Portuguese Word Frequency - Top 5000 Words

A legitimate tool to focus on pure vocabulary retention is to use word frequency lists.  

Here's is a .pdf copy to check out I found online.  

http://jons2580.free.fr/75%20livres%20d%27enseignement%20de%20langues/Frequency%20dictionary%20portuguese.pdf

I use this list to help build memory palaces for new words.  If the phrase "memory palace" is a new phrase, I would recommend this book.  Its an easy read (or Audible listen), and I found it interesting (both the practical application of the techniques discussed for language acquisition, but the historical examples the author uses to support the validity of the techniques discussed). 

http://www.amazon.com/Moonwalking-Einstein-Science-Remembering-Everything/dp/0143120530

Que or Qual

Googled this question this morning.  I enjoyed this post:

“O que” and “Qual” mean “What” and “Which”, respectively. These two Interrogative Pronouns are very easy but at the same time they are very confusing topics for Portuguese for foreigners’ students, because the rule is different in each language.

In order to help foreign people that want to learn Portuguese, here goes a cool tip:

• “O que” is used in general questions, when you don’t have options for the answer.

Ex: O que você vai fazer hoje à noite? (You can do anything you want)
O que é isso? (It can be anything)
PS: If there’s “o que” after a verb, you can use “o que” (more common, in this case) or “que”. If there’s a noun after the Interrogative Pronoun, you only can use “que”.

Ex: Que você vai fazer hoje à noite? or O que você vai fazer hoje à noite?
O que é isso? Ou Que é isso?

However,
Que barulho é esse? But no, O que barulho é esse? because ‘noise’ (barulho) is a noun.

 

• “Qual” is used in questions with answers that belong to groups.

Ex: Qual é seu nome? (group of names)

Qual é sua nacionalidade? (group of nationalities)
Qual é seu lugar favorito (group of places)
Qual é a melhor? (group of the best ones)
…

Attention: We also use “Qual” in the structure for questions:
“Qual dos/das” + number + complement?

Ex: Qual dos dois irmãos é médico?

Qual das quatro canetas é sua?

It’s not difficult, is it?

If you have an idea about a subject for our next post, write to Mundo Brasil!

http://cursomundobrasil.com/when-to-use-o-que-and-qual-2/

Acabar + De construction in Portuguese

I have felt my grasp of the present / past perfect tenses improve.  However, today I struggled translating this sentence:  

He just finished the book.

I incorrectly translated the sentence into:

Ele tinha terminado o livro recentemente.

To my half surprise, DuoLingo gave me this as the correct answer:

Ele acabou de terminar o livro.

Which led me to have an "aha" moment, which led me to google, which brings us together on Sunday Portuguese (thanks for reading Gabby)

The construction "acabar" (translated) + "de" + other verb (infinitive) conveys the meaning of just having finished some action.  

Here's some examples:

Acabamos de entrar 

We just came in (actually just entered)

Acabam de partir 

They just left

Acabo de fazer 

I just did (it)

Eu acabo de beber dois litros de leite de uma vez só, e agora estou me sentindo mal

I just drank two liters of milk in one go, and now I'm feeling sick

Acabo de terminar de comer

I just finished eating

Ok, now read this page:.  

What you just read about is that the construction of "acabar + de" carries slightly different meaning depending on what tense the verb "acabar" is translated into.  If you the verb is translated in the present tense, then the sentence further delivers the meaning that something "just happened".  If you translate the sentence using the preterite tense, you convey a construction to the present perfect (i.e. I / he / she / you has just done something)

Examples (there's more examples on the Italki page listed below): I have read the BOTH these con

Ela acabou de fazer o jantar

She has finished preparing the dinner 

In this example, this event could have occurred 5 minutes or two days ago.  The meaning is still relatively recently.

Ela acaba de fazer o jantar

She just finished preparing the dinner

In this example, she just (right now) finished preparing dinner

Eu acabo escrever esta pagina.  

Sources:

http://tatoeba.org/eng/sentences/search/page:2?query=acabar+de&from=por&to=eng

http://www.nativlang.com/po/qg_verbs_acabarde.htm

http://www.italki.com/question/69050

Poder or Conseguir - which to chose.

I had this question today.  Found a usefu response online. 

http://www.italki.com/question/199837

'Poder' as a verb means be able to/ can do something. 

'Conseguir' means achieve, obtain, get what you want. 

Almost same meaning, but "conseguir" is used for when you want something deeply and it is deeper than 'poder'. If you have a goal, you want to obtain it, make it true. "Poder" is for common things, "conseguir" for importants things.

Poder.
- Eu posso falar agora que todos estão ouvindo.
I can speak now everybody is listening.
- Eu posso fazer esse trabalho sozinho, mas prefiro pedir ajuda.
I can do this work alone, but I prefer asking for help.

Conseguir.
-Eu consigo conversar com minha namorada agora, ela está mais calma.
I can talk to mu girlfriend now, she is calmer.
- Eu consigo aprender o que quero.
I can/ am able to learn what I want. 

Iphone Apps that can supplement learning.

So I like to think I've tried almost every type of study medium.   Until very recently I was pretty bearish on iphone language apps.  I found them poorly organized and too entry level.  I kept thinking that Rosetta Stone needed to migrate to the Iphone in a " content light" version.  However, some good apps are now available.  Here's two:

1- Duo Lingo. 

Great for sentence formation. Starts basic, but allows you to test out is easy levels until you reach more intermediate sentences.  

2 - Memrise

Great for vocabulary with high quality, crowd sourced content.  

Give them a whirl.  Great tools for train / plane rides and such.  

Haver - the Lost Verb

Definition of "Haver" - (verb) - to have, posses, be.  Full conjugation here

Seems pretty simple right?  Not really.  Seems like the colloquial usage of the verb has changed, particularly in Brazilian Portuguese.  After some thorough Internet research (I think), I've aggregated the various uses of the verb.

Usage #1 - Concept of "exist". Literal translation of "there is" / "there are".

When haver is used in the 3rd person, a majority of the time it means "there is" / "there are".
The use of the third-person "haver" conjugation is impersonal; in other words there is no explicit subject in the sentence.

Examples:

Há - Present Indicative Tense - Third Person
Há um garoto aqui.  --> There is a boy here
"Há um livro na escrivaninha?" "Não, não há." --> Is there a book on the desk?  No there is not.
Há um pouco de verdade no que ele está dizendo. -->  There is a certain amount of truth in what he is saying

Havia - Imperfect Indicative Tense - Third Person

Havia um tempo em que havia uma ponte aqui.  --> One time there was a bridge here
Havia uma grande audiência no concerto. --> There was a large audience at the concert


Other 3rd person forms include:

houve - preterite indicative - there was / there were
haverá - furute - there will be
tinha havido - present perfect - there had been
haja - present subjunctive - there is / are
houvesse - imperfect subjective - there was / were
houver - future subjunctive - there will be
haveria - conditional - there would be

3rd person form examples:

É possível que haja uma reunião no mês que vem --> It is possible that there will be a meeting next month

Se houver alhum problema, lique para este número --> If there is any problem, call this number

Houve um debate acalorado no Senado --> There was a headed debate in the Senate

Havia mas de 30.000 pessoas no jogo de ontem --> There were more than 30,000 people at yesterday's game.

Deve haver uma soluçao --> There must be a solution

In colloquial spoken Brazilian Portuguese, any third person use of haver (when it means "to exist") can be substituted with the ver "ter".

Vai ter churrasco no domingo --> There's going to be a barbecue on Sunday
Tem leite na geladeira --> There's milk in the fridge
Tinha uma viatura da polícia parada na frente da casa deles -->  There was a police car stopped outside their house

Usage #2 - Concept of "for", denoting a period of time that started in the past and continues in the present

When the third person present indicative tense of haver is used ("há") combined with other verbs in the indicative present tense, the construction "for" is created: 

Moramos no Rio há cinco anos --> We've been living in Rio for five years
Você está aqui há muito tempo? --> Have you been here long?

When "há" is combined with other verbs in the indicative preterite, the meaning is changed to "ago"

Eles mudaram para os EUA há seis meses --> They moved to the USA six months ago
A empresa foi fundada há meio século --> The company was founded half a century ago
O escritor morreu há quinze anos --> The writer died fifteen years avon
Recebemos a noticia há alguns minutos --> We got the news a few minutes ago

Usage #3 - Haver + de + infinitive verb. 

Using haver + de + infinitive can express a future action.  From what I can gather, this form is rarely used today in spoken Brazilian Portuguese, however, it does exist.  Here are some examples.

Examples taken from Modern Brazilian Portuguese Grammar by John Whitlam - ISBN: 0-203-84392-4

"Assim" - how do you use it

Last night, I couldn't find a good explanation on how "assim" is used differently than "portanto".  Thankfully, this guy has a great Wordpress post on the topic.

According to On Learning Brazilian Portuguese, assim is best translated as "in this manner".  Lets test it (using random sentences from Tatoeba).

Random sentence 1

Meu irmão é muito importante. Ao menos ele pensa assim.
English translation of assim: "that he his" or "that this is true"

Random sentence 2

Ele deve estar muito bravo para dizer algo assim.
English translation of assim: "such a thing [in this way]"

Random sentence 3

Ela gostou do Charles assim que o conheceu.

English translation of assim: "as soon as"

In my mind, only example sentence 2 met the general "in this manner" definition of assim.  However, it is useful to point out that when "assim" is used with the preposition "que", that the phrase (assim + que) takes on the meaning "as soon as". Examples:

"Quero que você me escreva assim que você chegar lá." - I want you to write me as soon as you get there

"Virei assim que possível" - I will come as soon as possible

"Partiremos assim que estiver pronto" -  We will leave as soon as possible

"Eu te ligarei assim que puder" - I will call as soon as I can

When "assim" is preceded by a translation of the verb "ser", "[ser] + assim" takes a construction of "that way" or "in this way" or "in xyz manner" something happened.  (poor explanation I know)


"Foi assim que ele fracassou" - This is how he failed

"Não foi assim que aconteceu" - Thats not how it turned out
"É assim que costumo preparar peixe"  - This is usually how I cook fish
"Entendo, mas as coisas são assim"  - I understand, but this is how things are
"E assim que eu fiz" - This is how I made it

To get further help, I went to the WordReference forums.  Here's a few more great examples:

"Olha, é assim" - Look, it's like this

"Eu faço assim" - I do it like this

"É bom assim" - It's good like that
"Assim não dá" - It doesn't work like that / that way

Hope that helps.  I can tell this word will require some practice to get the loose hang of it.  Here's a Brazilian podclass that also addresses "assim".