Unlike the regular podcast lessons, we've included some other supplementary lessons. Think of these as a sort of Appendix to the regular lessons. In this first supplementary lesson we provide an audio sample of all of the vowel sounds in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. We're sure it will help listeners get a feel for each of the sounds.

There is a tendency for almost every vowel in unstressed syllables in English to turn into what is called a 'schwa'. It is the sound like 'uh'. Listen, for example the 'e' in 'delivery'. When learning Spanish, one of the great challenges is to stop saying 'uh.' 'It's 'nada' not 'naduh'! However, in Portuguese Brazilians also pronounce unstressed /a/ as a schwa. You see, all this time you thought you had bad Spanish and you really just have good Portuguese. As to the cultural situation in this lesson, both Michelle and Valdo had to get used to the self-checkout lines at the supermarket.

Dialog

Portuguese

Valdo: Ah, essa fila tá enorme!

Michelle: É verdade. Vamos pagar no auto-atendimento.

Valdo: Onde fica a máquina?

Michelle: Está lá na entrada.

Valdo: Você sabe como se usa essa coisa aqui?

Michelle: Claro, é fácil. É só passar o cartão.

Spanish

Valdo: Esta fila está muy larga.

Michelle: Es verdad. Vamos a pagar en el auto-servicio

Valdo: ¿Dónde queda la máquina?

Michelle: Está allá en la entrada.

Valdo: ¿Sabes cómo se usa esa cossa aquí?

Michelle: Claro, es fácil. Es sólo pasar la tarjeta.

English

Valdo: This line is really long.

Michelle: That's right. Let's pay at the self-service machine.

Valdo: Where is the machine?

Michelle: Over there by the entrance.

Valdo: Do you know how to use this thing here?

Michelle: Of course, it's easy. Just insert your card.

Spanish speakers learn to sing 'a, e, i, o, u, el burro sabe más que tú' and it's a way to show that there are only 5 vowel sounds in Spanish. Portuguese, however, complicates things with what are called 'open' and 'closed' vowel sounds. In this lesson we learn about open /ó/ and closed /ô/. Culturally Michelle and Valdo talk about how different it is to ride a bus in the United States. All we can say is that at least they don't have to cram as tightly into limited space and then wonder the whole time how they are going to get off the bus!

Dialog

Portuguese

Valdo: Lá vem o nosso ônibus! Vamos correr!

Michelle: Corre, sobe logo!

Valdo: Cadê o cobrador? Como podemos pagar?

Michelle: Aqui só se pode pagar passando um cartão ou colocando dinheiro na máquina.

Valdo: Que máquina?

Michelle: Aquela do lado do motorista.

Spanish

Valdo: Ahí viene nuestro autobús. Vamos a correr

Michelle: Corre, súbete luego.

Valdo: ¿Dónde está el colector? ¿Como podemos pagar?

Michelle: Aquí sólo se puede pagar pasando una tarjeta o poniendo dinero en la máquina.

Valdo: ¿Qué máquina?

Michelle: Aquella al lado del conductor.

English

Valdo: Here comes our bus. Let's run.

Michelle: Run, let's get on up.

Valdo: Where's the fare collector? How do you pay?

Michelle: Here you just pay by inserting your card or by putting the bills or coins in the machine.

Valdo: What machine?

Michelle: That one next to the bus driver.

Welcome to one of the great challenges of Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation. Sometimes 'e' sounds similar to the English sound in words like 'get, met, set.' Other times Brazilian 'e' sounds like the Spanish 'e' in words like 'bebe, vive, lleve.' Valdo and Michelle help us out. Culturally they also help us understand how different it is for Brazilians to have to worry about personal health insurance.

Dialog

Portuguese

Valdo: Você já quebrou o pé?

Michelle: Quebrei a perna. E você não sabe como pesou no bolso.

Valdo: Por quê?

Michelle: Porque paguei uma nota pelo gesso. Até mesmo com seguro-saúde o preço é elevado.

Valdo: Teve que engessar, é?

Michelle: O médico achou que era melhor. Dê uma olhada aqui e veja você mesmo como ficou.

Spanish

Valdo: ¿Usted se ha quebrado el pié?

Michelle: Me quebré la pierna. Y usted no sabe como pesó en mi bolsillo.

Valdo: ¿Por qué?

Michelle: Porque pagué mucha plata por el yeso. Así mismo con el seguro médico, el precio es elevado.

Valdo: Tuviste que enyesarlo, ¿verdad?

Michelle: El médico pensó que era mejor. Dé una mirada aquí y vea usted mismo como quedó.

English

Valdo: Have you ever had a broken foot?

Michelle: I broke my leg. And you can't imagine how hard it hit my wallet.

Valdo: Why?

Michelle: Because I paid a lot for my cast. Even with insurance the price was high.

Valdo: So you had to get a cast?

Michelle: The doctor thought it would be better. Check it out yourself and see how it ended up.

The good news about Lesson #2 is that we're back. It must be that Lesson #1 gave us hope to move on. In this lesson we listen for the sound /u/ in Portuguese. The tricky thing is that many times it is spelled with an 'o.' Culturally, Valdo and Michelle talk to us about not slamming car doors. It's really true, Brazilians are amazed at how hard Americans slam car doors!

Dialog

Portuguese

Valdo: Puxa vida. Você não tem geladeira em casa, não? Seja mais educada.

Michelle: Sinto muito eu ter batido a porta do carro.

Valdo: Você sabe que no Brasil a gente não faz isso.

Michelle: Eu sei. Esqueci. Prometo ficar mais atenta.

Valdo: Ótimo. Espero que sim.

Michelle: Isso é muito chato. Você quer sempre tudo certinho.

Spanish

Valdo: ¡Qué Barbaridad! ¿No tienes nevera en casa? Sea más educada.

Michelle: Lo siento mucho haber tirado la puerta del coche.

Valdo: Sabes que en Brasil no hacemos eso.

Michelle: Lo sé. Se me olvidó. Te prometo estar más atenta.

Valdo: Excelente. Espero que sí.

Michelle: Esto es muy aburrido. Siempre quieres todo perfecto.

English

Valdo: Gee whiz. Don't you have a fridge at home? Don't be so rude.

Michelle: Sorry to have slammed the car door.

Valdo: You know that in Brazil we don't do that.

Michelle: I know. I forgot. I promise to be more careful.

Valdo: Great. I hope so.

Michelle: What a drag. You always want everything so perfect.

There's only one Lesson #1. We'll never have a first again. Today we introduce listeners to the team: Orlando, Valdo, Michelle, and José Luis. Pronunciation wise, we'll look at when Brazilians say words with the sound [i] and culturally Michelle and Valdo talk about what it was like to get the bill in restaurants in the United States. Tune in, join our discussion, download the lesson notes, and become part of Brazilpod.

Dialog

Portuguese

Valdo: Que bife gostoso. Acho que vou pedir mais.

Michelle: Mas ele já trouxe a conta. E agora?

Valdo: Eh, você me disse que aqui era assim. Acho isso uma falta de educação.

Michelle: É o sistema deles, né? Mas se você continua com fome, pede.

Valdo: Ah, vou pedir um monte então.

Michelle: É isso aí.

Spanish

Valdo: Qué biftec sabroso. Creo que voy a pedir más.

Michelle: Pero él ya trajo la cuenta. ¿Y ahora?

Valdo: Me dijiste que aquí era así. Creo que esto es una falta de educación.

Michelle: Es el sistema de ellos, ¿verdad? Pero si tú sigues con hambre, pída-lo.

Valdo: Ah, voy a pedir un montón, entonces.

Michelle: Eso es.

English

Valdo: What a tasty steak. I think I'll ask for more.

Michelle: But he already brought the check. Now what?

Valdo: Yea, you told me that this is what they do here. I think that it's really rude.

Michelle: That's the way they do things here, right? But if you're still hungry, go ahead and ask.

Valdo: OK, I'm going to ask for a whole bunch then.

Michelle: You go for it.