Portuguese Words
Portuguese Words as Art. A wall poster in the Alfama area The Portuguese love their Language and its distinctive words and their sounds. It is a Latin based language but has less rhythmic regularity than Spanish or Italian. (Brazilian Portuguese is more rhythmic). When the Portuguese speak, and especially when they sing, words can be lengthened and shortened to fit the meaning and effect required.This is one of the reasons Fado music is so poetic and evocative.Portuguese Words are more than a means to communicate they are at the heart of Portuguese identity. They are part of the Poetic nature which is the heart of the Portuguese sensibility. Everyday Portuguese WordsDia pronounced "Deeya" is day in Portuguese, so for a greeting in the morning people say "Bom Dia!" - "Bom" of course is good."Tarde" means "afternoon" and also refers to early evening. So the Portuguese say "Boa Tarde!" from lunchtime till dark. "Boa" is the feminine form of "good". "Night" is "Noite" pronounced with a strong final /t/ and at night people greet each other with "Boa Noite!"Portuguese is a formal language and saying "please" is important. The most common way is "Se faz favor" - which is like saying "if it pleases you ". To say "thanks" you say "Obrigado" for male speaker or "Obrigada" for a woman. This contains the idea of "obliged" and so is similar to American usage in this respect. The days in Portuguese are curious - "Feira" means "street market" or "fair". Portugal still has popular street markets which rotate between local towns. Strangely, Monday is called Second Day "segunda-feira" meanings Second Market Day, followed by terca-feira, quarta- feira, quinta-feira, sexta-feira, ie. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Market Days. At the weekend, the Days are more similar to other Latin languages and Catholic cultures with - Saturday "sabado" the last day of the week and Sunday "domingo" the first Day of the Week. Unlike other European languages, Portuguese days have no reference to Pagan gods. It is said that the Portuguese days of the week are based on Catholic Holy Days and specifically refer the days non-working days in the week leading up to Easter. Lisbon WordsPortuguese Words in Lisbon - there are some words that are part of the fabric of the city. The streets or "Ruas" with their fantastic names, often commemorate Portuguese Writers, Explorers, historical figures and events. "Rossio" Lisbon's main square simply translates as that.Catholic neighborhood names include "Santos", "Graca" and "Anjos" meaning Saints, Grace and Angles. Ancient Arabic names include "Alfama" meaning "The Warm Water Spring" and "Mouraria"- The District of the Moors. Historical city center names include the leafy boulevard "Restauradores" meaning The Restoration and the neighborhood of "Penha de Franca" - Shame of France. Some wonderful curiosities like "Janelas Verdes" stir the visual and oral imagination translating as Green Windows and the beautiful nomenclature of the neighborhood "Estrella" meaning Star. Other common Portuguese Words in Lisbon are "Rio" for River and specifically the Rio Tajus or "Rio Tejo" in Portuguese. The gentle sounding "Mar" for sea weaves its way in to Portuguese Fado as as a city with rich maritime history its never far from people's lips. "Luz" the Portuguese word for Light - part of the visual inspiration of Lisbon, reflecting off the River and white stone of the historic buildings and earning Lisbon the title "White City". "Fad" which means Fate or Destiny - the soulful music of the city and the pride of its people. "Electrico" - Portuguese word for Tram, an atmospheric and economical way to get around and seeing Lisbon sights. "Bacalao" - The Portuguese specialty of Salted Cod fish with over 100 recipies. Smell them before you see them on Rua Arsenal! "Mariscos" - Seafood - Abundant, Delicious and comparatively Cheap its eaten all over the city washed down with a beer. "Cerveja" is an Arabic word (strangely enough)meaning Beer. Try Portugal's own brands Sagres and Superbock! "Pao" - pronounced Pow, with a nasal ending - means Bread. The Portuguese love Bread and "Pasteis" or Cakes (the singular form is pastel). The specialty of the city are Pasteis de Nata. Best eaten at Belem, meaning Bethlehem, with a "cafe" - pronounced caffey - coffee. If you want milk ask for "Meia de leite" - meya duh layte -meaning A Half Milk, Half Coffee. Poetic Portuguese Words - Fado, Povo, Saudades
Portuguese Songs and Portuguese Poetry are forever intertwined. Fado is a poetic song form where the sounds of the words define the rhythm of the music. It is also a music for the "Povo" - The Common People. "Fado" means Fate or Destiny - it is a music that gets inside people and defines lives.The wall sculpture above shows Amalia Rodrigues, the greatest Fado singer and refers to one of her songs about working people who lacked the luxury of running water in their homes, still common until the 1980's. The art work itself is entitled "Homanagem aos Artistas, Poetas e Lavadeiras do Rio Lima - "Homage to the Artists,Poets and People Who Wash in the River Lima". Showing a metaphorical connection between the working people or "Povo" and their Artists and Poets who through imagination and language shared their experience. Ana Moura one of the most charismatic of the new generation of Fado singers begins her concerts with the haunting sound of people singing as they wash in the river thus paying her own homage to the Lavadeiras. Saudades - A Uniquely Portuguese WordA Portuguese emotion and the essence of Fado - the unique sense of The Portuguese that something beautiful has been lost and the desire to rediscover it. Some call it Nostalgia with Longing. To understand The Portuguese you have to understand "Saudades". The best introduction to this experience is Fado. For more on Ana Moura and modern singers see Modern Fado and for more on Amalia and the History of Fado see Lisbon FadoPortuguese Phrases For Travelers Useful Portuguese Phrases Portuguese Grammar for Beginners Portuguese Vocabulary Portuguese Words top Magical Lisbon Home
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