Free Mini Lessons

Mini Lesson 14: Why Cariocas Have Six Words for the Same Lie

Tell a carioca an invented story and watch them reach for a different word each time. They all mean exactly the same thing: you're lying.

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Mini Lesson 13: How Brazilians Really Talk About How They're Feeling

Ask a Brazilian how they're doing and you'll get anything from tá de boa to deu ruim. Here are eight phrases locals actually use for mood, patience, and one word that can mean angry or brilliant.

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Mini Lesson 12: How to Actually Pronounce Rio's Neighbourhoods

Say where you're staying in Rio and the neighbourhood name usually comes out wrong before the sentence is even finished. Here's how Copacabana, Ipanema, Maracanã and more actually sound.

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Mini Lesson 11: How to Actually Pronounce Rio's Landmarks

Every tourist points at Pão de Açúcar, Cristo Redentor and Corcovado, but half of them can't actually say the names. Here's how they really sound, no history lesson attached.

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Mini Lesson 10: Why Brazilians Have Five Words for "Dating"

In Brazil, "dating" isn't one vague word, it's a whole timeline, and each stage has its own name. Get them muddled and you might accidentally propose marriage (or accuse someone of cheating).

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Mini Lesson 9: The "Well Done" Trap and Words That Don't Translate

A real WhatsApp text turned into a lesson, why "well done" and "miserable" don't mean what you think in Portuguese

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Mini Lesson 8: Why Brazilians Call Strangers "My Love"

Brazilian shop staff, drivers and strangers call you "meu amor" or "minha flor" with zero romantic intent, but the same warmth works differently between men. Here's how it actually breaks down.

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Mini Lesson 7: Complaining About the Weather Like a Brazilian

Forget British understatement, Brazilian weather talk is pure performance.

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Mini Lesson 6: The Counter Survival Kit: How to Order at a Brazilian Bakery

Forget textbook phrases, this is how Brazilians actually order at a bakery counter.

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Mini Lesson 5: Why Everything in Brazil Sounds Cuter Than It Is

The real meaning behind Brazil's favourite grammar trick, -inho and -inha, and why it has nothing to do with size.

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Mini Lesson 4 : Rice or Beans on Top? Brazil's Biggest Food Debate

Every Brazilian has a side in this argument, and now you'll have the vocabulary to pick one too.

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Mini Lesson 3: Beer Can and Bottle Sizes in Brazil

From latinha to litrão, the words Brazilians actually use to order beer by size, no story this time, just straight vocabulary.

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Mini Lesson 2: The Flat Beer in Downtown Rio

Real story, real vocabulary: garçom, copo americano and choca, straight from a bar in central Rio de Janeiro.

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Mini Lesson 1: Independence Day in Brazil

A quick vocabulary lesson built around the 7th of September military parades, with bonus words straight from a real Rio de Janeiro Desfile Cívico.

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Essential Portuguese Phrases

Travelling to Brazil soon? Here's a pronunciation guide of essential portuguese phrases.

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