Learn the Brazilian Language...
Brazilian Portguese is the official national language of Brazil and is spoken by nearly all of the population. It is not the same as Portugal portuguese. Although Portuguese is spoken throughout the country, English is welcomed. A great number of store names, merchandise and other popular items have english names which make it easy for us north americans to get around. All US movies are subtitled in the theatres meaning the movie is heard in english but subtitled in portuguese. For those who know spanish, you'll find that learning portuguese is easier but more confusing. Because there is a huge similarity in the words and their meanings, you'll find that, as a spanish-speaking person, portuguese will confuse a bit. Brazilian Portuguese grammar is not an easy thing to master you'll find as well. The book shown on the left is what was used in the portuguese class I took at Georgia Perimeter College, Georgia. It is very good and if you can learn the lessons, you are ready for a trip to Brazil with minimal language issues.
Portuguese overall is spoken in Portugal, Islands of Madeira and the Azores, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde and East Timor among others. It is a useful language to learn and know. Below are a few useful phrases to know in portuguese:
| English | Portuguese | Phonetics |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Olá! | Oh·lah |
| Welcome | Bem-vindo! | beh·mmm·vee·ndoh |
| Goodbye | Tchau | che·ow |
| Thank You | Obrigado(a) | Ohh·bree·gah·doh (dah) |
| Do You Speak English | Fala Inglês? | Fah·lah·ing·gless |
| My name is... | Meu nome é... | Meh·oh noh·meh·eh... |