In the middle of the city of Viseu there is a structure that puzzles archaeologists to this day.
Cava de Viriato
Viriato’s Pit
Burocracia em Portugal
Bureaucracy in Portugal
Navigating bureaucracy in Portugal can be quite the adventure.
The Great Portuguese Taste-Off
Joel and Rui battle it out in a blind taste test of the strangest Portuguese food items they could find. Who can guess the most correctly? Get ready for a flavour overload as you learn about some typical food items from Portugal, enrich your vocabulary, and watch the duo struggle through unexpected tastes and textures.
Uma Festa de Arromba
A Wild Party
Pedro is shocked when he returns home to find the aftermath of Sofia’s wild house party. Notice how the verb ficar is used in different ways throughout the dialogue.
Os Orgãos e Partidos da Républica Portuguesa
The Institutions And Parties Of The Portuguese Republic
Learn more about the structure of Portugal’s government and the different political parties. *Quick lesson on the word ‘chato’: This word has a lighthearted connotation, similar to annoying/boring/pesky/unpleasant. If the grocery store doesn’t have your favourite brand of cereal, that’s ‘chato’, but a dictatorship is obviously much worse than ‘chato’. When we use this […]
António Costa
António Costa
Learn more about the life of António Costa, the prime minister of Portugal.
Uma Consulta Ao Advogado
An Appointment With The Lawyer
A man receives a letter from the court related to an alleged unpaid debt. He meets with a lawyer to go over the claim and to find out what he needs to do next. Note: In Portugal, Doutor is a title sometimes used for anyone with higher education, not just for medical doctors.
A Exploração Espacial
Space Exploration
Have you ever dreamt of exploring outer space?
Liliana Precisa De Tempo
Liliana Needs Time
Liliana and Bruno discuss some problems in their relationship. Notice how the verb ficar is used in a variety of different ways throughout their conversation.
Jantar De Colegas… Ou Algo Mais?
Dinner Between Colleagues... Or Something More?
Paulo and Vanda get to know each other away from the office. The conjuntivo mood is featured throughout their conversation.
O Bebé Pequerrucho
The Tiny Baby
Learn how to talk about (and to) babies as Joaquim stops by to meet Sandra’s son for the first time. You’ll notice there are lots of words in the diminutive form!
Perguntas Pessoais
Personal Questions
We didn’t know what to talk about, so Practice Portuguese team member, Molly, gave us a list of questions to answer! Topics include: pet peeves, where else in the world we’d live, binge-watching habits, favourite cuisine, biggest fears and much more! We also reveal some behind-the-scenes news of what the Practice Portuguese team has been […]
Se o Plano Correr Bem
If The Plan Goes Well
Luís and Rita come up with a hare-brained scheme to rob a jewellery store. As they discuss their plans, take note of how the futuro do conjuntivo is used throughout.
Mensagem De Agradecimento
Thank You Message
A friend leaves a voicemail thanking Susana for letting her stay in her home for a few days. Take note of how the subjunctive mood (futuro do conjuntivo and presente do conjuntivo) is used throughout the message.
Carolos à Moda da Beira-Alta
Beira-Alta Style Carolos
Learn Portuguese while cooking a delicious meal with this recipe for Beira-Alta Style Carolos.
Carapaus de Corrida
Racing Mackerels (i.e. Getting Cocky)
Rodrigo reminisces about his favourite tavern: Tasquinha do Zé Pipo. Notice how the imperfeito do indicativo (past continuous) is used throughout the dialogue.
Santos Populares (Festas de Santo António em Lisboa)
Popular Saints (Santo António Festivities In Lisbon)
Walk through Lisbon with Rui and Joel as they explore the annual festivities of Santo António!
A Caravela
The Caravel
Learn more about the history of the caravel! Adapted and translated from an article by Lena Strang in Tomorrow Magazine.
A Cabeça Preservada de Diogo Alves
Diogo Alves' Preserved Head
Hear the disturbing story of Diogo Alves, known as the the Águas Livres Aqueduct killer.
Returning to Joel’s Hometown
After a couple years without travel, Rui, Joel, and Clara fly to Joel’s hometown of Muskoka, in rural Ontario, Canada.
The Verb “Dar” And Its Many Meanings
Did you know the verb “dar” has at least 60 different meanings in Portuguese? 😱 The simplest translation is “to give”, but it also has many idiomatic meanings, which depend on the context. Today, Joel and Rui take a deep dive into “dar”, with some help from one of our Shorty episodes: Dar Uma Mãozinha. […]
As Touradas
The Bullfights
Learn about the controversy surrounding bullfighting in Portugal.
Os Carvalhos do Vizinho
The Neighbor's Oaks
Practice that tricky “lh” sound as Carlos tells Sara about his daily troubles. Try listening line by line and repeating the words containing ‘lh’ out loud.
Rui & Joel Make Vinho!
Rui, Joel, and Clara travel north to visit a family vineyard in Portugal, in Vila Boa de Baixo, to try their hand at making wine! Watch until the end to find out whether the resulting wine was actually worth all of the effort…