MP3 Audio (Lesson) | MP3 Audio (Dialog)
Everyone is passing out the gifts, and it looks like João didn’t get anything. Well, how sad is that! Even if we don’t have anything to make him feel better, at least we can come out of this lesson with new ways in Portuguese to talk about it.
Why say ‘essa’ instead of ‘esse?’ We are talking about gifts or ‘presentes,’ which is masculino, right? I’m confused.
You know, we actually have no evidence in the dialog as to what the “essa” refers to. If, for example, she is giving “balas” (candies) then it’s easy to make the association with something feminine. It sounds like you making the association to the word “presente” but that present may actually be something that is feminine.
Question about how to pronounce João (and São in SP, and maybe just são) – is it supposed to sound like there’s an “n” at the end? It’s sounds like there’s a strong, unmistakable “n” when Orlando says it, but not Daniela.
As to pronunciation of João, São and ão in general. Think of the word “sound” in English, but eliminate the “D” that leaves you with “soun” Now, try saying “soun” without every really making the “n.” That is, the tip of your tongue never really reaches and presses against your alveolar ridge. In other words, there really isn’t an unmistakable “n” but almost!!! Good luck.
Bom dia Orlando. I noticed that in the first line, it said ‘para você’, ‘para ele’, but the second line, it said ‘pra mim’. So, I wonder if ‘para mim’ is also correct? o.o
Sure enough, “pra” is simply a shortened version of “para” and there is absolutely no difference. Feel free to use either pra você or para você, etc.