It’s almost that time of the year again! Whether you’re experiencing Christmas in Portugal firsthand or celebrating from afar, we want to share a number of our favourite resources to help you learn and communicate about the holiday season.
Christmas Vocabulary and Phrases
To start off, Practice Portuguese members can complete an entire unit about Christmas and the New Year in Portugal.
The Lessons include exercises to practice vocabulary and useful phrases for the holiday season, such as:
Feliz NatalMerry Christmas
Boas FestasHappy Holidays
There is also a lesson about Hannukah. If you’re not a member yet, you can still learn a lot in the Learning Notes (The Holiday Season in Portugal and New Year’s Eve Traditions in Portugal).
Do you celebrate a different holiday this time of year? Let us know which vocabulary and phrases would be helpful for you and we can work on expanding our content.
Eat & Be Merry
If the background of that unit didn’t make your mouth water, then these episodes surely will.
After all, what’s Christmas without delicious food? (And quality time spent with family and friends, of course!)
A sumptuous Christmas dinner is enjoyed in Portugal on Christmas Eve. This meal is known as the Consoada.
First, learn more about the typical foods and sweets served and the origins of this tradition in the audio Shorty: A Consoada. Then, analyze it in more detail with Joel and Rui in the Podcast episode: Ninguém Quer Esparguete Doce. They’ll cover lots of vocabulary and pronunciation tips.
And for dessert, why not listen to a Shorty about Bolo Rei? Each component of this special “king cake” symbolizes the gifts the Three Wise Men offered to baby Jesus in the Biblical story.
Family & Traditions
Next, take a peek at what Rui and Joel ate on Christmas last year and reminisce with the one and only Avó Odete (Rui’s grandmother): A História de Amor da Avó Odete. Then, spend more time with her as she and Rui drive around and talk about Christmas, Portugal, and more.
In another special (but quite challenging!) video episode, Uma Família Portuguesa, Com Certeza, Avó Odete explores Christmas in the Bible and the family talks about New Years resolutions.
For something a little simpler, we recommend listening to Shorty dialogues such as: O Natal das Famílias and Um Natal de Crescer Água na Boca. Both feature a “reporter” who takes to the streets to ask Portuguese families about their Christmas traditions. Members can also take advantage of the Portuguese/English transcript as they follow the dialogue.
When you’re ready to shop for prendas de NatalChristmas gifts or listen to some classic Christmas songs, check out these Shorties to add a little Portuguese to your celebration:
Feliz Ano Novo!
Finally, to round out the year, learn about a few quirky New Years superstitions and traditions in O Ano Novo. For example, did you know that some Portuguese eat 12 raisins and make 12 wishes at midnight?
It’s been a challenging year for people all over the world, but we hope you can all find a way to connect with loved ones and look forward to next year!