User talk:Learnportuguese

== Welcome! ==

Hi Learnportuguese! I noticed your contributions and wanted to welcome you to the Wikipedia community. I hope you like it here and decide to stay.

As you get started, you may find this short tutorial helpful:

Learn more about editing

Alternatively, the contributing to Wikipedia page covers the same topics.

If you have any questions, we have a friendly space where experienced editors can help you here:

Get help at the Teahouse

If you are not sure where to help out, you can find a task here:

Volunteer at the Task Center

Happy editing! >br<The Ogre 13:54, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

learning Portuguese

As a native Portuguese speaker, I'm sure you have made much better changes to articles on the various dialects/accents of Portuguese than I ever will. I am an American female college student wishing to learn both EP and BP so I can do news reporting for radio and Internet radio/podcasting. Is it most effective to learn both versions of Portuguese to be most understood in the whole Portuguese-speaking world? For instance, do you know both EP and BP or just one version?

I've read almost all the articles pertaining to Portuguese language and culture around the world. It's amazing the amount of information Wikipedia holds!
learnportuguese 20:55, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

Hello. :-)
In my opinion, trying to learn two different dialects of a foreign language at once is bound to do more harm than good. My advice would be to pick one and learn that one well. Later you could get acquainted with other dialects.
Now, which dialect to pick is a difficult and very personal question. My advice is that you start with the variety you like best, or, failing that, the one that is likely to be most useful to you. Ask yourself whether you are more likely to work for a radio geared towards BP or EP. Exchange ideas with other people who have learned the language. Consider also whether you intend to live abroad in the future, and if so where.
To answer your question, I am from Portugal, and I am fairly familiar with Brazilian Portuguese, at least the varieties of it which are used in the media. Like most Portuguese, I have heard it often on television, mostly because Brazilian soap operas (telenovelas) are popular here. The opposite is not true: most Brazilians have had little exposure to European Portuguese. I would never say, however, that I "know Brazilian Portuguese". I am not a native, and all I've learned about it was from afar, though sometimes by talking to Brazilians through the Internet.
My impression is that of the two varieties of Portuguese, the Brazilian one is the most likely to be understood well throughout the Portuguese-speaking world. On the other hand, the types of Portuguese actually spoken in the African and Asian Portuguese-speaking countries are generally closer to European Portuguese.
I wish you the best of luck with the study of our language (in whichever variety), and if I am around when you have a question just ask in my Talk Page.
I leave you with a word of caution: although the Internet is an incredibly useful tool, it also contains a great deal of incorrect information. This is particularly true as far as web sites about the Portuguese language are concerned, I'm afraid. Even the Wikipedia's articles, to some of which I have contributed substantially, are of uneven quality, and, as any other articles, can suffer inaccurate or misleading edits from well-intentioned but ill-informed editors, or from biased editors with ulterior agendas.
With my warmest regards,
FilipeS 22:07, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

Why do you think it is Brazilian Portuguese that is most understood throughout the Portuguese-speaking world?
learnportuguese 19:58, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

Mostly thanks to the popularity of Brazilian soap operas and Brazilian music.
FilipeS 22:59, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

How do you know when to say sou or estou? That is so confusing to me. There is ser and estar, which both mean to be. That is the most difficult part of Portuguese for me. I am on a level somewhere between beginner and intermediate. How did you learn English? Your English is very very good.
learnportuguese 23:22, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

Hi. I apologize for not getting back to you sooner, but I've been busy, and had little time for Wikipedia lately. Regarding your latest questions, which fall a little outside of the scope of Wikipedia, I want to ask if you have made your e-mail accessible to other users. Please don't write it here in this public forum, but I think you can make it available to other users in your user profile. I would rather reply to some of your questions by e-mail. It's more private. Regards.
FilipeS 14:32, 14 September 2007 (UTC)

hi, and thanks

English is a common second language for everyone in the world - it's basically "learn English or stay at home". The basic is learned at school, and everybody pays for private lessons if possible. Also, I'm working in the IT sector - we need English everywhere. All programming languages need at least basic English. And, frankly, I'm such a nerd - my pleasure is pop culture and, above all, learning everything I can. Needing some help, just call me. wildie · wilđ di¢e · wilł die 19:37, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

blind people in Brasil

As you're female, "I am blind" would be "Sou cega" in Portuguese. I don't have much contact with blind people, so I have just a general idea about their situation here. I will research first. Bye. wildie · wilđ di¢e · wilł die 14:18, 10 September 2007 (UTC)

Re. Portuguese

I do speak Portuguese. I have been to both Portugal and Brazil and I can speak both dialects, although I nearly always speak European Portuguese (the dialect spoken in Portugal). Regards, Húsönd 01:12, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

Portuguese is a language, not a dialect. European and Brazilian Portuguese are not dialects. They are two different ways to write and pronounce the same language.

Every year there are international conferences about that subject – differences between European and Brazilian Portuguese. Septrya 02:05, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

Well, I am a native speaker of English as well (some of my family is English-speaking, so I grew up listening to both English and Portuguese). I'm not from Asia or Africa, but from Portugal itself. It's interesting that you are willing to learn both European and Brazilian Portuguese. They're very different and sometimes I wonder if I should consider Brazilian to be a dialect of Portuguese or a separate language. They may write very similarly, but sound very differently (and even the grammar and structure of the sentences often differ). Many words and expressions are also different. As for the climate, it is different as well. Brazil is a tropical country. As for Portugal, I don't really know how's the climate here anymore. We used to have four seasons but the climate has changed drastically in the last decade. It's like the seasons come at random now. The food is also very different and diverse. I truly hope that you'll soon have the chance to go abroad. Make good choices when you do go! Best regards, Húsönd 02:31, 7 September 2007 (UTC)

I'm not part English part Portuguese. I'm just Portuguese, but happen to be bilingual. :-) Húsönd 02:45, 7 September 2007 (UTC)#

Portuguese

Actually, the article on the Portuguese language has many excellent samples of the dialects of Portuguese that you would find interesting to compare. I'm not sure if I could do the recording thing... :-/ I have heard Jamaican English before, and if I recall I guess it is similar to other Caribbean English dialects, is it not? Regards, Húsönd 03:43, 8 September 2007 (UTC)

blind people in Portugal

Hi. It is great that you are learning Portuguese, as it shows you are persistent. Portuguese isn't the easiest language to learn, as you must have already understood. You say in your user page that you think 3 years is the ideal time to spend in a Portuguese-speaking country to learn Portuguese correctly. This may be true in what concerns almost all the language specifications but the pronunciation. In another language, the pronunciation can be close to perfect, but in Portuguese very few foreigners can get the actual accent, even when they have lived many years here. Blind people in Portugal are a bit marginalized, and I wouldn't recommend it as a good place for you to work. Greetings from Portugal,
Filipeacaeiro 11:50, 10 September 2007 (UTC)

completely new

Hi everyone. I've completely revamped my user page and talk page. Be aware that there is no longer a section on my talk page called QUESTION FOR PORTUGUESE SPEAKERS. I have posted questions for ongoing discussion (meaning once the question is answered, that's NOT the end) in my user page. My user page is set up just like a Wikipedia article, with different headlines for each section. This is an easier format for my braille screen to navigate, though visually it may look dull.

A thousand thanks to all the Portuguese speakers who have contributed to my talk page so far. I've learned a lot already. !!

I will continuously update my user page and talk page. This means that sections or questions that were there may be deleted the next day. A good way to keep up with these ongoing changes is to put a watch on both my user page and my talk page.

IMPORTANT: When posting messages to my talk page, always be sure you have viewed the most recent version of my user page. (My talk page may also contain useful messages by other Wikipedians.)

HAVE FUN!
learnportuguese 15:17, 14 September 2007 (UTC)

your user page's questions

• How do you pronounce r?

The two main pronunciations are like the h and the r in Harry. The h sound, maybe stronger, is used for initial r (rápido is almost happy + do in a single word), for double r (carro), and after vowels before consonants (arma, very likely to "arm"). Between vowels, it's like your r. Caro is almost like your care.

• Is s always pronounced like the sound in shell?

S is pronounced mainly like sea, not shell. Sometimes it is more like rise.

• What do you say to someone when he/she is crying? I know it starts with qual. It would be equivalent to "what's wrong?".

"Qual o problema?" is very near "what's wrong?" in meaning and usage, but a direct translation would be "what's the problem?". Other option: "que foi?" ("what happened?)

• How do you say that you miss your home country or your family and friends?

Two ways to say this: "Sinto falta de meu país/minha família e amigos.", or using "saudade" instead of "falta" for a more intense feeling. See Wikipedia's saudade article for this beautiful Portuguese word.

---

Words used:

• Rápido = quick, swift, hurry
• Carro = car, automobile
• Caro = expensive
• Arma = weapon, gun —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wildie (talk • contribs) 16:27, 14 September 2007 (UTC)

Claro.

Claro. This is a very confusing expression for me to understand. I used an online translator, and it came out with the meaning CLEARLY. That doesn't sound right though. Is CLARO the same as É VERDADE?
learnportuguese 00:11, 15 September 2007 (UTC)

Hi. Claro is a very tricky word indeed for learners and foreigners to get used to. It may not be directly translated as "É verdade". It is mainly used when, in a dialogue, the other person is telling you something he/she did and then you agree with what he/she said. I'll give an example because it is really tricky.

OK, there's this man and he says something like "The dog attacked me, so I tried to knock it down with a stick.". And you say "Claro", demonstrating that you agree with the solution the man found to his problem.

I hope you have understood this. Maybe one of the other Portuguese users can give you more satisfying help.
Filipeacaeiro 19:22, 15 September 2007 (UTC)

Could claro be understood as an English equivalent for OK, or is this an exclusively Portuguese concept? I'm sure this differs between Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. É verdade? (It's true?)
learnportuguese 20:24, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

É verdade.

Do Portuguese speakers use "É verdade" a lot? I seem to hear this phrase a lot in the media, as both a question and a declaration. Is this more a formal way of asking/answering a question in an interview, or is this also used in everyday conversation? "É verdade", as a question or an answer, means "It's true", right?
learnportuguese 00:54, 17 September 2007 (UTC)

"É verdade" is used in two different circumstances. It means "it is true" indeed, but colloquially it often means "by the way", especially if used at the beginning of a sentence. Example: É verdade, telefonaste à tua irmã? (By the way, did you call your sister?) Regards, Húsönd 11:07, 17 September 2007 (UTC)

Any doubts on vocabulary or if you want to learn a phrase, just ask! By the way, I think Évora would be an interesting place to visit in Portugal. It is actually a World Heritage Site.
Filipeacaeiro 18:11, 17 September 2007 (UTC)

radio podcasts in Portuguese

If you want to listen to radio podcasts in Portuguese there's this site - [1] - with podcasts from TSF radio shows, in European Portuguese.
Filipeacaeiro 18:19, 17 September 2007 (UTC)

up for discussion

For all users watching my talk page (and user page)--including The Ogre, Husond, FilipeS, Wildie, and Filipeacaeiro--how difficult is it for Portuguese speakers to understand one another? Anyone can join in this discussion. There are many others that have been started on my talk page, and some more on my user page. Keep watching for continuous updates!

IMPORTANT: Please do not edit my user page. There are several questions that are easily transferrable to my talk page, but they are posted on my user page for general viewing. The questions that can be continuously discussed start on my user page, unless I specifically put them on my talk page. My talk page is an open forum for any questions related to Portuguese language. Have fun my fellow Wikipedians! :)
learnportuguese 23:54, 17 September 2007 (UTC)

Portuguese speakers understand one another effortlessly, just like you understand English speakers. Brazilian speakers may, however, find it a bit difficult to understand European Portuguese in their first contacts with the dialect, but they'll get used to it fairly quickly. The only Portuguese dialect that I find difficult to understand sometimes is the one spoken in some of the Azores, especially if spoken very fast. Húsönd 14:09, 18 September 2007 (UTC)

Here's a sample of Azorean- http://www.instituto-camoes.pt/cvc/hlp/geografia/som69.html. They pronounce the vowels differently, especially the u. The tone is also different. Húsönd 14:19, 18 September 2007 (UTC)

Portuguese speakers/Évora

I wasn't sure how to reply directly on your question, so I'll reply this way. As any language, Portuguese has its own dialects that vary from region to region. In my region, for instance, people are often said to sing when they speak, due to our own dialect. It is widely accepted that the best Portuguese is the dialect spoken in the region of Coimbra. I sometimes find it very difficult to understand people from the Azores or Madeira Islands because their dialects are very tricky, the pronunciation in some vowels and the speed makes them very difficult (at least for me) to understand. About Évora, there are many things to see. The ruins of a Roman temple, right next to it there's a cathedral that is a hybrid between Romanesque and Gothic architecture, a chapel whose walls are covered with skulls and human bones, etc. I think it is worth a visit.
Filipeacaeiro 22:12, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

Évora

What is Romanesque and Gothic architecture? Since I'm blind (sou cega), I have no idea what these are. learnportuguese 23:07, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

Romanesque architecture is the style churches were built around 800-1100 and it consists of churches with thick walls and very dark interiors. Gothic architecture consists of churches with high pinnacles and colored windows, with lots of details in the façades. Architecture is not my best, but try to search the web to get more information. Regards,
Filipeacaeiro 16:19, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

islanders

I thought the dialect of the Madeira Islands was hard to understand. Not that I understand much anyway. Just the cognate words like internacionais, condicional, exatamente, etc. I also thought the dialect of the Algarve region was significantly different from the rest. I personally don't think there is a BEST Portuguese to speak, whether or not people think it is from Coimbra or Lisboa or Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo. But that's just me.
learnportuguese 12:24, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

Carnaval

Is Carnaval something that happens only in Brasil, or is it throughout the Portuguese-speaking world?
learnportuguese 20:36, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

Waldir's reply

Hello, Learnportuguese! Thanks for your message. I'm glad you're interested in the Portuguese language. I promise to help you every time you need it if it is in my reach. Now, answering your question, I don't think all Portuguese speakers can also speak English, :) but as a widely accepted international language, many of us do indeed speak it, and some of us fairly well. But I don't think the ratio is bigger than in other countries. Feel free to ask for help whenever you need it. :) cheers,
Waldir 22:55, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

Well, I supposed you already knew where I am from. You said it yourself in the last message you sent me: Cape Verde. I learned English in classes I took out of school (though we also learn English at school in Cape Verde). I love the language, so I kept learning it by talking to people online, learning song lyrics, and watching movies... I'm improving all the time. English is not a perfect language and there are many complicated things I wished could be simpler, and the same happens with Portuguese. These languages are not prone to be liked by many people, but I guess English happens to gain some charisma because it appears in mainstream movies and media, becoming day after day part of the global culture. The same doesn't happen with Portuguese, and that's why not many people show interest in learning it. That's my opinion at least.
Waldir 13:17, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

Hi Learnportuguese. First of all, let me ask you not to add comments in my talk page without a section title. Otherwise they stay in the previous section. I have now a section called "conversation with learnportuguese". Try to write there from now on, ok? :)

Secondly, replying to your questions: I suppose you want to say that you can't talk Portuguese very well yet? In that case, you can say "Ainda estou a aprender o português" (I'm still learning Portuguese), or "Ainda não sei falar muito bem o português" (I still can't talk portuguese very well/fluently). If that was not what you were asking, I apologize. I still can't speak English as well as I'd like to, too! :D

You already know, I suppose, that "why" is "porquê", and "because" is "porque". I can't tell you very clearly why it is like that, and how to easily remember which one is which. But I would suggest you to take a look at the discussion groups listed here: http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=english+portuguese&submit=Search — especially this one: http://br.groups.yahoo.com/group/englishportuguese Try asking these questions there. I'm sure they'll be able to help you out ;)
Waldir 19:40, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

new question for ongoing discussion

Would you say that Portuguese is more difficult or easier than English to learn as a second language? If so, why? If not, why not? (See other ongoing discussion questions above.) Any user is welcome to start posting answers beneath.
learnportuguese 14:47, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

I'd say neither is harder. I don't know really. But perhaps English is harder to pronounce for many people. I still find many words tricky...
Waldir 15:05, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

the Açores and Madeira Islands

I have never been to an island before. Can you believe that?! Is it cold or hot on an island? Do people get frightened of floods or tsunamis? Islands must be somewhat safe to live on because obviously there are people on the Açores and Madeira Islands. If you have been to these islands, I'd love to know about your experiences. I bet there's a lot of fishing. I'm a seafood lover! Shrimp is my favorite. I also like talapia very much.
learnportuguese 16:18, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

Cabo Verde and São Tomé e Príncipe

Since these islands are in Africa, are they tropical? If anyone's been to these islands, tell me all about it!! :) :)
learnportuguese 16:18, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

They're tropical, yes. I've never been there, but I have relatives who have. The weather is hot, the vegetation is luxuriant. Lots of palm trees. Húsönd 17:39, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

I am Cape Verdean. I've visited several of the islands, and I can tell you that nearly each one of them has its own characteristics. My island, Sal, and the two others from the same geological group, Boavista and Maio, are very flat and dry and have lots of sand (most of it from the Sahara desert). They're the oldest islands, and that's one of the reasons they are so flat (because of the erosion). Then there's Santo Antão, São Nicolau, and Santiago, which are much more recent (geologically speaking) islands, with a lot of mountains, and therefore more rain, and more vegetation. Santo Antão is particularly green, some places look like a tropical forest; but in that island there are also plants from other latitudes (for example, there is the only eucalyptus forest of that latitude -- or something like that, i'm not sure). There's São Vicente, which is somewhat mountainous but much more dry than the previous 3 islands. Then there's Fogo, which has a volcano taking over almost the whole island, and then Brava, very small, very green, very beautiful I heard. Santa Lusia, the unhabbited one, is one of the smallest and doesn't have much to see. Nowadays it is a natural reserve for endemic species of birds and lizards.
Waldir 19:26, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

incorrect Portuguese vocabulary

Hello. I corrected some minor mistakes I found in those Portuguese sentences on your user page. By the way, I noticed that most of those sentences are written in Brazilian Portuguese. A European Portuguese speaker would make several changes, especially insertion of articles that Brazilians often disregard. Húsönd 17:36, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

Brazilian Portuguese and European Portuguese have so many differences that even I haven't decided whether to consider them dialects of the same language or different languages. They sound very differently, and also have many lexical and grammatical differences. They write similarly, yet orthographic differences occur quite frequently. Brazilians also tend to simplify the language, as by suppressing articles and verbal forms that a European Portuguese speaker would use. Here are the differences between the Brazilian sentences you have on your user page and the ones I'd use as a European Portuguese speaker:

• Você fala Inglês -> Falas inglês?
• Sou Americana. / Sou cega. --> Eu sou americana. / Eu sou cega.
• Qual é seu nome? --> Qual é o teu nome?
• Meu nome é Roberta. --> O meu nome é Roberta.
• Qual o problema? / Que foi? --> Qual é o problema? / O que foi?
• Sinto falta de meu país, minha família, e meus amigos. --> Sinto falta dos meus pais, da minha família, e dos meus amigos.
• Qual é a sua opinião? --> Qual é a tua opinião?

Regards, Húsönd 22:12, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

I wasn't offended in any manner. I am puzzled that you got that impression. Neither I think that European Portuguese is superior to Brazilian Portuguese in any manner. I am fully aware of language evolution and that every single language on Earth serves its purpose perfectly. By the way, it is true that addressing one in the third person (as in the examples you provided: sua, fala) is considered formal usage of the Portuguese language in Portugal (in Brazil this usage is both formal and informal). You should thus use those words when addressing people you don't know in Portugal (it's considered impolite to use the personal pronoun tu and the associated verbal forms unless you are talking to children or people you are friends with). Likewise, addressing people with the word você is also rude. You must use the associated verbal forms of você, but refrain from saying that very word. Regards, Húsönd 00:31, 26 September 2007 (UTC)

Hi! I'm Portuguese and this is how I would write those sentences:

• Você fala Inglês -> Falas inglês?
• Sou Americana. / Sou cega. --> Sou americana. / Sou cega.
• Qual é seu nome? --> Como é que te chamas?
• Meu nome é Roberta. --> Chamo-me Roberta. (O meu nome é Roberta. is less usual.)
• Qual o problema? / Que foi? --> Qual é que é o problema? / O que é que foi? (In oral EP, we almost always insert "é que" in wh-questions.)
• Qual é a sua opinião? --> Qual é a tua opinião? (This is a case where we might suppress "é que".)
  Velho 23:22, 29 September 2007 (UTC)

email is enabled

Just so everyone knows, I have enabled email reception for my user profile. I've tried to keep as many modes of communication open as possible. If you don't want to put something on my talk page, you can always email me. HAVE FUN! :)
learnportuguese 01:02, 27 September 2007 (UTC)

pronouncing Portuguese

I do not understand your request. What do you exactly mean by "How would you say that you're very particular about pronouncing Portuguese? I'll need to know that so people don't think I'm trying to make fun of them"? Húsönd 15:19, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

I don't think that people tend to find one disrespectful for attempting to speak their language. In Portugal, if you try to speak Portuguese with the locals, they'll be surprised and pleased even if your Portuguese isn't perfect, because it'll show them that you are trying to learn their language rather than relying on their eventual ability to understand English. So don't worry. And I guess it's the same everywhere: no matter how poorly you speak a foreign language, its native speakers will still be happy and proud because at least you're trying to learn it (unlike most people who won't bother). regards, Húsönd 16:12, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

It's easy to see the difference. Porque (why) will usually appear at the beginning of a sentence that'll be marked with a question mark at the end. In European Portuguese, we often ask "Porque é que...?" instead of just "Porque...?". Porque (because) will appear in the answer to the question, with a declarative tone. By the way, the one-word sentence "Why?" would be "Porquê?" in Portuguese. When standing alone, the stress of the word "porque" will change to its last syllable. Húsönd 16:32, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

Correct. We literally ask "why is that...?". :-) Regards, Húsönd 17:53, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

How would you say that you're very particular about pronouncing Portuguese? I'll need to know that so people don't think I'm trying to make fun of them.
learnportuguese 14:32, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

You might say something like Sou exigente com a minha pronúncia do português, literally "I'm demanding with my pronunciation of Portuguese", but I wouldn't be if I were you. Pronunciation is usually a difficult part of a language to get completely right, and it's also something that you can refine along the way.
FilipeS 17:50, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

One thing I find really hard to master in Portuguese is how to write the words why and because. I know they are almost the same. Is there a way I can remember to tell them apart?
learnportuguese 16:25, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

That's not surprising. You see, even native speakers can't reach an agreement on how they should be spelled, and then there are regional variations in how the words are pronounced (between Portugal and Brazil, mostly). :-)

So let's be pragmatic. "Why" can be spelled porque (Portugal), porquê (Portugal), por que (Portugal and Brazil), or por quê (Brazil). The Brazilian rules are perhaps the simplest: use por quê at the end of sentences, and use por que everywhere else.

I must tell you, though, that in my opinion the talk pages of Wikipedia are not the right place for learning a language. I have tried to send you other suggestions by e-mail, but it didn't get through. I will try again when I have the time, but that may take a while.

Regards.
FilipeS 17:50, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

special characters in Portuguese

á â ã à ç é ê í ó ô õ ú

To all Portuguese speakers, how do you know when to use these characters? Do they represent different pronunciations, or do they just represent where to stress a syllable (á é í ó ú are used in Spanish for syllable stress only, not different pronunciations).
learnportuguese 18:18, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

Stress is a different pronunciation, isn't it? :-)

Most of the time, those diacritics have to do with pronunciation (if one includes stress in pronunciation). In some cases, they are a matter of convention. I suggest you take a look at Portuguese alphabet and Orthography of Portuguese.
FilipeS 19:14, 28 September 2007 (UTC)

In European Portuguese, every use of diacritics has to do with pronunciation (although they're also all a matter of convention. I guess I can teach you a few good rules on diacritics from the European Portuguese point of view. Let me write two of them just for today:

1. The acute accent (´) always marks the stressed vowel. It can never be used except over the stressed vowel.
2. The acute accent doesn't change the sound of u or i. It always "opens" the sounds of:
   o - like English "aw" in "law", instead of "o" in "old" or "oo" in "too";
   a - like English "a" in "father", and not like the second "a" in "drama";
   e - like English "e" in "bed"; the other two sounds of "e" do not exist in English, but they exist, for instance, in French: in Portuguese, "é" is never read like "é" in most French words nor like "e" in French "de".
   Velho 23:37, 29 September 2007 (UTC)

dialect articles

Hi! I noticed that you were creating articles about dialects, like Alto-Alentejano, that are so short that they don't really contain any information at all. It would be more useful if, instead of creating a lot of articles without any content, you focused on one dialect, giving enough information and reliable sources to make it a useful encyclopedia article, and then moved on to the next one on your list. Thanks! - FisherQueen (Talk) 15:26, 1 October 2007 (UTC)

Hi! I see that you're still creating articles that are only one sentence long, have no sources, and don't give any information. Would you be willing to stop, please, and expand some of the ones you've already created? -FisherQueen (Talk) 15:38, 1 October 2007 (UTC)

It's all cool. I could see from your talk page that you're knowledgeable and editing in good faith... it's just that we can use informative articles about a smaller number of topics more than one-sentence articles on a larger number. I have a too-short article in my sandbox right now, just waiting for me to find more information about it so I'll feel good about creating it in mainspace... -

FisherQueen

(Talk) 15:46, 1 October 2007 (UTC)

Yes, please. These are creating a lot of work for other editors. Thanks. :) --
PMDrive1061 15:49, 1 October 2007 (UTC)

• By the way, I'm taking a moment to redirect all of these to the main article at Portuguese language. As you have the time, you can change the redirects to more "fleshed out" articles. Have fun! --
  PMDrive1061 15:53, 1 October 2007 (UTC)

No trouble at all. It's clear to everyone that you wish to contribute in a positive manner. Good luck in your studies and come back anytime. --
PMDrive1061 16:28, 1 October 2007 (UTC)

sandbox

What is a sandbox? learnportuguese 22:34, 1 October 2007 (UTC)

Sandboxes are cool! This is mine, and this is what it looked like last week. It's a place to put stuff that you're just screwing around with, to make test edits, and various other things that don't quite work in articlespace but you don't want to clutter up your talk page with. If you want one, just create one (you could use the title User:Learnportuguese/sandbox, for example), and then stick a link to it on your userpage or talkpage so you can get back to it when you want it. -FisherQueen (Talk) 22:48, 1 October 2007 (UTC)

going abroad: an ongoing discussion

Is it a little scary going to a foreign country? I would imagine initially you would feel a little out of your comfort zone 'cause you'd have to wake up and say Bom dia. You can't think Good morning anymore. You'd have to think, read, speak, write, and listen entirely in Portuguese. I tried really hard to imagine what it would be like if I were to land in a Portuguese-speaking place tomorrow. I know some very basic vocabulary (and I mean VERY BASIC). :) But I do not know enough to understand and interact and survive. How would I know how to ask for things, especially eating and drinking? I literally need food and drink! :) Since I'm also blind, do you think it would be harder for me to adjust to my new environment? Many people learn a language by watching facial expressions, pointing to objects, and other visual actions. How do you think I'll learn about the world around me? I guess I'd have to ask many many questions. People would have to narrate a lot for me, be very detailed and descriptive. I keep telling myself that I CAN do it (get near-fluent in Portuguese) if I set my mind to it. I think that to learn Portuguese, I must immerse myself in the language, which of course entails going to a Portuguese-speaking place someday. I'm told that the younger you are the easier it is to pick up a language functionally (that is, not from a textbook). :) learnportuguese 01:15, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

Well, if you can travel to a Portuguese-speaking country, you are so lucky... but you already realized that Portuguese is a quite complicated language. If you don't feel prepared to live in a foreign country, maybe you should learn a little more before traveling. Which country would you like to travel to? Tell me it's Brazil. :) // Matheus Wahl //, 13:37, Wed 03.10.2007.

It depends on the foreign country, but you don't have to be scared. I believe that you err in your notion of language usage when going abroad. You don't have to "switch" to Portuguese simply because you're e.g. in Portugal. You can keep using your English. Most people will understand or go find somebody who will. Húsönd 16:43, 3 October 2007 (UTC)

If Portuguese is a complicated language, I'm sure English is harder. English is spelled so inconsistently. At least Portuguese has consistent spelling. I think Portuguese may have harder pronunciation (perhaps more sounds than English), but I do not want to make that a fact because I don't want to be biased as an English speaker. I think there are three ways each to pronounce r and s depending on country, region, or city.

My philosophy is if I come to your country and you speak Portuguese I should speak Portuguese, or at least try. I personally think Americans are rude (not everyone of course but we are ruder than many other cultures). learnportuguese 23:31, 3 October 2007 (UTC)

my name

Would I have a different name if I travel to the Portuguese-speaking world? Since my first name is Beth, I don't think that exists in Portuguese. There is no sound for th in Portuguese, right? I WOULD say Meu nome é Beth when I introduce myself, right? learnportuguese 21:27, 4 October 2007 (UTC)

I was picturing you as male... I don't think you have to change your name. I know people with foreign names who are from other places, and I say their names with the wrong accent, but they didn't change their names when they came here. -FisherQueen (talk contribs) 21:30, 4 October 2007 (UTC)

Beth is a common name in Brazil (i.e., the singer Beth Carvalho). Anyway, few people change their names to travel to other countries. I wouldn't change my name to Matthew just because both have the same meaning. // Matheus Wahl //, 13:16, Fri 05.10.2007.

Beth in Brazil is spoken as "batch" (consider "a" as the "a" spoken in "Matthew"). // Matheus Wahl //, 13:26, Fri 05.10.2007.