(English, like most other languages, is full of expressions that don’t really make sense when translated. This series will explore some of the different, popular expressions used in English to help any speaker improve their vocabulary.) There are many expressions which work well in business settings, so we will look at some over the […]
Using “The” Correctly – Part I
The word “the” is a very small but very important word. We use “the” in the following situations: “The” always comes before a noun (the cat, the apple) or noun phrase ( the very interesting conversation) “The” refers to one specific example of the object, and the specific example must be clear from the spoken […]
False Friends (Falsos Cognatos) – Anticipate/Antecipar
( False friends or false cognates are words that look the same in different languages, but which actually have different meanings.) Anticipate is a false friend that I personally use sometimes! I really like the word “antecipar” and try to use it the same way in English. Unfortunately, these words are not the same. […]
Time Changes
One of the hardest adjustments for me to make when I moved from the United States to Brazil was the difference in seasons. In the United States, December is Winter, so Christmas is cold and Santa Claus makes sense. In Brazil, December is Summer, so New Years is a beach holiday. Growing up, I always […]
Good and Well
The English words good and well cause a great deal of confusion even for native speakers. Surprisingly, most Brazilian students quickly pick up on the difference, after learning what the difference actually is. So, let’s take a look at some examples with English to Portuguese translations. Good – Bom Good is an adjective. It describes […]
Uncountable Nouns – Part IV
English has a series of nouns called uncountable nouns or non-count nouns. Many of these are similar to Portuguese, but some of them are confusing. This short series of posts is going to look at the different types of uncountable nouns. Uncountable nouns are always considered singular Uncountable nouns do not use “a/an” but they […]
English Quotes
Oscar Wilde was a famous playwriter and author, known for his humor and wit. One of his most famous quotes is inspiring, rather than humorous: We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. The “gutter” is “sarjeta” in Portuguese.
Phrasal Verbs – Turn Off
(This is a series on Phrasal Verbs. There are hundreds of phrasal verbs and many of them have no relation to the words that form them. When you are learning a new phrasal verb, I recommend learning it as a completely new piece of vocabulary, instead of trying to make sense of the two pieces of the […]
Expressions (expressões) – Kill Two Birds with One Stone
(English, like most other languages, is full of expressions that don’t really make sense when translated. This series will explore some of the different, popular expressions used in English to help any speaker improve their vocabulary.) The next few expressions are all going to deal with animal terms. English loves to use food and animals […]
Uncountable Nouns – Part III
English has a series of nouns called uncountable nouns or non-count nouns. Many of these are similar to Portuguese, but some of them are confusing. This short series of posts is going to look at the different types of uncountable nouns. Uncountable nouns are always considered singular Uncountable nouns do not use “a/an” but they […]
