Pop Culture: Protesting

A gif protesting the rise in public transportation fare



I wanted to go to the protest, but I was short 20 cents.

Literally, I wanted to go to the protest, but I was missing 20 cents for the [bus] ticket.

Pop Culture: Protesting

Only kisses will silence us

Literally, Only kisses will shut our mouths

Even more literally, Only kisses will cover our mouths

Pop Culture: Protesting

In a protest against public transport price rise



It’s a disgrace to have bus tickets that are more expensive than pot

Pop Culture: Protesting



leave Candy Crush and come to the street

Note: “come to the street” is understood to mean “join us out here in demanding change”

Pop Culture: Internet Lingo

Kkkkk

A Brazilian equivalent of “lol,” referring to one of the onomatopoeia for laughter, which is pronounced in the same way as the letter K in Portuguese (cá).

The amount of K’s is not set. So long as there are three or more K’s the meaning is still “lol”. 

The more repeated the closer to “rofl” or “roflmao” the meaning gets (especially if in all caps).

Pop Culture: Internet Lingo

rsrsrsrsrs

A Brazilian equivalent of “lol,” referring to two of the more commonly used Portuguese words for laugh/laughter: riso and risada. The number of times “rs” is repeated is not set So long as there is at least one set of “rs” the meaning is “lol”.

The more repeated the closer to “rofl” or “roflmao” the meaning gets (especially if in all caps).

Pop Culture: Internet Lingo

tc

Short for “teclar.” Technically, teclar is the verb “to type,” but in internet lingo/messenger speak it’s used to mean “to chat online”

Usually used as a greeting in a chat  - “quer tc?” (wanna chat?)

Pop Culture: Protesting

After two dictatorships (the most recent and violent of the two lasting from 1964-1989) Brazilians take their right to complain and be heard very seriously. 

As such, protesting is a huge part of pop culture. Anything about the way things are run can be grounds for a protest.

Anything.

Don’t believe me?

When my mother was in university the students were sick and tired of always being fed boiled eggs (ovo cozido). In true Brazilian style, they took the famous chant of

o povo                               the people

unido                                 united

jamais será vencido          will never [ever] be beaten

and tweaked it a bit.

Then, they took to their campus’ cafeteria chanting

o ovo                                 the boiled egg

cozido                               

jamais será comido!           will never [ever] be eaten!

until the cafeteria staff agreed to fry the eggs once in a while. 

While my mother has no picture of the protest, here’s a similar situation:

The Technology Federal University of Paraná (UTFPR) has the most expensive university cafeteria in the country. In 2013 the students felt that the the price was ridiculous for the quality of food they recieved.

Lo and behold, this happened: 

Bottom right:

beterraba de novo? - radishes again?

Top left:

comida ruím eu msm faço - if I wanted food that tastes bad I would cook it myself

Literally, “food that tastes bad I can make [by] myself”

au au au pelo menos bota sal! - at least put [some] salt [in the food]!

Note: While “au au” can mean “woof woof” in this case it is meant as a sound that that rhymes with sal (salt).

Top right:

temos o RU mais caro do país - we have the most expensive university caff in the country

RU stands for “restaurante universitário” (university restaurant), the Brazilian term for an university cafeteria

Side note: Brazil does not distinguish between university and college. Almost all post secondary education takes place in universities. The other version is called a faculdade (faculty), and the only thing that distinguishes it from an university how many courses it offers. Also, federal universities have the reputation for being the best universities in the country (as opposed private ones), and (like with all public universities) are tuition-free if you manage to pass the tough and extensive entrance exam (vestibular).

Colloquialisms, sayings, & Slang

Cê tá pensando que berimbau é gaita? - Are you thinking that a berimbau is a harmonica?

A somewhat friendlier way of saying "who do you think you are?" or "what do you think I am?". It is usually used when a person makes an exorbitant demand or request. A berimbau is a musical instrument.

Chôvê não, chovê molha! - Not rain[ing], rain[ing] gets [us] wet!

A play on words for the request "Deixa eu ver" (let me see/can I see), which is often shortened to "Chovê" (which in turn sounds exactly like the common shortening of "chover" - to rain). It's usually used by adults to little kids who are trying to grab something off their hands.

Colloquialisms, sayings, & Slang

Churrasquinho de gato – Cat barbecue

Any bbq of questionable origin (it isn't necessarily actually made of cat).

Pastel de ar - Air pastel

A pastel is a kind of popular pastry in Brazil that can be savoury or sweet and has varying flavours (I'll make a post on it in the near future, but for now, think "deep fried pita pocket"). 

An air pastel is a pastel that has very little filling inside (the bigger the pastel, the ore likely this is to be). The idea is that since there's so little filling, the filling for that pastry is "air".

Colloquialisms, sayings, & Slang

Churrasquinho de gato – Cat barbecue

Any BBQ of questionable origin (it isn't actually made of cat... one hopes).

Véi, véio – Oldie, old

Slang akin to “dude”. It's particularly popular among  those of the 90's generation.

Estar frito – To be fried

A term used similarly to “to be screwed” in English, but isn't considered to be a swear like “screwed” is. Closer to "to be in a jam" swear-wise.

Colloquialisms, sayings, & Slang

Nem aqui nem lá na China! - Neither here nor in China!

A way of saying something is ridiculous or untrue. Eg. Someone offers you a food you've never tried.  You ask them what it tastes like and they say it's kinda sweet, but when you try it it's extremely bitter. Then you would say “isso não é doce nem aqui nem lá na China!” (this isn't sweet neither here nor in China!).

Nem que a vaca tussa (em Alemão)! - Not even if the cow coughs (in German)!

A somewhat equivalent exclamation to “in your dreams”. Can also mean “never ever in a million years” depending on the situation. 

Colloquialisms, Sayings, Slang

Vai catá coquinho! – Go gather little coconuts!

A playful/friendly way of saying “stop bothering me” and/or “f*** you”.

Vai plantar batata! – Go plant potatoes!

A playful/friendly way of saying “stop bothering me” and/or “f*** you”.

Vai chupá prego! – Go suck on a nail!

A playful/friendly way of saying “stop bothering me” and/or “f*** you”.

Vai caçar sapo com bodoque! – Go hunt frogs with a slingshot!

A playful/friendly way of saying “stop bothering me” and/or “f*** you”. I assume the idea is that hunting frogs with a slingshot takes a long time...?

Vai ver se eu tô lá na esquina! - Go see if I'm on the corner of the street!

A playful/friendly way of saying “stop bothering me” and/or “f*** you”.

Colloquialisms, sayings, Slang

Quem tem boca vai à Roma – Anyone with a mouth [can] go to Rome

The Brazilian equivalent of “he who asks shall receive” - NOT “all roads lead to Rome”. The idea is that anyone whith a mouth can ask for directions.

O que não mata engorda – That which doesn't kill you makes you fatter

The Brazilian version of “what doesn't kill you makes you stronger”.

Nós quem, cara-pálida? – Who's “we”, paleface?

A way of saying “Don't put me in the middle of this!”

Calma que o Brasil é nosso! - Calm [down], Brazil is ours [already]!

Somewhat equivalent to “Hold your horses!” and “Where's the fire?”. Used when anyone is rushing for no reason.

Colloquialisms, sayings, & Slang

Se correr o bicho pega, se ficar o bicho come – If you run the animal/creature will catch you, if you stay [still] the animal/creature will eat you

More or less the Brazilian equivalent of “stuck between a rock and a hard place” or “damned if you do, damned if you don't”. The idea is that either choice is equally bad.

No dia de São Nunca (de tarde) – On the day of Saint Never (in the afternoon)

A way of saying something is never gonna happen. It's usually used as a reply to a question (eg. “So, mom, when am I gonna be allowed to drive your car?”). Brazil is primarily Christian, so this is referring to saint days, which are the days each saint is officially supposed to be celebrated.

Bater ponto - Literally, "to hit the point/dot"

Originally this was a term that meant “to get your time-card punched in” back when you logged in your time at work by getting the time stamped on a paper card. Nowadays it tends to mean “to keep someone informed”, as in letting your parents know where you are if you're going to be out late. (eg. "Lembra de bater ponto se você for atrasar, viu?" - Remember to check in/let me know if you''re going to be late, alright?)

Educate Yourself!

Education in Brazil is a Federal domain.

In Brazil kids in elementary usually only go to school for half the day. You're either part of the morning class or the afternoon class.


Teachers in Brazil are known by their first name, never their surname. Calling someone Mr./Ms. Surname is considered extremely formal. This goes for all levels of teaching, including university. The closest we come to that is adding Mr./Ms. before an elderly person's name, and even then it's not an absolute you-will-be-shunned-for-not-doing-it must (eg I called the co-principals of my school in Kindergarten/Grade 1 Dona Otília and Senhor Daniel, but that was because they were both well in their seventies/eighties).


A class (especially Primary) is often referred to as a "turma" (usually translated as "gang" but with the modern connotations of gang turma is actually closer to "team"). You would use it to say something like "Eu sou da turma da tarde, a turma da Marlene" (I'm in the afternoon class, the class [taught by] Marlene).

When not using the teacher's first name students often call their teachers “professor/professora” (teacher). The word is often also shortened to “Fessor/Fessora”.


Recess is called "recreio". 


There are three interchangeable words for homework: 
- Dever de casa (literally, home duty)
- Lição de casa" (literally, home lesson)
- Para casa (literally, for home)


Graduation from High School is not considered a big deal. The graduation that gets all the praise and cool gifts is graduating university. 


Colégio does not mean college. It is another word for escola (school). (Eg. Colégio Santo Agostinho merely means "Saint Augustine School").


There is no distinction between college and university in Brazil. They are both known as universidade (university). 

Money, Moolah, Cash

Brazil's current currency is the Real (plural: Reais), and its decimal form is centavo(s) - the Portuguese word for cents. It's symbol is R$.

In Portuguese "real" can mean both "royal" and "real", depending on the situation.

In Brazil the use of commas and decimals are the opposite of that in North America (but the same as in most of Europe, I believe).

So if a book costs costs five Reais and twenty five centavos it would look like this: R$ 5,25

Brazil has 6 bank note values and 5 coin values.

All coins (5, 10, 25, and 50 cents as well as a R$ 1 coin) are commonly used. 

The most commonly used bank notes are R$ 2, R$ 5, R$ 10, R$20, and R$ 50.

Just like English has its slang for money (moolah, cash, etc), Portuguese has it too. The most common are "grana" and "dim dim". Other slangs include "cobre" (copper), "prata" (silver), "Mango" (somewhat equivalent to the use of "bucks" or "quid"), and "bufunfa".

"Trocado" is slang for small change.

"Troco" is is the change you receive when you're buying something, so depending on what you're buying the change can very well be big.

Colloquialisms, sayings, & Slang

Póde ir tirando o cavalinho da chuva! - You can go take your horsie out of the rain!

An exclamation meaning “forget about it! It ain't hapening!”

Bom dia flor do dia! - Good day flower of the morning!

The Brazilian equivalent of “mornin' sunsine!”