FIFA World Cup 2014 - Learn Brazilian Portuguese!

We are still pumped from the U.S. 2-1 victory over Ghana last night! We can't wait to see them face Portugal on Sunday--although powerhouse Rinaldo has us pretty nervous. We're happy to have author Denise Santos with us today. She has some background on Brazilian Portuguese and some helpful futbol-related phrases:

Contrary to popular belief, Spanish is not widely understood in Brazil – and neither is English. Portuguese is the official language in Brazil, and it is estimated that more than 250,000,000 people currently speak Portuguese in the world, making it the eighth most spoken language globally.

A strong motivation for learning Brazilian Portuguese these days is the FIFA World Cup, currently taking place in several cities around Brazil from June 12 to July 13, 2014.

To make the most of one’s  ‘Brazilian experience’ it is advisable to learn some basic Portuguese to be able to talk to and understand locals more easily. You probably already know how to say “Gooooollll!” but you’ll need to know more to get by!

Beginner’s Brazilian Portuguese with 2 Audio CDs is a book written for the elementary learner with a focus on vocabulary and grammar development around everyday activities, for example:

•   greeting and introducing yourself
• thanking
• asking for and understanding prices
• asking for and giving directions
• checking in at a hotel
• ordering and buying food and drink
• expressing needs and wants

Those planning to go to Brazil for the World Cup can find below some useful language. Click the audio link to hear the word or phrase, and repeat it. 

English	Portuguese	Audio link
I love soccer!	Eu adoro futebol!
Where is the game?	Onde é o jogo?
Where is the stadium?	Onde é o estádio?
Where is the exit?	Onde é a saída?
First half	Primeiro tempo
Second half	Segundo tempo
Half-Time (break)	Intervalo
Yellow card	Cartão amarelo
Red card	Cartão vermelho
Foul	Falta
Referee	Juiz
Linesman	Bandeirinha
Offside!	Impedimento
Ball Boy	Gandula
Goal!	Gol!

 

Beginner’s Brazilian Portuguese with 2 Audio CDs offers extensive listening and speaking practice, including systematic work on pronunciation. A set of two CDs accompanies the book, and they contain material recorded by native speakers to be used for oral comprehension work, pronunciation practice, or support for activities in the book.

You can find the book at your local bookstore, Amazon.com, or Barnes & Noble.

New Release: Cantonese Practical Dictionary

We're pleased to announce our new Cantonese Practical Dictionary is now available!

Spoken by nearly 60 million people, Cantonese rivals Mandarin as the lingua franca of both south China and of the worldwide Chinese diaspora population. Despite their similarities, Cantonese is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin. Cantonese is an official language of Hong Kong and Macau, and is the most common dialect in the Guangdong province.

Unique among all the Chinese dialects, Cantonese also has a writing system that is distinct from Mandarin Chinese and makes use of characters generally not understood by non-Cantonese speakers. Written Cantonese is commonly found on street signs in Hong Kong as well as in newspapers and novels. The spoken language also exerts a strong cultural influence on East Asia, due to the prominence of Hong Kong’s film and music industries. Our dictionary provides students and travelers with a portable yet comprehensive resource for everyday use.

Includes:

• Intuitive phonetic system and written Cantonese characters

• Over 14,000 entries

• Concise grammar and pronunciation section

You can now order the Cantonese Practical Dictionary online (Amazon, Barnes & Noble) or your local store (Indiebound)!

Also from Hippocrene:



The dictionary is a great companion to our Cantonese Dictionary & Phrasebook. The Cantonese Dictionary & Phrasebook is an indispensable reference for travelers, businesspeople, and students. The phrasebook, along with the 4,000 dictionary entries, includes Cantonese characters and intuitive phonetics. Also includes an easy-to-use guide that directs you through grammar and pronunciation.

Pick it up at your local bookstore or purchase through our website, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.