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Portuguese Language Study Group - Sesimbra

Last activity 25 April 2014 by diverdutch

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1World Traveler

My Portuguese sucks, and I'm sure that I am not the only English speaker with inadequate language skills. I also really miss the traditional American/English - Breakfast/Brunch. I am interested in hosting a language study group in my home in Sesimbra with a pot luck Sunday breakfast/brunch.

diverdutch

I might be interested in joining in at some point but will be out of country soon and for an unknown amount of time. I will follow this conversation to keep up with what is happening...

1World Traveler

Thank you for your response!

Travel safely and I hope to hear from you when you return.

Sincerely,
Nancy

Alphamare

Hello,

I would be interested in joining you study group!
I live in Azeitao, please mail me with more Details on equimove@yahoo.com

Best regards
Desiree

Sander van Houdt

Hi there!

Your Portuguese is allowed to suck, because it is one of the most difficult languages in the world!
(O seu Portugues pode ser mal, porque é uma das linguas mais dificeis no mundo!)

How does an American end up in Sesimbra?
(Como é que uma Americana acaba viver em Sesimbra?)

:)

Cheers, Viva,

Sander

diverdutch

Not only is Portuguese not easy, the Sesimbra dialect is difficult even for Portuguese from as near as Zambujal! And Sander, why do the flags show you have gone from PT back to NL? Way too cold.

And I am back and ready to take part in something Nancy...

1World Traveler

Hey Sander, thank you. When I speak Portuguese people laugh :( partly because they appreciate my efforts so it's not a total embarrassment.

Why Sesimbra? I love the sea and I love to swim. Don't get to swim much in Portugal because the water is too cold.

Keep in touch,
Nancy

Sander van Houdt

Nice to get to know you all!

Nancy: to make you feel better, the language barrier works both ways. Because sometimes I could not understand the Portuguese people speaking in English to me........

Mr Diverdutch:
I have passed my PADI exam in 1996 in Albufeira, so we are colleagues.....  :D 

And about the flags......... that is a temporary problem called Crisis, hahahaha.

But I will return, don't know when, don't know where........

The Portuguese have a beautiful word for this: Oxalá...........

:)

Sander van Houdt

One great language learning tip for you:

Write your shopping lists in Portuguese. This will activate the language dexterity.

For example:
Alho
Manjericão fresca
Polpa de tomate
Queijo italiano
Malagueta
Espaguete
Azeite

Ingredients to make a nice pasta/massa.............

Bom apetit!   :)

1World Traveler

Thanks, thats a good idea. I need practical Portuguese such as conversations with cable, water, edp... for emergencies.

If I have an emergency I am in trouble.


My husband/translator is dying of cancer and is in the hospital.

Enjoy your day,
Nancy

Sander van Houdt

I am very sorry to learn that your husband is in the hospital and I wish you all the best!

The following constructions can be very helpful:

Preciso ............... (I need ..........)
Preciso água   (I need water)
Preciso ajuda  (I need help)

Tenho de ........... (I must/I have to ............)
Tenho de pagar a conta (I have to pay the bill)

Tenho um problema  (I have a problem)

Pode me ajudar, por favor?  (Can you help me please?)

Posso ............. (Can I ..............)
Posso usar ........  (Can/may I use.........)
Posso telefonar? (Can/may I call?)


I hope these "prefab" sentences can give you some backup.


Take care, força!

1World Traveler

Yeah, hey Sander, thats what I'm talking about!

Thank you so very much,
Nancy

Fabio1111

Hi,

I would be interested in joining your study group if its still an idea that you are looking to take forward.
I have not long came back to Portugal and to be completely honest sometimes I feel really lost when I'm talking to Portuguese people and I was born here!

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely

Fabio .T

vnaalcol

I don't think Portuguese is a difficult language to learn.

Yes, in some aspects it's tricky but aren't all languages?

The hardness of one language depends only on the speaker.

If you have any question just ask.

1World Traveler

Hello Fabio, hope all is well.

I have never been able to get the study group off the ground, but would be willing to meet with people who want to improve their Portuguese at a beach side cafe in Sesimbra for lunch on Sunday's.

Fabio1111

Oh that's a real shame, it sounded like a great idea, but maybe that's something you should continue to develop.
The beach bar sounds like a nice place to start, my wife is coming over from England next week and she will really benefit from something like this, as Portuguese is a language she hardly knows. She has been listening to one of them Language courses CD but its not the same of course.
So if you want to keep in touch  we can hopefully get this great idea off the ground.

Also which beach bar did you have in mind?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Fabio. T

1World Traveler

Hello Fabio, The group can meet at a beach cafe with a view of the ocean, listen to a lesson and practice our Portuguese.

We can use our laptops and tablets to download and practice. I am available on Sunday around lunch time. I use Google Translate to help me learn Portuguese and to communicate.

What are your thoughts on how to increase our numbers and when we can get started?

Nancy

diverdutch

When the weather gets better it should be easier to get something going. Desiree should be willing to drive in from Azeitao, Sander from the Hague (we are waiting on you Sander!) and I can get in from Azoia. I think it is just a question of setting a location for everyone to come to. It add some validity to the whole thing.

1World Traveler

Hi, I am playing tennis Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings and teach a writers workshop on Saturday morning. I am available Sunday for lunch if that is good for everyone else. Can we try to meet  this Sunday?

I bought a smart phone and downloaded language translators in case of emergencies. My husband died six weeks ago and I have been transacting all of my business with the use of the Google Translator on my laptop.

Hope we can get together soon.

Be well and be safe,

Nancy

1World Traveler

We can still have the English/American style Sunday breakfast/brunch at my house. Every one can bring a dish and my dinning room table sits six to eight....

diverdutch

Let's shoot for a drink at a beach/boulevard bar first just to get things going. How about Sunday, 14.00 at Cafe Velvet. They have free wifi and reasonable prices.

1World Traveler

Yeah, thats good for me. Where is the Cafe Velvet?

diverdutch

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Velve … dd7ee7033d

1World Traveler

Seriously, Google Map? Okay, thank you. If I don't make it it's because I couldn't find it.

Thanks again,
Nancy

diverdutch

Actually, you can use street view to visualize the surrounding area and approaches. A very useful tool. Walk down to the water front. From the fort, face the water and turn right. About half way to Ribamar is where the club is.

It looks like I am going to be getting harassed if I do anything other than work on the house and garden before we head off to Bonaire in 3 weeks so I am going to be not making it Sunday. Try again on 8 June?

1World Traveler

Thank you, the directions are much better than the Google Map. Enjoy your trip and I hope to see you June 8. Have other people confirmed attendance?

Thank you again,
Nancy

diverdutch

No so maybe the 8 June date will give them a chance to organize themselves and join us.

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