B1 · 37 words

Friendship and relationships in Portuguese

How closeness begins, how it holds, and how it comes to an end.

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From these 37 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

The eleventh entry is dar notícias, and it is the sort of phrase that defeats a word-for-word reading. Literally it is to give news, and English cannot say that, because « news » refuses the verb: we give somebody a call, a ring or a shout, but never news. What dar notícias means is to let people hear from you — to write, to phone, to send the message saying you have arrived. So dá notícias quando chegares is « let us know when you get there » or « drop us a line when you arrive », and the imperative is as ordinary in Portuguese as « keep in touch » is here. Two further things are worth holding on to. The negative is the more useful half: não dá notícias há meses is « we have not heard from him for months », where English turns the sentence round and puts the speaker in the subject slot. And notícias here is a plural countable noun, while English « news » is a mass noun taking a singular verb — « the news is good », never are.

The words

Verb (5)

desculparto forgiveVerbB1

Desculpou-lhe tudo menos a mentira.She forgave him everything except the lie.

trairto betrayVerbB1

Traiu a confiança de quem o ajudou.He betrayed the trust of the people who had helped him.

coscuvilharto gossipVerbB1

Passam a tarde a coscuvilhar sobre os vizinhos.They spend the afternoon gossiping about the neighbours.

separar-seto separateVerbB1

Separaram-se sem discussão nenhuma.They separated without a single argument.

divorciar-seto get divorcedVerbB1

Divorciaram-se ao fim de nove anos.They got divorced after nine years.

Adjective (2)

Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective stands

lealloyalAdjectiveB1

É leal mesmo quando lhe custa.He is loyal even when it costs him.

noivoengagedAdjectiveB1

Está noiva desde dezembro.She has been engaged since December.

Phrase (21)

ter muito em comumto have a lot in commonPhraseB1

Temos muito em comum, mesmo com anos de diferença.We have a lot in common, even with the years between us.

entender-se bemto get on wellPhraseB1

Entendem-se bem desde o primeiro dia.They have got on well since the first day.

manter-se unidosto stick togetherPhraseB1

A turma manteve-se unida depois da escola.The class stuck together after school.

estar ao lado de alguémto stand by someonePhraseB1

Esteve ao lado dele durante o processo todo.She stood by him throughout the whole proceedings.

contar comto rely onPhraseB1

Conto com ela para o que der e vier.I can rely on her come what may.

dar uma mãozinhato lend a handPhraseB1

Deram uma mãozinha na mudança.They lent a hand with the move.

dar notíciasto keep in touchPhraseB1

Dá notícias quando chegares.Keep in touch when you get there.

perder o contactoto lose touchPhraseB1

Perderam o contacto depois da mudança.They lost touch after the move.

zangar-se comto fall out withPhraseB1

Zangou-se com o irmão por causa de nada.He fell out with his brother over nothing at all.

pôr as coisas a claroto clear the airPhraseB1

Puseram as coisas a claro num café.They cleared the air in a café.

não dar valor a alguémto take someone for grantedPhraseB1

Não deu valor a quem esteve sempre lá.He took for granted the people who had always been there.

sentir-se de forato feel left outPhraseB1

Sentiu-se de fora na conversa toda.She felt left out for the whole conversation.

ter um fraquinho porto have a soft spot forPhraseB1

Tem um fraquinho pelo colega do lado.She has a soft spot for the colleague next door.

apaixonar-se por alguémto fall in love with someonePhraseB1

Apaixonou-se por alguém que mal conhecia.He fell in love with someone he hardly knew.

convidar alguém para sairto ask someone outPhraseB1

Levou um mês a convidar alguém para sair.It took him a month to ask someone out.

andar comto go out withPhraseB1

Anda com ele desde o verão.She has been going out with him since the summer.

estar numa relaçãoto be in a relationshipPhraseB1

Está numa relação há dois anos.He has been in a relationship for two years.

ir viver juntosto move in togetherPhraseB1

Foram viver juntos no fim do curso.They moved in together at the end of their degree.

pedir em casamentoto proposePhraseB1

Pediu-a em casamento numa praia vazia.He proposed to her on an empty beach.

ficar noivoto get engagedPhraseB1

Ficaram noivos no inverno passado.They got engaged last winter.

acabar comto break up withPhraseB1

Acabou com ele por mensagem.She broke up with him by text message.

Noun (m) (7)

Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo

o conhecidothe acquaintanceNoun (m)B1

É um conhecido do trabalho, não um amigo.He is an acquaintance from work, not a friend.

o amigo chegadothe close friendNoun (m)B1

Só contou a dois amigos chegados.He only told two close friends.

o melhor amigothe best friendNoun (m)B1

O melhor amigo dela mora noutra cidade.Her best friend lives in another town.

o desentendimentothe misunderstandingNoun (m)B1

Foi um desentendimento por causa de uma mensagem.It was a misunderstanding over a message.

o aniversário de casamentothe wedding anniversaryNoun (m)B1

Festejam o aniversário de casamento em casa.They celebrate their wedding anniversary at home.

o divórciothe divorceNoun (m)B1

O divórcio ficou tratado numa manhã.The divorce was settled in one morning.

o ex-companheirothe ex-partnerNoun (m)B1

O ex-companheiro continua a viver no bairro.The ex-partner still lives in the neighbourhood.

Noun (f) (2)

Grammar for these: Definite article: o, a, os, as · Contractions: do, na, ao, pelo

a pressão do grupopeer pressureNoun (f)B1

A pressão do grupo pesa mais aos quinze anos.Peer pressure weighs heaviest at fifteen.

a relação à distânciathe long-distance relationshipNoun (f)B1

A relação à distância aguentou três invernos.The long-distance relationship survived three winters.

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