Often people hear, 'I think Portuguese sounds a lot like French and Spanish combined.' Maybe those that say this are hearing the nasalized vowels in Portuguese, and there are a lot of them. Either way, this lesson introduces the nasalized vowels. As to the cultural element, Michelle and Valdo talk about how surprised they were to see that sometimes invitations to parties in the United States not only tell you when the party starts, but also when the party ends. How bizarre is that?

Dialog

Portuguese
Michelle: Olha aqui o convite de casamento que a minha irmã me enviou hoje de manhã.
Valdo: Mas ela não é muito tua fã, né? Mandou o convite com horário pra começar e terminar? Sem noção!
Michelle: Sim, quando eu vim pra cá também estranhei.
Valdo: Bom, no Brasil isso não funcionaria de jeito nenhum.
Michelle: Concordo contigo.
Valdo: Tudo bem ter um horário pra começar a festa, mas pra terminar nunca.

Spanish
Michelle: Mira aquí la invitación de la boda que mi hermana me envió hoy por la mañana.
Valdo: Pero ella no es fanática tuya, ¿verdad? ¿Mandó la invitación con horario para comenzar y terminar? ¡Difícil de creer!
Michelle: Sí, cuando vine aquí también pensé que era raro.
Valdo: Bueno, en Brasil eso no funcionaría de ninguna manera.
Michelle: De acuerdo contigo.
Valdo: Todo bien en tener un horario para comenzar la fiesta, pero para terminar nunca.

English
Michelle: Look at this wedding invitation that my sister sent to me this morning.
Valdo: She must not be much of a fan of yours, right? She sent the invitation with the beginning and an ending time? Hard to believe!
Michelle: Yeah, when I first came here I thought it was weird too.
Valdo: Well, in Brazil this would never work at all.
Michelle: I agree with you.
Valdo: No problem with a starting time for a party, but never for an ending time.