os vasos grandes?

Cliente — Sim, quero dois vasos de alfazema.

Vendedor — Estes são bons. Cada um custa

sete euros.

Cliente — Levo também terra para plantas.

Vendedor — Temos sacos de cinco e de dez

quilos.

Cliente — Cinco quilos é suficiente.

Vendedor — Precisa de ajuda para levar

tudo?

Cliente — Não, obrigada. Tenho carro.

Vendedor — Óptimo. Pode pagar na caixa.

Cliente — Obrigada pela ajuda!

Miguel — Olha, aqui estão: hortelã, manjericão, tomilho…

Sofia — Perfeito! A minha cozinha vai cheirar muito bem.

Miguel — Já viste as estufas? Há lá árvores de fruto pequenas.

Sofia — A sério? Vamos lá ver!

Miguel — Estas macieiras parecem fáceis de cuidar.

Sofia — Gostava de ter uma no quintal.

Miguel — Então leva uma! Posso ajudar-te a pôr no carro.

Sofia — Obrigada! Este passeio valeu mesmo a pena.

Translations of the dialogues:

Level A1 – At the garden centre

Customer — Hello, good morning!

Salesperson — Good morning!

Customer — I want to buy a plant.

Salesperson — Of course! We have flowers, herbs 

and small trees.

Customer — I like the red flower. What’s it called?

Salesperson — It’s a geranium. It needs sun and 

water.

Customer — How much is it?

Salesperson — It’s five euros.

Customer — Okay. I’ll take one.

Salesperson — Would you like anything else?

Customer — Yes, a small pot, please.

Salesperson — Here you go. It’s two euros.

Customer — Great. I’ll pay by card.

Salesperson — Thank you. Good morning!

Customer — Thank you. You too!

Level A2 – Choosing plants for the balcony

Customer — Hello! I need plants for my balcony.

Salesperson — Does the balcony get sun or 

shade?

Customer — It gets a lot of sun in the morning.

Salesperson — Then you can take lavender, 

rosemary or basil.

Customer — I like lavender. It smells nice.

Salesperson — Yes, and it also keeps insects 

away. Would you like to see the big pots?

Customer — Yes, I’d like two pots of lavender.

Salesperson — These are good. Each one costs 

seven euros.

Customer — I’ll also take some soil for plants.

Salesperson — We have five and ten-kilo bags.

Customer — Five kilos is enough.

Salesperson — Do you need help carrying 

everything?

Customer — No, thank you. I have a car.

Salesperson — Great. You can pay at the till.

Customer — Thanks for your help!

Level B1 – A trip to the garden centre with a friend

Sofia — Hi Miguel, what do you think about going to the garden centre today?

Miguel — Great idea! I need some new plants for the garden.

Sofia — And I wanted to see if I can find vegetable seeds.

Miguel — Perfect! Shall we look at the flowers first?

Sofia — Sure. These chrysanthemums are lovely!

Miguel — Yes, and they last a long time. Are you getting some?

Sofia — Maybe. I still want to look at the herbs.

Miguel — Look, here they are: mint, basil, thyme…

Sofia — Perfect! My kitchen will smell lovely.

Miguel — Have you seen the greenhouses? There are small fruit trees there.

Sofia — Really? Let’s go and see!

Miguel — These apple trees look easy to care for.

Sofia — I’d love to have one in the garden.

Miguel — Then take one! I can help you put it in the car.

Sofia — Thanks! This trip was really worth it

Gostas de cozinhar?

O tema esta semana é cozinhar - The theme this week is nationality.  

Some words for talking about where you are from!

não sabe a nada - does not taste of anything
faz-se num instante - you can make quickly (lit. one makes in an instant)
é fácil fazer - it is easy to make
cortar aos cubos - to cut into cubes
deitar o azeite numa frigideira - put the olive oil in the frying pan
fritar em manteiga - fry in butter
às refeições - at mealtimes
água a ferver - boiling water
temperar com sal - to season with salt
tirar do lume - take off the heat (lit flame)

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

recipes - receitas

A0 / A1 – Sopa de Legumes

Ingredientes:

1 batata, 1 cenoura, 1 cebola, 1 courgette, água, sal, azeite.

Preparação:

Lava e corta os legumes. Coloca tudo numa panela com água. Junta sal. Cozinha durante 20

minutos. Depois, tritura a sopa com uma varinha mágica. Adiciona um pouco de azeite. A sopa

está pronta!

A2 – Bacalhau à Brás

Ingredientes:

300g de bacalhau desfiado, 2 cebolas, 2 dentes de alho, 4 ovos, batata palha, azeite, sal, salsa.

Preparação:

Refoga a cebola e o alho em azeite. Junta o bacalhau e cozinha por 5 minutos. Adiciona a

batata palha. Mexe bem. Bate os ovos e junta à mistura. Cozinha até os ovos ficarem cremosos.

Polvilha com salsa picada. Serve quente

B1 – Arroz de Marisco

Ingredientes:

300g de arroz, 500g de marisco variado (camarão, mexilhão, amêijoa), 1 cebola, 2 dentes de

alho, 2 tomates, 1 folha de louro, vinho branco, azeite, sal, piri-piri, salsa.

Preparação:

Refoga a cebola, o alho e o tomate em azeite. Junta o marisco e um pouco de vinho branco.

Cozinha durante 5 minutos. Adiciona o arroz e mexe. Junta água quente (o dobro do arroz), sal,

louro e piri-piri. Cozinha por 15-20 minutos, até o arroz estar pronto. Polvilha com salsa e serve

quente

Here are the translations of the recipes:

A1 – Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 potato, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 courgette, water, salt, olive oil.

Preparation:

Wash and cut the vegetables. Put everything in a pot with water. Add salt. Cook for 20 minutes. Then, blend 

the soup with a hand blender. Add a bit of olive oil. The soup is ready!

A2 – “Bacalhau à Brás” (Shredded Cod with Eggs and Fries)

Ingredients:

300g shredded cod, 2 onions, 2 garlic cloves, 4 eggs, thin fried potatoes, olive oil, salt, parsley.

Preparation:

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil. Add the cod and cook for 5 minutes. Add the fried potatoes. Mix well. 

Beat the eggs and add to the mixture. Cook until the eggs are creamy. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. 

Serve hot.

B1 – Seafood Rice

Ingredients:

300g rice, 500g mixed seafood (prawns, mussels, clams), 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tomatoes, 1 bay leaf, 

white wine, olive oil, salt, chilli, parsley.

Preparation:

Sauté the onion, garlic and tomatoes in olive oil. Add the seafood and a bit of white wine. Cook for 5 

minutes. Add the rice and stir. Add hot water (twice the amount of rice), salt, bay leaf and chilli. Cook for 

15–20 minutes until the rice is done. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot

De onde és?

O tema esta semana é nacionalidade - The theme this week is nationality.  

Some words for talking about where you are from!

é? - are you?

português - Portuguese (m)

portuguesa - Portuguese (f)

sou - I am

vivo em Portugal - I live in Portugal

de onde é? - where are you from?

é de? - are you from?

não sou de Portugal - I am not from Portugal

sou de - I am from

e você? - and you?

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with. 

Here are some words for some different nationalities

português - Portuguese

espanhol - Spanish

italiano - Italian

francês - French

alemão - German

russo - Russian

americano - American

brasileiro - Brazilian

inglês - English

sueco - Swedish

grego - Greek

holandês - Dutch

And a Quizlet set for these too :)

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0 / A1 – A nova amiga

A Maria é de Portugal. Ela vive em Lisboa. Um dia, a Maria conhece a Anna. A Anna é da Alemanha. Ela está em Portugal para estudar português.

A Maria e a Anna falam sobre as suas casas. “O meu país tem praias lindas”, diz a Maria. “O meu país tem florestas grandes”, diz a Anna.

A Maria ajuda a Anna com o português. A Anna ensina à Maria palavras em alemão. Elas bebem café e riem muito. Agora, são boas amigas!

A2 – A viagem do Karim

O Karim nasceu em Marrocos, mas vive em França. Ele fala árabe e francês. Este ano, quer viajar para conhecer outros países.

Primeiro, vai a Espanha. Gosta da comida espanhola e visita muitos monumentos. Depois, vai a Itália. Experimenta pizza e massa.

Na Grécia, o Karim faz novos amigos. Ele aprende sobre a cultura grega e gosta do mar azul. A viagem termina em Portugal, onde come pastéis de nata e ouve fado.

O Karim volta para casa com muitas histórias. Ele adora descobrir novas culturas!

B1+ – As raízes da Sofia

A Sofia nasceu no Brasil, mas a sua família tem raízes em Itália. O avô dela imigrou para o Brasil há muitos anos. Ele sempre contou histórias da sua juventude em Roma.

Agora, a Sofia vive em Londres. Gosta da cidade multicultural, mas sente a falta da comida brasileira e das festas do seu país. No entanto, em Londres, conhece pessoas de muitos lugares. Um dos seus melhores amigos é indiano e ensina-lhe receitas da Índia.

Um dia, a Sofia decide visitar Itália. Quando chega a Roma, sente-se em casa. A comida, a língua e a história fazem-na lembrar do avô. Depois dessa viagem, percebe que as suas raízes estão em muitos lugares.

Here are the translations of the stories:

A0 / A1 – The new friend

Maria is from Portugal. She lives in Lisbon. One day, Maria meets Anna. Anna is from Germany. She is in Portugal to study Portuguese.

Maria and Anna talk about their homes. “My country has beautiful beaches,” says Maria. “My country has big forests,” says Anna.

Maria helps Anna with Portuguese. Anna teaches Maria some German words. They drink coffee and laugh a lot. Now, they are good friends!

A2 – Karim’s journey

Karim was born in Morocco but lives in France. He speaks Arabic and French. This year, he wants to travel to discover other countries.

First, he goes to Spain. He likes Spanish food and visits many monuments. Then, he goes to Italy. He tries pizza and pasta.

In Greece, Karim makes new friends. He learns about Greek culture and enjoys the blue sea. The journey ends in Portugal, where he eats pastéis de nata and listens to fado.

Karim returns home with many stories. He loves discovering new cultures!

B1 – Sofia’s roots

Sofia was born in Brazil, but her family has roots in Italy. Her grandfather emigrated to Brazil many years ago. He always told stories about his youth in Rome.

Now, Sofia lives in London. She likes the multicultural city, but she misses Brazilian food and the festivals of her country. However, in London, she meets people from many places. One of her best friends is Indian and teaches her recipes from India.

One day, Sofia decides to visit Italy. When she arrives in Rome, she feels at home. The food, the language, and the history remind her of her grandfather. After this trip, she realises that her roots are in many places.

O que estás a usar hoje?

O tema esta semana é roupa - The theme this week is clothes.

Some words for describing clothes!

de lã - woolly

de algodão - cotton

de seda - silk

de ganga - denim

de manga curta - short sleeved

de manga comprida - long sleeved

de gola alta - polo neck

aos quadrados - checked

às riscas - striped

liso - plain

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with.  Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0 / A1 – “No centro comercial”

A Maria vai ao centro comercial. Ela quer comprar uma camisola.
Entra numa loja e vê muitas camisolas.
Há camisolas vermelhas, azuis e verdes.
A Maria gosta de uma camisola azul.
Ela pergunta o preço.
A camisola custa vinte euros.
Ela experimenta a camisola.
Fica-lhe bem!
A Maria compra a camisola e paga com cartão.
Ela sai da loja feliz.

A2 – “Roupa para uma entrevista”

O João tem uma entrevista de trabalho na segunda-feira.
Ele precisa de roupa nova.
Vai a uma loja de roupa no sábado de manhã.
Quer comprar uma camisa branca e umas calças formais.
O funcionário da loja ajuda o João a escolher o tamanho certo.
Ele experimenta três camisas e duas calças.
A camisa tamanho média fica bem, mas ele prefere as calças cinzentas às pretas.
Paga no balcão e guarda a roupa num saco.
Agora sente-se preparado para a entrevista.

B1 – “Uma tarde de compras inesperada”

No sábado passado, a Ana foi passear com uma amiga no centro da cidade.
Não planeavam comprar nada, mas viram uma loja em saldos e entraram por curiosidade.
Lá dentro, a Ana encontrou um casaco que adorou.
Era de boa qualidade e tinha 50% de desconto.
Experimentou o casaco e ficou surpreendida: parecia feito para ela!
Mesmo sem precisar de um casaco novo, decidiu comprá-lo.
A amiga também comprou umas botas.
Depois foram beber um café e riram-se da “tarde de compras inesperada”.
Às vezes, as melhores compras são as não planeadas.

Here are the translations of the stories:

A0 / A1 – “At the shopping centre”

Maria goes to the shopping centre. She wants to buy a jumper.
 She enters a shop and sees many jumpers.
 There are red, blue and green jumpers.
 Maria likes a blue jumper.
 She asks the price.
 The jumper costs twenty euros.
 She tries the jumper on.
 It fits well!
 Maria buys the jumper and pays with card.
 She leaves the shop happy.

A2 - “Clothes for an interview”

João has a job interview on Monday.
 He needs new clothes.
 He goes to a clothes shop on Saturday morning.
 He wants to buy a white shirt and formal trousers.
 The shop assistant helps João choose the right size.
 He tries on three shirts and two pairs of trousers.
 The medium shirt fits well, but he prefers the grey trousers over the black ones.
 He pays at the counter and puts the clothes in a bag.
 Now he feels prepared for the interview.

B1+ – “An unexpected shopping afternoon”

Last Saturday, Ana went for a walk with a friend in the city centre.
 She wasn’t planning to buy anything, but they saw a shop on sale and went in out of curiosity.
 Inside, Ana found a coat she loved.
 It was good quality and had 50% off.
 She tried on the coat and was surprised: it seemed made for her!
 Even though she didn’t need a new coat, she decided to buy it.
 Her friend also bought a pair of boots.
 Then they went for a coffee and laughed about the “unexpected shopping afternoon”.
 Sometimes, the best purchases are the unplanned ones.

Páscoa

O tema esta semana é Páscoa - The theme this week is Easter.  Falta pouco - it’s soon!

Some words about Páscoa!

at Easter - na Páscoa
Good Friday - Sexta-feira Santa
Palm Sunday - Domingo de Ramos
spring - primavera
Easter egg - ovo de Páscoa
egg hunt - caça aos ovos
rabbit - coelho
basket - cesto
chick - pinto
the cross - a cruz
almonds - amêndoas
folar de Páscoa - Easter bread

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with.  Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

🐣 História A0 / A1 – O Domingo de Páscoa

No domingo de Páscoa, a família da Ana vai à missa de manhã. Depois, todos vão para casa da avó. A mesa está cheia de comida: cabrito assado, ovos, pão e doces. As crianças procuram ovos de chocolate no jardim. A Ana encontra três ovos. Ela está muito feliz. A avó dá amêndoas coloridas a todos. É um dia especial com a família. Todos comem, falam e riem juntos. À noite, a Ana está cansada, mas contente. A Páscoa é uma festa bonita.

🐰 História A2 – A Visita Pascal

Na aldeia do Miguel, há uma tradição antiga na Páscoa: a Visita Pascal. No domingo ou na segunda-feira, o padre e dois ajudantes vão de casa em casa com uma cruz. As pessoas beijam a cruz e recebem uma bênção. O Miguel e a família limpam a casa e preparam doces, como folar e arroz doce. Quando o padre chega, oferecem um pouco de vinho do Porto e bolo. É uma forma de celebrar a fé e estar com a comunidade. O Miguel gosta desta tradição porque junta vizinhos e amigos. As crianças ganham ovos de chocolate e correm pelo quintal. É um momento alegre e importante.

🌼 História B1 – O Significado do Folar da Páscoa

Em muitas regiões de Portugal, existe o costume de oferecer o folar na Páscoa. Trata-se de um pão doce ou salgado, frequentemente decorado com ovos cozidos com casca. A tradição diz que o folar representa amizade, reconciliação e partilha. A Marta lembra-se de quando era criança e fazia o folar com a avó. A massa tinha de levedar várias horas, e o cheiro do forno era maravilhoso. No Domingo de Páscoa, levavam o folar para casa dos padrinhos, como sinal de respeito e carinho. Hoje, a Marta faz questão de manter a tradição com os filhos. Embora a vida seja mais corrida, ela acredita que estes gestos ajudam a manter vivas as ligações familiares e culturais. Para ela, o verdadeiro sabor da Páscoa está nessas memórias e no amor que se partilha.

TRANSLATIONS

🐣 Story A1 – Easter Sunday

On Easter Sunday, Ana’s family goes to church in the morning. Then, they all go to Grandma’s house. The table is full of food: roast goat, eggs, bread and sweets. The children look for chocolate eggs in the garden. Ana finds three eggs. She is very happy. Grandma gives colourful almonds to everyone. It’s a special day with the family. Everyone eats, talks, and laughs together. In the evening, Ana is tired but happy. Easter is a beautiful celebration.

🐰 Story A2 – The Easter Visit

In Miguel’s village, there is an old Easter tradition: the Easter Visit. On Sunday or Monday, the priest and two helpers go from house to house with a cross. People kiss the cross and receive a blessing. Miguel and his family clean the house and prepare sweets, like folar (Easter bread) and rice pudding. When the priest arrives, they offer a little Port wine and cake. It’s a way to celebrate faith and be with the community. Miguel likes this tradition because it brings neighbours and friends together. Children get chocolate eggs and run around the yard. It’s a joyful and meaningful time.

🌼 Story B1 – The Meaning of Easter Folar

In many regions of Portugal, it is customary to give folar at Easter. It is a sweet or savoury bread, often decorated with boiled eggs in their shells. Tradition says that folar represents friendship, reconciliation, and sharing. Marta remembers making folar with her grandmother as a child. The dough had to rise for several hours, and the smell from the oven was wonderful. On Easter Sunday, they would take the folar to the godparents’ house as a sign of respect and affection. Today, Marta makes sure to keep the tradition alive with her children. Even though life is busier now, she believes these gestures help keep family and cultural ties strong. For her, the true flavour of Easter lies in those memories and the love that is shared.

Já leste este livro?

O tema esta semana é livros - The theme this week is books.

Inspiration this week is from a love of reading and preparation for a new class I will be running in person here in Central Portugal. We’re going to read a book over a 12 week course in Portuguese, and have a focus on one verb per week. This, I hope, will help everyone in the A2 - B1 + group in their goal to get more accurate with the verbs and by reading a book where we can read natural dialogues between people, come closer to the goal of fluency and having meaningful conversations here. Check out the course calendar for details of the courses running - we restart the week of April 13th with new courses online and in person.

How many of these words related to books did you know? If you want to lay about with the words, check out the Quizlet set I’ve made. You can hear the audio of the words, do learning activities, tests and games - when learning is fun, it is usually very effective :)

capa - cover

página - page

lombada - spine

autor - author

editor - publisher

biblioteca - library

livraria - bookshop

romance - work of fiction

conto - tale

poesia - poetry

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with.  Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

This week we’ve have quirky stories inspired by the author Douglas Adams. Já leste À Boleia pela Galaxia? You can see the book here and read an extract in Portuguese (click Ler)

A0 / A1

O João vive num apartamento pequeno em Lisboa com uma torradeira muito estranha. A torradeira fala. Todas as manhãs, ela diz “Bom dia, João” e pergunta sobre o sentido da vida. O João não gosta muito disso, mas precisa de torradas.

Hoje, o João quer apenas um pequeno-almoço simples. Ele coloca pão na torradeira. A torradeira suspira e diz: “O pão é apenas o início.” O João olha para a torradeira. Ele pensa: “Isto não é normal.”

A vizinha, a Dona Maria, toca à porta. Ela traz um gato e um mapa do universo. O João abre a porta e diz: “Eu só quero comer.” A torradeira responde: “Ninguém quer só isso.”

A2

A Inês sempre pensou que a sua vida era perfeitamente normal até ao dia em que encontrou um elevador que não respeitava andares. O prédio tinha cinco pisos, mas o elevador mostrava botões como “Ontem”, “Talvez” e “Nunca Mais”.

No início, ela achou que era uma brincadeira. Carregou em “Talvez” e o elevador começou a tocar música clássica enquanto subia — ou descia, ela nunca percebeu bem. Quando as portas abriram, a Inês viu um escritório cheio de plantas que discutiam política.

Um homem chamado Rui estava sentado numa cadeira giratória e disse: “Demoraste.” A Inês ficou confusa. Ela nunca tinha estado ali antes, mas o Rui agia como se isso não fosse importante.

B1+

O Carlos descobriu um problema sério na terça-feira de manhã: o seu relógio decidiu avançar cinco minutos sempre que ele pensava demasiado. No início, pareceu uma coincidência, mas depois de perder três reuniões e um café, ele aceitou a situação.

O relógio não fazia barulho nem dava sinais especiais. Apenas avançava. Carlos tentou pensar em coisas simples, como pão ou sapatos, mas a sua mente insistia em perguntas difíceis, como “porque existem segundas-feiras?”

Na quarta tentativa de sair de casa a horas, ele encontrou a Sofia no elevador. Ela olhou para o relógio dele e disse: “Ah, já tens um desses.” Carlos ficou em silêncio durante alguns segundos, o que, infelizmente, fez o relógio avançar mais cinco minutos.

Translations of the stories:

A0/A1

João lives in a small apartment in Lisbon with a very strange toaster. The toaster talks. Every morning, it says “Good morning, João” and asks about the meaning of life. João does not like this very much, but he needs toast.

Today, João only wants a simple breakfast. He puts bread in the toaster. The toaster sighs and says: “Bread is only the beginning.” João looks at the toaster. He thinks: “This is not normal.”

His neighbour, Dona Maria, knocks on the door. She brings a cat and a map of the universe. João opens the door and says: “I just want to eat.” The toaster replies: “Nobody wants only that.”

A2

Inês had always thought her life was perfectly normal until the day she found a lift that did not respect floors. The building had five levels, but the lift showed buttons like “Yesterday”, “Maybe” and “Never Again”.

At first, she thought it was a joke. She pressed “Maybe” and the lift began to play classical music while going up — or down, she never quite understood. When the doors opened, Inês saw an office full of plants discussing politics.

A man called Rui was sitting in a swivel chair and said: “You’re late.” Inês was confused. She had never been there before, but Rui behaved as if that did not matter.

B1+

Carlos discovered a serious problem on Tuesday morning: his watch decided to move forward five minutes whenever he thought too much. At first, it seemed like a coincidence, but after missing three meetings and a coffee, he accepted the situation.

The watch made no noise and gave no special signs. It simply moved forward. Carlos tried to think about simple things, like bread or shoes, but his mind insisted on difficult questions, such as “why do Mondays exist?”

On his fourth attempt to leave home on time, he met Sofia in the lift. She looked at his watch and said: “Ah, you already have one of those.” Carlos stayed silent for a few seconds, which, unfortunately, made the watch move forward another five minutes.

Como se chama aquele pássaro?

O tema esta semana é a vida selvagem - The theme this week is wildlife.

I was inspired by a downoad I got (free here) , from the SPEA - Sociedade Portuguesa para o estudo das aves beautifully detailing and describing some of the most common birds here in Portugal. Check out their website - they do some great stuff and have interesting informação there também.

Here are some common birds - pássaros (small birds) and aves (generic word for birds) ** There’s a list of useful words on this topic at the end of the post too**

Some of these words we use in other contexts - for example a gaivota is also a pedalo (a pedal powered boat you can rent on lakes / by the sea) and a papagaio is also a kite (toy attached to a string that flies in the sky)

pardal - sparrow

pombo - pigeon (or dove)

melro - black bird

gaivota - seagull

águia - eagle

garça - heron

coruja - owl

tordo - thrush

andorinha - swallow

papagaio - parrot

chapim azul - blue tit

pisco de peito ruivo - robin

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with.  Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0 / A1

A Ana vive numa aldeia pequena perto da serra. Todos os dias, ela caminha na natureza. Ela gosta de ver os animais e ouvir os sons da floresta. Hoje, a Ana encontra um coelho branco. O coelho corre rápido, mas depois para e olha para ela. A Ana sorri e fica quieta. Também há pássaros nas árvores. Eles cantam muito alto. O sol brilha e o ar é fresco. A Ana leva pão e água na mochila. Ela senta-se numa pedra e observa tudo com atenção. Para a Ana, a natureza é calma e bonita. Ela sente-se feliz ali e quer voltar amanhã para ver mais animais.

A2

No sábado, o Miguel e a Rita foram caminhar num parque natural. Durante o percurso, ouviram um barulho nos arbustos.

“Ouviste isto?”, perguntou a Rita.
“Sim, deve ser um animal”, respondeu o Miguel.

De repente, apareceu um veado. Eles ficaram muito quietos.
“Olha, que bonito!”, disse a Rita em voz baixa.

O veado olhou para eles durante alguns segundos e depois fugiu. Mais tarde, encontraram um guarda florestal.
“Viram algum animal?”, perguntou ele.
“Sim, vimos um veado!”, respondeu o Miguel.

O guarda sorriu e explicou algumas regras para proteger a natureza. No final do dia, a Rita disse:
“Gostei muito deste dia.”
“Eu também. Vamos voltar”, respondeu o Miguel.

B1+

A Sofia trabalha como bióloga numa reserva natural. Num dia de trabalho, ela observa um grupo de lobos. Enquanto escreve no seu caderno, ouve passos atrás dela.

“Está tudo bem?”, pergunta um colega, o João.
“Sim, estou a seguir os lobos desde manhã”, responde a Sofia.

De repente, um dos lobos aproxima-se mais do que o normal.
“O que fazemos agora?”, pergunta o João.
“Mantemos a calma e ficamos quietos”, diz a Sofia.

O lobo observa-os por alguns segundos e depois afasta-se. A Sofia respira fundo.
“Isto é raro”, diz ela.

Mais tarde, ela explica ao João como os lobos comunicam.
“É por isso que o nosso trabalho é importante”, afirma a Sofia.

O João concorda e sorri. Foi um dia intenso, mas muito especial.

Translations of the stories:

A0 / A1

Ana lives in a small village near the mountains. Every day, she walks in nature. She likes to see animals and hear the sounds of the forest. Today, Ana finds a white rabbit. The rabbit runs fast, but then stops and looks at her. Ana smiles and stays still. There are also birds in the trees. They sing very loudly. The sun shines and the air is fresh. Ana carries bread and water in her backpack. She sits on a rock and observes everything carefully. For Ana, nature is calm and beautiful. She feels happy there and wants to return tomorrow to see more animals.

A2

On Saturday, Miguel and Rita went walking in a natural park. During the walk, they heard a noise in the bushes.

“Did you hear that?” Rita asked.
 “Yes, it must be an animal,” Miguel replied.

Suddenly, a deer appeared. They stayed very still.
 “Look, how beautiful!” Rita said quietly.

The deer looked at them for a few seconds and then ran away. Later, they met a forest ranger.
 “Did you see any animals?” he asked.
 “Yes, we saw a deer!” Miguel replied.

The ranger smiled and explained some rules to protect nature. At the end of the day, Rita said:
 “I really liked this day.”
 “Me too. Let’s come back,” Miguel replied.

B1+

Sofia works as a biologist in a nature reserve. On a workday, she observes a group of wolves. While writing in her notebook, she hears footsteps behind her.

“Is everything alright?” asks a colleague, João.
 “Yes, I have been following the wolves since morning,” Sofia replies.

Suddenly, one of the wolves comes closer than usual.
 “What do we do now?” João asks.
 “We stay calm and remain still,” Sofia says.

The wolf watches them for a few seconds and then moves away. Sofia takes a deep breath.
 “This is rare,” she says.

Later, she explains to João how wolves communicate.
 “That is why our work is important,” Sofia states.

João agrees and smiles. It was an intense but very special day.

AND Useful words on the theme of 🐾 Animais

Animais domésticos

• cão

• gato

• coelho

• galinha

• cavalo

Animais selvagens

• lobo

• raposa

• veado

• urso

• javali

Aves (pássaros)

• águia

• coruja

• pardal

• pombo

• gaivota

Animais marinhos

• peixe

• golfinho

• baleia

• polvo

• tubarão

Insetos e pequenos animais

• formiga

• abelha

• borboleta

• aranha

• escaravelho

📝 Palavras para descrever animais

Tamanho

• grande

• pequeno

• médio

Cor

• castanho

• preto

• branco

• cinzento

• colorido

Características físicas

• tem asas

• tem pelo

• tem penas

• tem escamas

• tem cauda

• tem patas

Movimento

·         corre

·         voa

·         nada

·         salta

·         rasteja

Comportamento

·         rápido

·         lento

·         calmo

·         perigoso

·         amigável

·         selvagem

🌿 Habitats (ambientes naturais)

·         floresta

·         selva

·         deserto

·         oceano / mar

·         rio

·         lago

·         montanha / serra

·         campo

·         savana

🌱 Elementos da natureza / plantas

·         árvore

·         planta

·         flor

·         relva

·         folha

·         raiz

·         tronco

Mora numa casa ou num apartamento?

O tema esta semana é casa - The theme this week is house and home.

Did you know - Sabia? When we use the definite article (a = the) with the word casa, it means house. But when we do not, it means home. So, let’s exemplify this:

Vou à casa da minha irmã - I’m going to my sister’s house.
Vou ficar em casa hoje à noite - I’m going to stay at home tonight.

Here are some idiomatic expressions related to house and home. These are super interesting, and nice for learning new words, but be carefula bout using them, they need to be used in the correct context and correctly.

passar pelas brasas - have a nap (lit. pass over the hot coals)

surdo como uma porta - very deaf (lit. deaf as a door)

é outra loiça - it's better quality (lit. it's other crockery)

estar em maus lençóis - be in trouble (lit. be in bad sheets)

ser bom garfo - appreciate food (lit. be a good fork)

não ter eira nem beira - be very poor (lit. not have threshing circle or edge)

atirar o barro à parede - attempt to get what you want (lit. throw the clay at the wall)

de cortar à faca - heavy atmosphere (lit. of cutting with the knife)

estúpido como uma porta - very stupid (lit. stupid as a door)

entrar em parafuso - go mad (lit. enter in screw)

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the words for you to play about with.  Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0 / A1  A nova casa

A Maria e o João estão felizes. Eles têm uma nova casa.

— Gosto da sala! É grande! — diz o João.
— Sim, e a cozinha é bonita! — responde a Maria.

A casa tem dois quartos e um jardim pequeno.

— O jardim é perfeito para o nosso cão! — diz o João.
— Sim! Vamos comprar flores também! — diz a Maria.

A Maria e o João estão cansados. Há muitas caixas para abrir.

— Vamos descansar primeiro? — pergunta o João.
— Boa ideia! — responde a Maria.

Eles sentam-se no sofá e bebem um chá.

A2  O vizinho misterioso

A Ana mudou-se para um novo apartamento. No primeiro dia, conheceu alguns vizinhos, mas um deles parece estranho.

— Quem mora na porta ao lado? — pergunta a Ana à senhora do terceiro andar.
— Um homem muito reservado. Nunca fala com ninguém.

A Ana vê o vizinho no elevador. Ele tem um chapéu preto e óculos escuros.

— Bom dia! — diz a Ana.
O homem acena com a cabeça, mas não responde.

Uma semana depois, Ana recebe uma carta na sua caixa de correio:
"Bem-vinda ao prédio! Precisa de alguma coisa? Conte comigo!"

A carta não tem nome, mas a Ana reconhece a letra: é do vizinho misterioso.

B1+  A casa assombrada

O Luís e a Catarina compraram uma casa antiga no campo. Depois da mudança, algo estranho começou a acontecer.

— Ouvimos passos à noite! — diz a Catarina.
— Deve ser o vento… — responde o Luís.

Mas uma noite, a porta do sótão abriu-se sozinha. O Luís pegou numa lanterna e subiu as escadas devagar.

— Há alguém aqui? — perguntou.

De repente, algo caiu no chão. A Catarina gritou. O Luís iluminou o canto escuro e viu… um gato!

— É só um gato? — perguntou a Catarina, rindo.
— Sim! Deve ter entrado por uma janela aberta.

Na manhã seguinte, decidiram adotá-lo. Afinal, a casa não estava assombrada… só precisava de um novo morador!

Here are the translations of the stories:

A0 / A1   The new house

Maria and João are happy. They have a new house.

"I like the living room! It's big!" says João.
 "Yes, and the kitchen is beautiful!" replies Maria.

The house has two bedrooms and a small garden.

"The garden is perfect for our dog!" says João.
 "Yes! Let's buy flowers too!" says Maria.

Maria and João are tired. There are many boxes to open.

"Shall we rest first?" asks João.
 "Good idea!" replies Maria.

They sit on the sofa and drink a tea.

A2   The mysterious neighbour

Ana moved to a new apartment. On the first day, she met some neighbours, but one of them seemed strange.

"Who lives next door?" Ana asks the lady from the third floor.
 "A very reserved man. He never talks to anyone."

Ana sees the neighbour in the lift. He wears a black hat and dark glasses.

"Good morning!" says Ana.
 The man nods but does not reply.

A week later, Ana receives a letter in her mailbox:
 "Welcome to the building! If you need anything, count on me!"

The letter has no name, but Ana recognises the handwriting: it’s from the mysterious neighbour.

B1  The haunted house

Luís and Catarina bought an old house in the countryside. After moving in, something strange started happening.

"We hear footsteps at night!" says Catarina.
 "It must be the wind..." replies Luís.

But one night, the attic door opened on its own. Luís grabbed a torch and slowly went upstairs.

"Is anyone here?" he asked.

Suddenly, something fell to the floor. Catarina screamed. Luís shone the light into a dark corner and saw… a cat!

"Just a cat?" asked Catarina, laughing.
 "Yes! It must have come in through an open window."

The next morning, they decided to adopt it. After all, the house wasn’t haunted… it just needed a new resident!

Gostas de estudar?

Bem-vindos ao Blog! O tema esta semana é escola - The theme this week is school.

Here are some words related to things we use at school (and in the office too).

o dossiê - the ring binder

fita - tape

o agrafador - the stapler

tesoura - scissors

calculadora - calculator

cola - glue

agenda - diary

borracha - ruber

lapiseira - propelling pencil

esferográfica - biro, ballpoint pen

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases above (and more) for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0 / A1  O Primeiro Dia do João na Escola Nova

O João chega à escola. Ele está nervoso. Olha para os outros alunos. Não conhece ninguém.  Uma professora sorri para ele.
— Olá! Como te chamas? — pergunta.
— Chamo-me João.
— Bem-vindo, João! Eu sou a professora Ana. Entra, por favor.
O João entra na sala. Os alunos falam e riem. Ele senta-se. Uma rapariga ao lado dele diz:
— Olá! Eu sou a Marta.
— Olá! Eu sou o João.
A professora começa a aula. O João respira fundo. Vai correr tudo bem!

A2  O Primeiro Dia na Universidade

O Pedro entra na universidade com a mochila às costas. Olha para o horário no telemóvel. Primeira aula: História. Ele encontra a sala e entra.
— Bom dia! Posso sentar-me aqui? — pergunta a uma rapariga.
— Claro! Eu sou a Sofia.
— Eu sou o Pedro. É a tua primeira aula?
— Sim! Estou um pouco nervosa.
— Eu também. Mas acho que vai correr bem!
O professor entra na sala e sorri.
— Bom dia a todos! Bem-vindos à universidade!  O Pedro relaxa. Está no sítio certo.

B1+  Uma Nova Fase para a Rita
A Rita entra no campus da faculdade pela primeira vez. Tudo parece enorme. Procura a sala de aula, mas perde-se.
— Precisas de ajuda? — pergunta um rapaz.
— Sim, estou à procura da sala duzentos e três.
— Ah! Eu também vou para lá. Anda comigo!
No caminho, conversam.
— Como te chamas? — pergunta ele.
— Rita. E tu?
— Miguel. Que curso escolheste?
— Psicologia.
— Que giro! Eu estou em Ciências da Educação.
Chegam à sala. O professor já lá está. A Rita respira fundo. O primeiro dia pode ser assustador, mas conhecer novas pessoas ajuda.

Here are the translations of the stories:

A0/ A1   João’s First Day at the New School

João arrives at school. He is nervous. He looks at the other students. He doesn’t know anyone.   A teacher smiles at him.
 — Hello! What’s your name? — she asks.
 — My name is João.
 — Welcome, João! I’m teacher Ana. Come in, please.
 João enters the classroom. The students are talking and laughing. He sits down. A girl next to him says:
 — Hello! I’m Marta.
 — Hello! I’m João.
 The teacher starts the lesson. João takes a deep breath. It’s going to go well.

A2  The First Day at University

Pedro enters the university with his backpack on his shoulders. He looks at the timetable on his phone. First class: History. He finds the room and goes in.
 — Good morning! Can I sit here? — he asks a girl.
 — Of course! I’m Sofia.
 — I’m Pedro. Is this your first class?
 — Yes! I’m a little nervous.
 — Me too. But I think it’ll go well!
 The professor enters the room and smiles.
 — Good morning, everyone! Welcome to university!  Pedro relaxes. He is in the right place.

B1+  A New Stage for Rita

Rita enters the university campus for the first time. Everything looks huge. She looks for her classroom but gets lost.
 — Do you need help? — a boy asks.
 — Yes, I’m looking for room 203.
 — Ah! I’m going there too. Come with me!
 On the way, they chat.
 — What’s your name? — he asks.
 — Rita. And you?
 — Miguel. What course did you choose?
 — Psychology.
 — That’s cool! I’m in Educational Sciences.
 They arrive at the classroom. The professor is already there. Rita takes a deep breath. The first day can be scary, but meeting new people helps.

É o Carnaval!

Na semana passada celebrámos o Carnaval na terça-feira aqui em Portugal. - Last week we celebrated Carnival on Tuesday here in Portugal. (Shrove Tuesday in the UK) so this week let’s have Carnaval as the tema, here are some related words.

o desfile - the parade

carros alegóricos - decorated floats

cabeçudos - figures with giant heads

palhaço - clown

assistir ao desfile do corso - to watch the carnival parade

mascarar-se - dress up

divertir-se - to have fun

foliões - revellers

Entrudo - Shrove

quaresma - lent

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases above (and more) for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

A0 / A1

A Maria e o João estão na rua. Hoje há um desfile de Carnaval. Muitas pessoas estão a assistir. Há música e dança. O João gosta dos tambores. A Maria gosta das cores.

Um carro grande passa. Há homens e mulheres com fatos brilhantes. Eles sorriem e acenam. As crianças riem e saltam.

A Maria come pipocas. O João bebe sumo. Eles estão felizes. O desfile continua pela rua. Há muitas máscaras e chapéus engraçados. O Carnaval é muito divertido!

A2

O Carlos e a Sofia estão a ver o desfile de Carnaval na praça. Há muitas pessoas mascaradas. Algumas usam fatos tradicionais, outras têm roupas modernas e brilhantes.

De repente, a Sofia vê alguém familiar. “Carlos, olha! Aquele palhaço é parecido com o meu irmão!” O palhaço dança e acena para eles. A Sofia ri. “É mesmo o meu irmão! Que surpresa!”

O irmão dela atira confetes para o ar. O vento espalha-os por toda a praça. “O Carnaval tem sempre surpresas,” diz o Carlos, a sorrir.  Eles continuam a ver o desfile, cheios de alegria.

B1+

A Helena adora o Carnaval. Todos os anos, vai à cidade ver o desfile. Este ano, está especialmente animada porque há um concurso para o melhor disfarce.

A rua está cheia de cor e música. Os carros alegóricos passam, cheios de dançarinos com roupas brilhantes. De repente, a Helena vê uma mulher com um fato espetacular: parece uma rainha do Carnaval, com penas douradas e uma máscara trabalhada.

Quando anunciam o vencedor do concurso, a Helena sorri – a mulher com as penas douradas ganhou! “Bem merecido!”, pensa ela. Enquanto a música continua, a Helena promete que no próximo ano também vai participar no concurso.

 Here are the translations of the stories:

A0/ A1 
 Maria and João are on the street. Today, there is a carnival parade. Many people are watching. There is music and dancing. João likes the drums. Maria likes the colours.

A big float passes. There are men and women in shiny costumes. They smile and wave. The children laugh and jump.

Maria eats popcorn. João drinks juice. They are happy. The parade continues down the street. There are many masks and funny hats. Carnival is lots of fun!

A2 
 Carlos and Sofia are watching the carnival parade in the square. There are many people in costumes. Some wear traditional outfits, others have modern and shiny clothes.

Suddenly, Sofia sees someone familiar. “Carlos, look! That clown looks like my brother!” The clown dances and waves at them. Sofia laughs. “It really is my brother! What a surprise!”

Her brother throws confetti into the air. The wind spreads it all over the square. “Carnival always has surprises,” says Carlos, smiling. They continue watching the parade, full of joy.

B1 
 Helena loves Carnival. Every year, she goes to the city to watch the parade. This year, she is especially excited because there is a contest for the best costume.

The street is full of colour and music. The floats pass by, full of dancers in bright clothes. Suddenly, Helena sees a woman in a spectacular costume: she looks like a Carnival queen, with golden feathers and an elaborate mask.

When they announce the contest winner, Helena smiles – the woman with golden feathers has won! “Well deserved!” she thinks. As the music continues, Helena promises that next year she will take part in the contest too.

Vamos ao mercado?

Aqui em Portugal temos muitas feiras semanais e mensais- weekly and monthly markets - where you can buy local fresh produce , clothes, tools. plants and sometimes local handicrafts and secondhand goods. Por exemplo in Espinho : Sábados, das 7h às 19h (um dos maiores), Estremoz (Mercado Semanal): Sábados de manhã, tradicional mercado alentejano. Tomar/Vila do Conde/Vila Real/Guimarães/Viana do Castelo: Sextas-feiras., Barcelos (Campo da República): Quinta-feira (tradicionalmente). e Lisboa (Feira da Ladra): Terças e Sábados, em Alfama.

Most markets run from the early morning to lunchtime, and in addition, most towns have a market hall - mercado - where you can buy fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, cheese and bread every morning.

As this week’s theme is o mercado, here are some useful words for going shopping, these (link to QUizlet het here) are good for the customer.:

queria - I'd like

dê-me - I'll have (lit. give me)

tem? - do you have?

quanto custa? - how much does it cost?

qual é o preço de? - what's the price of?

também - also

é só - that's all

não tenho moedas - I don't have coins

And these (link to Quizlet set here) are the possible replies / questions that the shopkeeper might use:

faz favor - please (tell me what you want)

diga - speak (I am ready to serve you)

aqui tem - here you are

é só? - is that all?

mais alguma coisa? - anything else? (lit. more some thing)

são dois euros - it is two euros

tem os cinquenta cêntimos? - do you have the fifty cents?

aqui está o seu troco - here is your change

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

Every week we send out an email with all the information here plus details on how to join the weekly chat group.
Sign up here!

Here are texts for this week with the translations below:

A0 / A1

Vendedor: Diga, se faz favor.
Cliente: Queria duas maçãs e três laranjas, faz favor.
Vendedor: Aqui tem.  Mais alguma coisa?
Cliente: Não, é só.  Quanto é?
Vendedor: As maçãs são dois euros o quilo e as laranjas, três euros o quilo. No total, são três euros e meio.
Cliente: Aqui tem cinco euros.
Vendedor: Tem os cinquenta cêntimos?
Cliente: Não tenho moedas, desculpe.
Vendedor: Sem problema.  Aqui está o seu troco.
Cliente: Obrigada!

A2

Cliente: Queria um quilo de tomates e meio quilo de pepinos, faz favor.
Vendedor: Aqui tem os tomates e os pepinos.
Cliente: A como são?
Vendedor: Os tomates são dois euros o quilo e os pepinos um euro o quilo. Mais alguma coisa?
Cliente: Não, é só.  Quanto custa tudo?
Vendedor: São dois euros e meio.
Cliente: Aqui tem três euros.
Vendedor: Tem os cinquenta cêntimos?
Cliente: Não tenho moedas hoje, desculpe.
Vendedor: Aqui está o seu troco.
Cliente: Obrigada!

B1+

Cliente: Bom dia! Queria dois quilos de batatas, um quilo de cebolas e meio quilo de morangos, faz favor.

Vendedor: Bom dia! Aqui tem as batatas e as cebolas. Os morangos são frescos e bem doces hoje.

Cliente: Que bom! Quais são os maiores?

Vendedor: Estes aqui são maiores e mais maduros. São um pouco mais caros.

Cliente: Qual é o preço dos maiores?

Vendedor: Os morangos normais são cinco euros o quilo. Os maiores e maduros custam seis euros.

Cliente: Vou levar os maiores. As batatas, são todas iguais?

Vendedor: Não. Temos batatas novas, que são mais macias, ou estas, que são mais farinhentas.
Cliente: Prefiro as novas. Mais uma coisa: tem alface fresca?

Vendedor: Sim, acabámos de receber esta alface bem fresca e crocante.

Cliente: Vou levar uma cabeça de alface também. Quanto custa?

Vendedor: Um euro

Cliente: Quanto é tudo?

Vendedor: As batatas são um euro por quilo, as cebolas dois euros por quilo e os morangos, seis euros. No total, são onze euros e meio.

Cliente: Aqui tem doze euros.

Vendedor: Tem os cinquenta cêntimos?

Cliente: Não tenho moedas. Desculpe.

Vendedor: Não há problema.  Aqui está o seu troco. Obrigado e boa tarde!

Cliente: Obrigada. Até à próxima!

Here are the translations of the dialogues:

A0 / A1 
   Vendedor: Speak, please. 
   Customer: I’d like two apples and three oranges, please.
   Vendedor: Here you are.    Anything else?
   Customer: No, that’s all.  How   much is it?
   Vendedor: The apples are two euros per kilo and the oranges, three   euros per kilo. In total, it’s three and a half euros.
   Customer: Do you have the fifty cents?
   Customer: I don’t have coins, sorry.
   Vendedor: No problem. Here is your change.
   Customer: Thank you!

A2 
   Customer: I’d like one kilo of tomatoes and half a kilo of cucumbers,   please.
   Vendor: Here are the tomatoes and cucumbers.
   Customer: How much are they?
   Vendor: The tomatoes are two euros per kilo and the cucumbers one euro   per kilo.  Anything else?
   Customer: No, that’s all.  How   much is everything?
   Vendor: It’s two euros fifty.
   Customer: Do you have the fifty cents?
   Customer: I don’t have coins today, sorry.
   Vendor: Here is your change.
   Customer: Thank you!

 B1

 Customer: Good morning! I’d like two kilos of potatoes, one kilo of onions, and half a kilo of strawberries, please.

Vendor: Good morning! Here are the potatoes and onions. The strawberries are fresh and very sweet today.

Customer: Great! Which are the largest ones?

Vendor: These here are larger and riper. They’re a bit more expensive.

Customer: What’s the price for the larger ones?

Vendor: The regular strawberries are five euros per kilo. The larger and riper ones cost six euros.

Customer: I’ll take the larger ones. Are all the potatoes the same?

Vendor: No. We have new potatoes, which are softer, or these, which are more floury.

Customer: I prefer the new ones. One more thing: do you have fresh lettuce?

Vendor: Yes, we just got this lettuce, very fresh and crunchy.

Customer: I’ll take a head of lettuce too. How much is it?

Vendor: One euro. 

Customer: How much is everything?

Vendor: The potatoes are one euro per kilo, the onions two euros per kilo, and the strawberries six euros. In total, it’s eleven and a half euros.

Customer: Here’s twelve euros.

Vendor: Do you have fifty cents?

Customer: I don’t have any coins. Sorry.

Vendor: No problem. Here is your change. Thank you and have a good afternoon!

Customer: Thank you. See you next time!

Muito vento... Muita chuva!

Olá! Uau! - Wow- We’ve been experiencing very unusual extreme weather here in Central Portugal, and it will take a long time to restore the normality that we have been used to. Successive storms have destroyed and damaged infrastructure and houses and challenged repair work. Many areas are currenly under flood alert, thousands have been moved from areas near the major rivers, many thousands still without power after tempestade Kristin, and most people are feeling the effects of this ‘comboio de tempestades’ . You can read about it here on Wikipedia. What we see and hear here though is so much soledariadade - many people helping others, giving their time and sharing resources to help each other get though this difficult time.

Speaking personally, we were lucky, just a few tiles skipped off the roof - voaram - (damaging others on their way) and only one tree - uma laranjeira - partly destoyed. We were sem luz for cinco dias and sem internet dez dias. The persistent torrential rain is making its way into the house… through windows, chimney and weak points in the (new…) roof. Ainda não temos - We still don’t have any phone signal, so today in order to check my data usage (I’m using my backup internet system which is limited usage, as is the whole household) the usual 3 minute process of logging into the site and needing a phone verification code meant a 1.5 hour round trip to finally find a place with both phone and internet signal… and I live in a well populated area with a lot of towns and villages. For those living further out life is very tricky, we’ve become very reliant on having phone and internet for our everyday life!

So, here at Portuguese Language Lessons, we are taking a little bit of time to get back up to speed with the ‘back office’ of tasks such as this blog post and the usual weekly emails. The regular online lessons and classes have all been running as usual since the beginning of last week, but due to the persistent adverse weather the in person classes have been cancelled and admin tasks have fallen behind.

So with all this in mind, I thought the theme for the week could be adverse weather! Let’s get on with the usual blog post :)

Every week we send out an email with a weekly theme containing: words; a link to a Quizlet set to practise and play with the words; stories or dialogues at 3 different levels and an invitation to join the weekly chat group. Now you can find all this here in one place. ** If you’d like to sign up to the email, you can do so here.

Related to this week’s theme are some words:

a tempestade the storm

chuva rain

vento wind

trovão thunder

relâmpago lightning

a inundação flood

o guarda-chuva umbrella

a eletricidade electricity

estragos damages

aviso meteorológico weather warning

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases above (and more) for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

The texts for this week with the translations below are here:

A0 / A1

A Ana vive em Lisboa. Hoje há uma tempestade forte. Chove muito e faz muito vento. As árvores mexem-se e algumas folhas caem no chão. A Ana ouve o som da chuva na janela. Na rua, há pouca gente. Muitos carros andam devagar.

A Ana não vai ao trabalho de carro. Ela vai de metro, porque é mais seguro. No caminho, ela vê guarda-chuvas partidos. Algumas lojas fecham mais cedo. A Ana compra pão e leite no supermercado. Em casa, ela fecha bem as janelas e liga a televisão. O apresentador fala da tempestade e dá conselhos. A Ana bebe um chá quente e fica tranquila. Ela envia uma mensagem à mãe para saber se está bem.

A2

O Miguel vive no Porto e ontem houve uma grande tempestade. De manhã, ele ouviu trovões e viu chuva forte. Quando saiu de casa, o vento quase levou o seu guarda-chuva. Na rua, algumas pessoas ficaram molhadas e procuraram abrigo.

O Miguel foi trabalhar, mas os transportes tiveram atrasos. No escritório, todos falaram do mau tempo. À tarde, a eletricidade falhou durante alguns minutos e os computadores desligaram-se. Mais tarde, Miguel recebeu uma chamada da irmã, a Sofia. Ela disse que uma árvore caiu perto da escola do filho.

À noite, Miguel voltou para casa com cuidado. Viu estradas com água e alguns sinais caídos. Em casa, ele preparou sopa e ficou a ouvir as notícias. Ele sentiu-se cansado, mas feliz por estar seguro.

B1

A Carla mora em Coimbra e trabalha num pequeno café perto do rio. Durante a última semana, várias tempestades passaram por Portugal e a cidade mudou muito. A chuva intensa encheu as ruas de água e o vento forte partiu ramos de árvores. Algumas pessoas ficaram sem eletricidade e muitas escolas fecharam por um dia.

No café, a Carla recebeu clientes preocupados. Um senhor idoso, o Sr. António, contou que a sua garagem ficou inundada. Uma jovem chamada Beatriz mostrou fotos de um telhado danificado. Todos falavam da mesma coisa: o tempo está mais extremo e imprevisível.

A Carla também teve problemas. A porta do café não fechava bem por causa do vento e entrou água no chão. Ela limpou tudo com calma e continuou a trabalhar. No final do dia, a rua ficou mais silenciosa e o céu abriu um pouco.

Translations:

A0/A1

Ana lives in Lisbon. Today there is a strong storm. It rains a lot and it is very windy. The trees move and some leaves fall on the ground. Ana hears the sound of rain on the window. In the street, there are few people. Many cars drive slowly.

Ana does not go to work by car. She goes by metro, because it is safer. On the way, she sees broken umbrellas. Some shops close earlier. Ana buys bread and milk at the supermarket. At home, she closes the windows well and turns on the television. The presenter talks about the storm and gives advice. Ana drinks a hot tea and feels calm. She sends a message to her mother to check if she is alright.

A2

Miguel lives in Porto and yesterday there was a big storm. In the morning, he heard thunder and saw heavy rain. When he left home, the wind almost took his umbrella away. In the street, some people got wet and looked for shelter.

Miguel went to work, but public transport had delays. In the office, everyone talked about the bad weather. In the afternoon, the electricity failed for a few minutes and the computers switched off. Later, Miguel received a call from his sister, Sofia. She said that a tree fell near her son’s school.

At night, Miguel returned home carefully. He saw roads with water and some fallen signs. At home, he made soup and listened to the news. He felt tired, but happy to be safe.

B1 

Carla lives in Coimbra and works in a small café near the river. During the last week, several storms passed through Portugal and the city changed a lot. The heavy rain filled the streets with water and the strong wind broke tree branches. Some people were left without electricity and many schools closed for a day.

In the café, Carla received worried customers. An elderly man, Mr António, said that his garage was flooded. A young woman called Beatriz showed photos of a damaged roof. Everyone talked about the same thing: the weather is becoming more extreme and unpredictable.

Carla also had problems. The café door did not close properly because of the wind and water came in onto the floor. She cleaned everything calmly and continued working. At the end of the day, the street became quieter and the sky cleared a little.

Vamos ver um filme ou uma série?

Every week we send out an email with a weekly theme containing: words; a link to a Quizlet set to practise and play with the words; stories or dialogues at 3 different levels and an invitation to join the weekly chat group. Now you can find all this here in one place. ** If you’d like to sign up to the email, you can do so here.

This week’s theme is televisão e séries, here are some related words.

ação - action

comédia - comedy

drama - drama

romance - romance

documentário - documentary

terror - horror

fição científica - science fiction

musical - musical

mistério - mystery

espionagem – spy

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases above (and more) for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

The texts for this week with the translations below are here:

A0 / A1

"No Cinema"

Ana: Olá, Pedro! Queres ir ao cinema hoje?
Pedro: Sim, quero! Que filme vamos ver?
Ana: Há um comédia muito engraçado.
Pedro: Ótimo! A que horas começa?
Ana: Às sete. Compramos pipocas?
Pedro: Claro! Adoro pipocas no cinema.
Ana: Eu também. Vamos lá cedo para conseguir bons lugares.
Pedro: Boa ideia. Até já!

A2  "A Série Nova"

Sofia: Já viste a nova série na televisão?
João: Não, qual série?
Sofia: Chama-se "Mistério na Cidade". É muito interessante!
João: É sobre o quê?
Sofia: Um grupo de amigos que resolve mistérios. Tem suspense e humor.
João: Parece bom! Em que canal?
Sofia: No canal 5, todas as quintas às nove da noite.
João: Perfeito! Vou começar a ver esta semana.
Sofia: Vais gostar, tenho a certeza!

B1+  "Discussão Sobre Filmes"

Marta: Foste ver o filme novo que estreou ontem?
Luís: Fui, sim! É incrível!
Marta: Achas? Li algumas críticas e estavam divididas.
Luís: Eu gostei. A história é muito envolvente e os atores são excelentes.
Marta: E os efeitos especiais?
Luís: Espetaculares! Mas o final foi um pouco previsível.
Marta: Gosto de finais surpreendentes. Ainda assim, acho que vou ver.
Luís: Devias. Depois diz-me o que achaste!
Marta: Combinado. Assim podemos comparar opiniões.

Here are the translations of the stories:

A1
Ana: Hi, Pedro! Do you want to go to the cinema today?
Pedro: Yes, I do! Which film shall we watch?
Ana: There’s a very funny comedy film.
Pedro: Great! What time does it start?
Ana: At seven. Shall we buy popcorn?
Pedro: Of course! I love popcorn at the cinema.
Ana: Me too. Let’s go early to get good seats.
Pedro: Good idea. See you soon!

A2 Level
Sofia: Have you seen the new series on TV?
João: No, which series?
Sofia: It’s called "Mystery in the City". It’s very interesting!
João: What’s it about?
Sofia: A group of friends who solve mysteries. It has suspense and humour.
João: Sounds good! What channel is it on?
Sofia: On channel 5, every Thursday at nine in the evening.
João: Perfect! I’ll start watching this week.
Sofia: You’ll like it, I’m sure!

B1 Level
Marta: Did you go to see the new film that premiered yesterday?
Luís: I did! It’s amazing!
Marta: Really? I read some reviews and they were mixed.
Luís: I liked it. The story is very engaging, and the actors are excellent.
Marta: And the special effects?
Luís: Spectacular! But the ending was a bit predictable.
Marta: I like surprising endings. Even so, I think I’ll watch it.
Luís: You should. Let me know what you think after!
Marta: Deal. Then we can compare opinions.

Onde fica?

Every week we send out an email with a weekly theme containing: words; a link to a Quizlet set to practise and play with the words; stories or dialogues at 3 different levels and an invitation to join the weekly chat group. Now you can find all this here in one place. ** If you’d like to sign up to the email, you can do so here.

This week’s theme is directions - indicar o caminho, here are some related words. Watch the prepositions here! - em, ao, do etc.

em frente - straight ahead

do lado esquerdo - on the left hand side

do lado direito - on the right hand side

em frente de - in front of

vire à esquerda - turn to the left

vire à direita - turn to the right

na esquina - on the corner

ao lado de - next to

depois de - after

ao fundo - at the bottom

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases above (and more) for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

The texts for this week with the translations below are here:

A0 / A1

Ana sai de casa para ir ao supermercado. Ela caminha em frente e, quando chega na esquina, olha para o mapa. O supermercado fica do lado esquerdo, mas há um café do lado direito. Ana decide tomar um café primeiro. O café é pequeno e está ao lado de uma farmácia.

Depois de tomar o café, ela para em frente de uma praça bonita. No fundo da praça, ela vê uma placa que diz: "Supermercado: vire à esquerda." Ana vira e vê o supermercado. Lá, ela compra pão, frutas e flores. Quando sai, ela vê um parque do lado esquerdo da rua e descansa um pouco.

A2

João quer encontrar a biblioteca. Uma senhora diz: "Vá em frente até ao semáforo." João segue e passe o semáforo. A senhora continua: "Pare na esquina e atravesse a rua. Depois, vire na segunda à direita."

João faz tudo o que a senhora explica. Ele anda mais um pouco e chega a um pequeno parque. Uma placa indica: "Biblioteca - suba esta rua." João sobe e encontra a biblioteca. Fica logo na esquina e tem uma fachada amarela.

B1+

Marta planeia visitar uma galeria de arte pela primeira vez. Um guia dá as direções: "Vá até ao fim da rua e passe o cruzamento." Ele explica: "Contorne a rotunda e depois vá ao longo do rio. Quando chegar ao jardim, pare na esquina e procure a entrada."

Marta segue o guia. Ao chegar à galeria, ela percebe que há outra entrada. Um funcionário diz: "Atravesse a rua, suba esta rua, e a entrada principal é logo na esquina."

Depois de explorar a galeria, Marta fica encantada com as pinturas e promete voltar.

Here are the translations of the stories:

A0 /A1 
 Ana leaves her house to go to the supermarket. She walks straight ahead and, when she reaches the corner, looks at the map. The supermarket is on the left-hand side, but there is a café on the right-hand side. Ana decides to have a coffee first. The café is small and is next to a pharmacy.

After having her coffee, she stops in front of a beautiful square. At the end of the square, she sees a sign that says: "Supermarket: turn to the left." Ana turns and sees the supermarket. There, she buys bread, fruit, and flowers. When she leaves, she sees a park on the left-hand side of the road and rests for a while.

A2 Level
 João wants to find the library. A lady says: "Go straight on until the traffic light." João follows and passes the traffic light. The lady continues: "Stop at the corner and cross the road. Then, turn on the second right."

João does everything the lady explains. He walks a bit further and reaches a small park. A sign reads: "Library - go up this road." João goes up and finds the library. It is right on the corner and has a yellow façade.

B1 Level
 Marta plans to visit an art gallery for the first time. A guide gives her directions: "Go until the end of the road and pass the junction." He explains: "Go straight over the roundabout and then go along the river. When you reach the garden, stop at the corner and look for the entrance."

Marta follows the guide. Upon arriving at the gallery, she notices there is another entrance. An employee says: "Cross the road, go up this road, and the main entrance is right on the corner."

After exploring the gallery, Marta is enchanted by the paintings and promises to return.

Gosta de fazer compras?

Every week we send out an email with a weekly theme containing: words; a link to a Quizlet set to practise and play with the words; stories or dialogues at 3 different levels and an invitation to join the weekly chat group. Now you can find all this here in one place. ** If you’d like to sign up to the email, you can do so here.

This week’s theme is compras - shopping, here are some related words. (idioms! – these are interesting, but I don’t recommend using them as the context is very specific usually)

comprar gato por lebre - be cheated, buy poor quality products when you think you are getting quality (lit. buy cat for hare)
um mãos-largas - someone who spends or gives a lot of money (lit. a wide hands)
custar os olhos da cara - be very expensive (lit. cost the eyes of the face)
abrir os cordões à bolsa - pay or be willing to pay a lot (lit. open the stings of the purse)
um unhas de fome - someone who doesn't like to spend money (lit. a nails of hunger)
uma pechincha - a bargain
enterrar a unha - sell very expensive (lit. bury the nail)

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

The texts for this week with the translations below are here:

Nível A0/ A1

Maria: Olá! Quero comprar pão. Onde fica a padaria?
Vendedor: A padaria está ali, perto do mercado.
Maria: Obrigada. Quanto custa o pão?
Vendedor: Um pão custa um euro.
Maria: Quero dois pães, por favor.
Vendedor: Aqui estão. São dois euros.  Mais alguma coisa?
Maria: Não, aqui tem, obrigada. Boa tarde!
Vendedor: Boa tarde!

A2

João: Bom dia. Estou à procura de uma camisa azul.
Vendedora: Claro! Qual é o seu tamanho?
João: Normalmente uso M (médio).
Vendedora: Temos esta camisa aqui. Gosta?
João: Sim, parece boa. Quanto custa?
Vendedora: Está em promoção. Custa vinte e cinco euros.
João: Ótimo! Posso experimentar?
Vendedora: Claro, o provador está à direita.
João: (Depois de experimentar) Ficou perfeita. Vou levar.
Vendedora: Excelente escolha! Quer pagar em dinheiro ou cartão?
João: Cartão, por favor.

B1+

Clara: Boa tarde. Quero comprar um presente para o meu irmão. Tem alguma sugestão?
Atendente: Claro! O que ele gosta? Livros, tecnologia, roupa?
Clara: Ele adora gadgets. Tem algo interessante?
Atendente: Sim, este relógio inteligente é muito popular. Tem várias funções úteis.
Clara: Parece ótimo! E quanto custa?
Atendente: Está com desconto esta semana. Custa cento e vinte euros.
Clara: Hmm, está um pouco acima do meu orçamento. Tem algo mais em conta?
Atendente: Claro, temos estes auriculares sem fios por sessenta euros.
Clara: Boa ideia! Acho que ele vai gostar. Vou levar.
Atendente: Excelente escolha! Deseja que embrulhemos para presente?
Clara: Sim, por favor.

Here are the translations of the dialogues:

A0/A1 
 Maria: Hello! I want to buy bread. Where is the bakery?
 Seller: The bakery is over there, near the market.
 Maria: Thank you. How much is the bread?
 Seller: One loaf costs one euro.
 Maria: I’d like two loaves, please.
 Seller: Here you go. It’s 2€ Anything else?
 Maria: No, here you are, thank you. Good afternoon!
 Seller: Good afternoon!

A2 Level
 João: Good morning. I’m looking for a blue shirt.
 Saleswoman: Of course! What’s your size?
 João: I usually wear M (medium).
 Saleswoman: We have this shirt here. Do you like it?
 João: Yes, it looks good. How much is it?
 Saleswoman: It’s on sale. It costs 25 euros.
 João: Great! Can I try it on?
 Saleswoman: Of course, the fitting room is on the right.
 João: (After trying it on) It fits perfectly. I’ll take it.
 Saleswoman: Excellent choice! Would you like to pay in cash or by card?
 João: By card, please.

B1 Level
 Clara: Good afternoon. I want to buy a gift for my brother. Do you have any suggestions?
 Assistant: Of course! What does he like? Books, technology, clothes?
 Clara: He loves gadgets. Do you have anything interesting?
 Assistant: Yes, this smartwatch is very popular. It has several useful features.
 Clara: Sounds great! And how much is it?
 Assistant: It’s discounted this week. It costs 120 euros.
 Clara: Hmm, that’s a bit over my budget. Do you have anything more affordable?
 Assistant: Sure, we have these wireless headphones for 60 euros.
 Clara: Good idea! I think he’ll like them. I’ll take them.
 Assistant: Excellent choice! Would you like us to gift wrap it?
 Clara: Yes, please.

Vamos ao café?

Every week we send out an email with a weekly theme containing: words; a link to a Quizlet set to practise and play with the words; stories or dialogues at 3 different levels and an invitation to join the weekly chat group. Now you can find all this here in one place. ** If you’d like to sign up to the email, you can do so here.

This week’s theme is o café, here are some related words.

um café - an expresso

um galão - a latte

uma meia de leite - a milky coffee in a large cup

um abatanado - a large black coffee in a large cup

um abatanado pingado - a large black coffee in a large cup with a drop of milk

um chá preto com leite frio - a black tea with cold milk

um chá de camomila - a chamomile tea

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

The texts for this week with the translations below are here:

Nível A0/ A1
A Maria entra no café. Ela quer beber alguma coisa. Olha para a ementa.
— Quero um café, por favor — diz ao empregado.
O João entra também. Ele gosta de leite.
— Para mim, um galão.
A empregada sorri.
— E mais alguma coisa?
A Maria olha para o João.
— Não, obrigada. Está tudo bem.
Eles sentam-se e falam. O café está quente e o galão é doce.

Nível A2
O Pedro e a Ana estão numa esplanada. O Pedro pede um abatanado pingado. Ele gosta de café forte, mas com um pouco de leite.
A Ana pede uma meia de leite porque prefere bebidas menos fortes.
— Também vou pedir um bolo — diz a Ana.
— Boa ideia! — responde o Pedro.
Quando as bebidas chegam, eles provam e sorriem.
— Está ótimo! — diz o Pedro.
— E o meu também — responde a Ana.
Eles relaxam e aproveitam o sol.

Nível B1
A Carla e o Rui estão num café depois do trabalho. O Rui pede um chá preto com leite frio. Ele não quer café porque já bebeu muito hoje.
A Carla está cansada. Ela pede um chá de camomila para relaxar.
— Este chá é perfeito para acalmar — diz a Carla.
— Eu preciso de energia, por isso escolhi chá preto — responde o Rui.
Eles falam sobre o dia e fazem planos para o fim de semana. O Rui sugere visitar um novo café famoso por ter um abatanado excelente. A Carla concorda.
— Podemos experimentar também uma meia de leite ou um galão — diz ela.
Eles riem e continuam a conversa.

Translations of the dialogues

A1 Level
 Maria enters the café. She wants to drink something. She looks at the menu.
 — I’d like an espresso, please — she says to the waiter.
 João also comes in. He likes milk.
 — For me, a latte.
 The waitress smiles.
 — Anything else?
 Maria looks at João.
 — No, thank you. That’s all.
 They sit down and talk. The espresso is hot, and the latte is sweet.

A2 Level
 Pedro and Ana are at a café terrace. Pedro orders a large black coffee with a drop of milk. He likes strong coffee, but with a bit of milk.
 Ana orders a milky coffee because she prefers less strong drinks.
 — I’m also going to order a cake — says Ana.
 — Good idea! — replies Pedro.
 When the drinks arrive, they taste them and smile.
 — It’s great! — says Pedro.
 — Mine too — replies Ana.
 They relax and enjoy the sun.

B1 Level
 Carla and Rui are in a café after work. Rui orders a black tea with cold milk. He doesn’t want coffee because he’s already had too much today.
 Carla is tired. She orders a chamomile tea to relax.
 — This tea is perfect for calming down — says Carla.
 — I need energy, so I chose black tea — replies Rui.
 They talk about their day and make plans for the weekend. Rui suggests visiting a new café that’s famous for its excellent large black coffee. Carla agrees.
 — We can also try a milky coffee or a latte — she says.
 They laugh and continue their conversation.

Vamos falar sobre Natal! - Let's talk about Christmas!

Every week we send out an email with a weekly theme containing: words; a link to a Quizlet set to practise and play with the words; stories or dialogues at 3 different levels and an invitation to join the weekly chat group. Now you can find all this here in one place. ** If you’d like to sign up to the email, you can do so here.

This week’s theme is Christmas - Natal, here are some related words.

ceia de Natal - Christmas eve dinner

véspera de Natal - Christmas Eve

convívio - socializing

a celebração - the celebration

velas - candles

as luzes - the lights

estrelas - stars

Pai Natal - Father Christmas

presépio - nativity scene

a árvore de Natal - Christmas tree

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

The texts for this week with the translations below are here:

A1 – Rabanadas de Natal

As rabanadas são um doce tradicional do Natal em Portugal. Esta receita é simples e muito popular. As pessoas usam pão, leite, ovos, açúcar e canela. Primeiro, corta o pão em fatias. Depois, aquece o leite com açúcar e casca de limão. O pão passa no leite e a seguir passa no ovo batido. Frita o pão em óleo quente até ficar dourado. No fim, põe açúcar e canela por cima. Muitas famílias comem rabanadas na noite de Natal ou no dia de Natal. Este doce é doce, quente e confortável. As rabanadas fazem parte da tradição e juntam a família à mesa no inverno.

A2 – Sonhos de Natal

Os sonhos são doces fritos muito comuns no Natal português. Esta receita leva água, manteiga, farinha, ovos e açúcar. Primeiro, aqueca a água com a manteiga e uma casca de limão. Depois, junte a farinha e mexa bem até formar uma massa espessa. Deixe a massa arrefecer um pouco e junte os ovos um a um. Com duas colheres, forme pequenas bolas de massa. Frite estas bolas em óleo quente.  Crescem rapidamente. No final, passe os sonhos por açúcar e canela. Muitas pessoas servem sonhos com um café depois do jantar de Natal. Este doce é leve, doce e muito apreciado em todo o país.

B1 – Bolo-Rei Tradicional

O Bolo-Rei é um símbolo do Natal em Portugal e aparece em muitas mesas familiares. Esta receita usa farinha, fermento de padeiro, ovos, açúcar, manteiga, frutos secos e frutas cristalizadas. A massa precisa de tempo para descansar e crescer bem. É importante usar ingredientes à temperatura ambiente para obter uma boa textura. Depois de misturar tudo, forma-se um bolo redondo com um buraco no centro. Por cima, colocam-se frutas e açúcar. O bolo vai ao forno até ficar dourado. O Bolo-Rei acompanha bem chá ou vinho do Porto e cria um momento especial de partilha durante a época natalícia.

And here are the translations:

A1 – Christmas Rabanadas

Rabanadas are a traditional Christmas sweet in Portugal. This recipe is simple and very popular. People use bread, milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon. First, the bread is cut into slices. Then, the milk is heated with sugar and lemon peel. The bread goes into the milk and then into the beaten egg. The bread is fried in hot oil until golden. At the end, sugar and cinnamon go on top. Many families eat rabanadas on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. This sweet is warm, sweet and comforting. Rabanadas are part of tradition and bring the family together at the table in winter.

A2 – Christmas “Sonhos”

Sonhos are fried sweets that are very common at Portuguese Christmas. This recipe uses water, butter, flour, eggs and sugar. First, heat the water with butter and lemon peel. Then, add the flour and mix well until a thick dough forms. Allow the dough to cool a little and add the eggs one by one. With two spoons, small balls of dough are made. Fry these balls in hot oil.  They grow quickly. Finally, coat the sonhos in sugar and cinnamon. Many people serve sonhos with coffee after Christmas dinner. This sweet is light, sweet and loved across the country.

B1 – Traditional Bolo-Rei

Bolo-Rei is a symbol of Christmas in Portugal and appears on many family tables. This recipe uses flour, baker’s yeast, eggs, sugar, butter, dried fruit and candied fruit. The dough needs time to rest and grow well. It is important to use ingredients at room temperature to achieve a good texture. After mixing everything, a round cake with a hole in the centre is shaped. Fruit and sugar are placed on top. The cake goes into the oven until golden. Bolo-Rei goes well with tea or Port wine and creates a special moment of sharing during the Christmas season.

Idiomatic expressions about animals :)

Every week we send out an email with a weekly theme containing: words; a link to a Quizlet set to practise and play with the words; stories or dialogues at 3 different levels and an invitation to join the weekly chat group. Now you can find all this here in one place. ** If you’d like to sign up to the email, you can do so here.

This week’s theme is animais.

There are a lot of idiomatic expressions with animals in them. They are always interesting to look at. Here’a a little quiz about some that may be interesing:

1.       How do you say ginger cat in Portuguese?

a)       gato gengibre

b)       gato cor de laranja

c)       gato amarelo

2.       What does it mean if you call someone a foolish cockroach (barata tonta)?

a)       they are dirty

b)       they are scatty and discorganised

c)       it’s a term of endearment

3.       How do you say ‘don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched’?

a)       don’t count on the egg in the chicken’s bottom

b)       don’t sell the bear’s skin before you’ve killed it

c)       don’t praise the day before the evening

So, this week, the phrases of the week are some idioms with animals.

matar dois coelhos com uma cajada - kill two birds with one stone (lit. kill two rabbits with one staff)

contar com o ovo no cu da galinha - count your chickens before they've hatched (lit. count on the egg in the chicken's bottom)

barata tonta - scatty, disorganised person (lit. foolish cockroach)

ficar com a pulga atrás da orelha - be suspicious (lit. stay with a flea behind the ear)

quem não tem cão caça com gato - improvise, make do with what you have (lit. who doesn't have dog hunts with cat)

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

The dialogues for this week with the translations below are here:

A1

A Ana vive em Lisboa e gosta muito de animais. Ela quer adotar um cão, porque passa muito tempo sozinha em casa. Um dia, ela vai ao canil no seu bairro. No canil, ela vê muitos cães e gatos. Alguns são pequenos, outros são grandes. A Ana fala com a funcionária e explica que quer um cão calmo e amigável. A funcionária apresenta o Nico, um cão castanho com olhos muito doces. A Ana passeia com o Nico pelo jardim e sente-se muito feliz. O Nico segue-a e abana a cauda. A Ana decide que o Nico é perfeito para ela. No final, ela leva o Nico para casa e começa uma nova vida com o seu novo amigo.

A2

O João sempre gostou de animais, mas nunca teve oportunidade de ter um em casa. No ano passado, ele visitou um canil em Setúbal para conhecer alguns cães. Quando entrou, ouviu muitos latidos e ficou um pouco nervoso. Uma voluntária aproximou-se e mostrou-lhe a Lira, uma cadela preta e branca muito tranquila. O João pegou na trela e levou-a a passear. Durante o passeio, percebeu que a Lira caminhava devagar e olhava para ele com confiança. Ele sentiu uma ligação imediata. Depois da visita, voltou ao canil e completou o processo de adoção. Desde então, a Lira vive com ele, acompanha-o nas caminhadas e trouxe mais alegria à sua rotina.

B1

A Teresa procurava um animal de companhia que se adaptasse ao seu estilo de vida. Trabalha muitas horas, mas passa os fins de semana em casa e gosta de ambientes tranquilos. Depois de alguma pesquisa, decidiu visitar uma associação de adoção no Porto. Lá conheceu o Figo, um gato ruivo que tinha sido encontrado na rua. A funcionária explicou-lhe que o Figo era carinhoso, mas um pouco desconfiado de estranhos. A Teresa passou quase uma hora a brincar com ele e percebeu que o gato relaxava quando ela falava com voz suave. No dia seguinte, regressou para finalizar a adoção. Agora o Figo vive no apartamento dela, dorme ao sol na varanda e segue-a pela casa, mostrando uma confiança crescente.

Translations of the stories:

A1 

Ana lives in Lisbon and likes animals very much. She wants to adopt a dog because she spends a lot of time alone at home. One day, she goes to an animal shelter in her neighbourhood. In the shelter, she sees many dogs and cats. Some are small, others are big. Ana talks to the staff member and explains that she wants a calm and friendly dog. The staff member introduces Nico, a brown dog with very sweet eyes. Ana walks with Nico in the garden and feels very happy. Nico follows her and wags his tail. Ana decides that Nico is perfect for her. In the end, she takes Nico home and starts a new life with her new friend.

A2 

João has always liked animals but never had the chance to have one at home. Last year, he visited a dog shelter in Setúbal to meet some dogs. When he entered, he heard many barks and felt a bit nervous. A volunteer approached him and showed him Lira, a very calm black-and-white dog. João took the lead and walked her. During the walk, he noticed that Lira walked slowly and looked at him with trust. He felt an immediate connection. After the visit, he returned to the shelter and completed the adoption process. Since then, Lira has lived with him, joins him on walks and has brought more joy to his routine.

B1 

Teresa was looking for a pet that would suit her lifestyle. She works many hours, but she spends weekends at home and enjoys calm environments. After some research, she decided to visit an adoption centre in Porto. There she met Figo, a ginger cat that had been found on the street. The staff member explained that Figo was affectionate but a bit wary of strangers. Teresa spent almost an hour playing with him and realised that he relaxed when she spoke in a soft voice. The next day, she returned to complete the adoption. Now Figo lives in her flat, sleeps in the sun on the balcony, and follows her around the house, showing growing trust.

Answers:

1 – c (yellow cat), 2 – b, 3 – a (não conte com o ovo no cu da galinha)

Queres ir ao cinema ou ao teatro?

Every week we send out an email with a weekly theme containing: words; a link to a Quizlet set to practise and play with the words; stories or dialogues at 3 different levels and an invitation to join the weekly chat group. Now you can find all this here in one place. ** If you’d like to sign up to the email, you can do so here.

This week’s theme is o cinema e o teatro.

We might want to go to the cinema or theatre while you are in Portugal, or talk about a visit. ** note cinema is masculine… many words ending in MA are masculine - drama, sistema, problema are more examples.

Por exemplo - Prefiro comédias a filmes de ação. Há uma peça muito interessante no teatro este fim de semana. Quero ver o novo documentário. (I prefer comedies to action films. There’s an interesting play on at the theatre this weekend. I want to see the new doccumentary)

This week, we have some words about types of films.

ação - action

comédia - comedy

drama - drama

romance - romance

documentário - documentary

terror - horror

ficção científica - science fiction

musical - musical

mistério - mystery

espionagem - spy

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories or dialogues on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

The dialogues for this week with the translations below are here:

A1

Rita: Olá, João! Queres ir ao cinema hoje à noite?
João: Olá, Rita! Sim, quero. Que filme está em exibição?
Rita: Acho que há uma comédia e um filme de ação.
João: Prefiro uma comédia. Gosto de rir depois de um dia de trabalho.
Rita: Eu também. A sessão é às oito. Vamos juntos?
João: Claro. Compramos os bilhetes agora ou lá?
Rita: Talvez agora. Assim não há problema com lugares.
João: Boa ideia. Também quero comprar pipocas.
Rita: Eu quero uma bebida. Depois podemos falar sobre o filme.
João: Perfeito. Então encontramos-nos às sete e meia na entrada?
Rita: Combinado! Até logo!
João: Até logo!

A2

Sara: Olá, Miguel! Foste ao teatro no fim de semana, não foi?
Miguel: Fui, sim. Vi uma peça nova no Teatro Nacional.
Sara: Gostaste?
Miguel: Gostei muito. A história foi divertida e os atores trabalharam muito bem.
Sara: Que bom! Eu fui ao cinema no sábado. Vi um filme espanhol.
Miguel: Ah, eu queria ter visto esse filme. Foi bom?
Sara: Foi. O enredo surpreendeu-me muito.
Miguel: Ótimo! Há algum filme que queres ver esta semana?
Sara: Quero ver um documentário, mas ainda não decidi no dia.
Miguel: Então diz-me qual dia. Podemos ir juntos.
Sara: Perfeito. Depois jantamos perto do cinema.
Miguel: Combinado!

B1

Carla: Boa tarde, Luís. Ontem fui ao novo cinema no centro da cidade. O espaço é excelente.
Luís: Já ouvi falar. O que viste?
Carla: Vi um drama português. A realização foi muito boa e os atores criaram um ambiente muito forte.
Luís: Fico curioso. Eu estive no teatro na sexta-feira. A peça tratou de temas sociais e o público reagiu bastante.
Carla: Gosto quando o teatro provoca reflexão. A arte ajuda-nos a pensar de forma diferente.
Luís: Concordo. Quando saí da peça, fiquei a discutir algumas ideias com os meus amigos.
Carla: Acho ótimo que exista tanta oferta cultural. Assim escolhemos sempre algo interessante.
Luís: Sim. Este mês quero ver mais um filme e outra peça. Tens algumas ideias?
Carla: Tenho, faço uma lista.  Podíamos ir juntos!

Translations of the dialogues:

A1 

Rita: Hi João! Do you want to go to the cinema tonight?
 João: Hi Rita! Yes, I do. What film is on?
 Rita: I think there’s a comedy and an action film.
 João: I prefer a comedy. I like to laugh after a day of work.
 Rita: Me too. The showing is at eight. Shall we go together?
 João: Of course. Do we buy the tickets now or there?
 Rita: Maybe now. That way there’s no problem with seats.
 João: Good idea. I also want to buy popcorn.
 Rita: I want a drink. Afterwards we can talk about the film.
 João: Perfect. Shall we meet at half past seven at the entrance?
 Rita: Agreed! See you later!
 João: See you later!

A2 

Sara: Hi Miguel! You went to the theatre at the weekend, didn’t you?
 Miguel: Yes, I did. I saw a new play at the National Theatre.
 Sara: Did you enjoy it?
 Miguel: I liked it a lot. The story was funny and the actors performed very well.
 Sara: Great! I went to the cinema on Saturday. I saw a Spanish film.
 Miguel: Ah, I wanted to see that film. Was it good?
 Sara: It was. The plot really surprised me.
 Miguel: Excellent! Is there any film you want to see this week?
 Sara: I want to see a documentary, but I haven’t decided the day yet.
 Miguel: Then tell me which day. We can go together.
 Sara: Perfect. Afterwards we can have dinner near the cinema.
 Miguel: Agreed!

B1 

Carla: Good afternoon, Luís. Yesterday I went to the new cinema in the city centre. The place is excellent.
 Luís: I’ve heard about it. What did you see?
 Carla: I saw a Portuguese drama. The direction was very good and the actors created a very powerful atmosphere.
 Luís: I’m curious now. I was at the theatre on Friday. The play dealt with social themes and the audience reacted a lot.
 Carla: I like it when theatre makes us reflect. Art helps us think in a different way.
 Luís: I agree. When I left the play, I stayed discussing some ideas with my friends.
 Carla: I think it’s great that there’s so much cultural choice. That way we can always pick something interesting.
 Luís: Yes. This month I want to see another film and another play. Do you have any ideas?
 Carla: I do.  I’ll put together a list, we could go together!

o hotel - frases úteis para uma visita a um hotel

Every week we send out an email with a weekly theme containing: words; a link to a Quizlet set to practise and play with the words; stories or dialogues at 3 different levels and an invitation to join the weekly chat group. Now you can find all this here in one place. ** If you’d like to sign up to the email, you can do so here.

This week’s theme is o hotel

We might want to be able to make a reservation at a hotel in European Portuguese.

Por exemplo - Tem um quarto individual livre? O pequeno-almoço está incluído? Onde fica o elevador? (Do you have a single room free? Is breakfast included? Where is the elevator?)

This week, we have some words and phrases about a visit to a hotel that may be useful.

um quarto - a (bed) room

um quarto individual - a single, individual room

um quarto duplo - a twin room

um quarto de casal - a double room (lit. a room of couple)

a chave - the key

meia pensão - half-board

pensão completa - full board

o pequeno-almoço - the breakfast

a casa de banho - the bathroom

o elevador - the lift, elevator

Here’s a link to a Quizlet set with the phrases for you to play about with. Enjoy!

If you would like to join one of the weekly chat groups - we run two weekly - A0/A1 Weds 13h-13h30, A2/B1 - Thurs 13h-13h45, all details are in the weekly newsletter - sign up here.

AND because we learn really well from stories and seeing examples of correct language, every week I put together 3 stories on the week’s theme with examples of the week’s words and phrases in a useful context. I strongly believe that we can learn a lot from reading, these mini-texts with translations are just the right length for you to digest easily. (look at the translations first if that helps!)

The stories for this week with the translations below are here:

Dialogues:

A1 –

Rececionista: Bom dia! Em que posso ajudar?
Maria: Bom dia. Preciso de um quarto individual para duas noites.
Rececionista: Claro. Temos um quarto no segundo andar.
Maria: O quarto tem casa de banho?
Rececionista: Sim, tem casa de banho e também há um elevador ali.
Maria: Ótimo. O pequeno-almoço está incluído?
Rececionista: Sim, está incluído no preço.  Quer meia pensão ou só pequeno-almoço?
Maria: Só pequeno-almoço, por favor.
Rececionista: Então, preciso do seu documento de identificação.
Maria: Aqui está. Posso fazer o pagamento agora?
Rececionista: Sim, pode pagar agora ou mais tarde.
Maria: Pago agora, obrigada.
Rececionista: Muito bem. Este é o seu cartão do quarto. Tenha uma boa estadia!

A2 –

Rececionista: Boa tarde. Tem reserva?
João: Tenho, sim. Uma reserva para três noites num quarto de casal em nome de João Marques.
Rececionista: Encontro aqui a sua reserva. Deseja pensão completa ou meia pensão?
João: Prefiro meia pensão. O que inclui exatamente?
Rececionista: Inclui pequeno-almoço e jantar.
João: Perfeito. O quarto fica em que andar?
Rececionista: Fica no quarto andar e pode usar o elevador aqui.
João: O quarto tem casa de banho privada?
Rececionista: Sim, e também tem varanda.
João: Excelente. Posso levantar as chaves agora?
Rececionista: Claro. Aqui estão as chaves e o cartão para o acesso ao hotel.
João: Obrigado. A que horas é servido o jantar?
Rececionista: Entre as sete e as nove da noite.
João: Ótimo, muito obrigado pela informação.

B1 –

Rececionista: Bem-vinda ao Hotel Atlântico. Em que posso ajudar?
Clara: Fiz uma reserva online para um quarto duplo, mas queria confirmar alguns detalhes.
Rececionista: Com certeza. Já estou a verificar.
Clara: O quarto inclui pensão completa? No site dizia que sim, mas gostaria de ter a certeza.
Rececionista: Sim, inclui pequeno-almoço, almoço e jantar.
Clara: Ótimo. Outra pergunta: o edifício tem elevador? Tenho uma mala pesada.
Rececionista: Sim, temos dois elevadores a funcionar.
Clara: Perfeito. E a casa de banho, tem duche ou banehira?
Rececionista: Tem banheira com duche.
Clara: Excelente. Posso receber a chave agora?
Rececionista: Claro. Aqui está a chave eletrónica. Se precisar de toalhas extra, ligue para a receção.
Clara: Muito obrigada. Parece tudo em ordem.

Translations of the stories:

A1 – 

Receptionist: Good morning! How can I help?
 Maria: Good morning. I need a single room for two nights.
 Receptionist: Of course. We have a room on the second floor.
 Maria: Does the room have a bathroom?
 Receptionist: Yes, it has a bathroom and there is also a lift over there.
 Maria: Great. Is breakfast included?
 Receptionist: Yes, it is included in the price.  Do you want half-board or just breakfast?
 Maria: Just breakfast, please.
 Receptionist: Then I need your ID document.
 Maria: Here it is. Can I pay now?
 Receptionist: Yes, you can pay now or later.
 Maria: I’ll pay now, thank you.
 Receptionist: Very good. Here is your room card. Enjoy your stay!

A2 – 

Receptionist: Good afternoon. Do you have a reservation?
 João: Yes. A reservation for three nights in a double room in the name of João Marques.
 Receptionist: I can see your reservation here. Would you like full board or half-board?
 João: I prefer half-board. What exactly does it include?
 Receptionist: It includes breakfast and dinner.
 João: Perfect. Which floor is the room on?
 Receptionist: It’s on the fourth floor, and you can use the lift here.
 João: Does the room have a private bathroom?
 Receptionist: Yes, and it also has a balcony.
 João: Excellent. Can I collect the keys now?
 Receptionist: Of course. Here are the keys and the access card for the hotel.
 João: Thank you. What time is dinner served?
 Receptionist: Between seven and nine in the evening.
 João: Great, thank you for the information.

B1 – 

Receptionist: Welcome to the Atlantic Hotel. How can I help?
 Clara: I made an online reservation for a twin room, but I’d like to confirm a few details.
 Receptionist: Of course. I’m checking now.
 Clara: Does the room include full board? The website said it did, but I want to be sure.
 Receptionist: Yes, it includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Clara: Great. Another question: does the building have a lift? I have a heavy suitcase.
 Receptionist: Yes, we have two lifts in operation.
 Clara: Perfect. And is the bathroom. does it have a shower or bath?
 Receptionist: It has a bath with a shower.
 Clara: Excellent. May I have the key now?
 Receptionist: Certainly. Here is the electronic key. If you need extra towels, call reception.
 Clara: Thank you very much. Everything seems fine.