Culture

Learn more about Fado, the music style that best captures what it means to be Portuguese.

Welcome to Torres Vedras Carnival, a lively festivity that remains faithful to the tradition of celebrating Carnival in Portugal. Learn more about how the Portuguese like to party during this exciting multi-day event!

Fado is a Portuguese musical style loved by people from all over the world! Learn more about its themes and possible origins.

Feliz Ano Novo! Find out how the Portuguese like to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

There’s a story behind Bolo Rei, a colourful cake that is always present at Christmas Eve dinner. Discover the meaning behind each component of this festive treat!

‘Tis the season… to spread misinformation about the origins of Christmas and Santa Claus! In this special holiday episode, Rui and Joel explore the food and other traditions of Christmas in Portugal, while featuring one of our latest Shorties, “a Consoada“. Boas festas a todos! 🎄

Christmas dinner is a sumptuous meal that brings the whole family to the table for socialization and celebration. Learn more about the treats and traditions of Christmas Eve in Portugal.

Idiomatic expressions, or idioms, are expressions that you shouldn’t interpret literally. They have a symbolic meaning, which is rarely maintained when they are translated into other languages. These expressions reflect the customs and history of the country and are part of all conversations of the Portuguese, rich or poor, from North to South of Portugal. They often incorporate slang words and can be used to convey irony, exaggeration, or impatience, or even just to save time.

Or, as we say in Portugal:

Poupar o nosso latim Spare our Latin

This expression, Poupar latim Spare Latin, is itself idiomatic, and is based on the fact that Portuguese is a language originating from Latin.

During the 1755 earthquake, two convents collapsed in Lisbon, one with the name Carmo and one with the name Trindade. It was here that the expression Cair o Carmo e a Trindade appeared, which initially implied terror and panic. Although it still retains that meaning, nowadays it is often used in an ironic tone, when you fear the consequences of something unimportant. For example:

Ui, parece que caiu o Carmo e a Trindade! Yikes, it looks like the crap hit the fan

Portugal has several traditional folk dances, each expressing the soul of the people from different regions throughout the country.

Maria and José are a couple from Porto who traveled to Coimbra on a tour organized by the parish council. After a disappointing experience, will they be bold enough to complain to the mayor?

Maria do Maria is the most important work of the filmmaker Leitão de Barros and a fundamental point in the history of Portuguese cinema. Learn more about this classic silent film from the 1930s.

Tomar is the perfect destination for those who enjoy a charming getaway in a city full of history. Every 4 years, Tomar attracts thousands of people for a lively festivity that brings colours and happiness to the streets.

Daily routines: tedious for some, but essential for others. Embrace our customs by following along with a typical Portuguese daily routine.

Learn how to order a coffee in Portugal, a task more complex than it seems! There are several types available and the lingo can vary from city to city. Don’t miss out on Portugal’s coffee culture, an essential part of daily life!

Portugal is a very special country that brings so much unique value to the world. See why “quality over quantity” is an important notion in appreciating all that this country has to offer.

A life full of profound suffering was transformed into beautiful poetry. Meet Florbela Espanca, a successful Portuguese poet who died at only 36 years of age.

Welcome to Portugal! With its interesting history, lovely climate, and amazing blend of cultures, it’s no wonder that more and more foreigners are deciding to settle down here. Get lost in this country of smiles and breathtaking landscapes!

Fernando Pessoa, one of the greatest poets of the early 20th century, was a singular man with plural artistic identities. Learn more about one of the most important literary figures in Portuguese history.

The sardine is a very important fish for Portuguese people and is highly consumed during the Popular Saints’ Festivals. Learn more about the economic and social impact of the sardine and the tasty meals that can be prepared with it.

Have you ever wondered why people from Porto and Lisbon make fun of each other? It’s not just about the accent. Learn more about the origins of their nicknames and the history behind this rivalry.

Learn about the amazing gastronomy of Portugal and its most famous pastry: the Pastel de Nata. Discover how this Portuguese custard pie came to be, its ingredients, and its popularity not only with the locals, but tourists as well!

Exploring food groups is a convenient way to help us learn food-related vocabulary in a more organized way.

Dairy Products

First let’s look at some laticíniosdairy products

• o leite milk
• o iogurte yogurt
• o queijo cheese
• a manteiga butter
• o gelado ice cream
• a natacream

Leite, iogurte, and queijo are a part of many Portuguese people’s breakfasts and snacks. Queijo, in particular, is very important and there are several tasty varieties. As for leite, there are 3 main types:

• Leite magro Skimmed milk – Very low fat content
• Leite meio-gordo Semi-skimmed milk – Medium fat content
• Leite gordo Whole milk – High fat content

Portugal is a country of food lovers, so we use a lot of different expressions to describe the food we eat and how we feel about eating it.

Hunger and Satisfaction

I’m Hungry!

For starters, instead of saying I am hungry, in Portugal we start thinking about food when we have hunger or when we are with hunger. In Portuguese, this translates to:

• ter fome feeling hungry
• or estar com fome being hungry

If you’re really feeling quite peckish, you can say:

• Estou esfomeado I’m famished
• or even Estou a morrer de fome I’m dying to eat

We take our hunger very seriously…

Tenho fome. O que há para comer? I’m hungry. What’s there to eat?

Vamos depressa, eu estou a morrer de fome! Let’s go quickly, I’m dying to eat!

I’m Full!

Once we’re full, we say:

• Estou cheio I’m full
• or the more elegant alternative Estou satisfeito I’m satisfied
• or the rare Estou saciado I’m satiated

Just like its people, the Portuguese language is very courteous. Below are just some of the many ways to express basic, everyday courtesy in Portuguese.

Please

In Portuguese, please can be por favor please or se faz favor please. They’re both equally correct and used in the same situations. Example:

Poderia trazer-me água, por favor? Could you bring me some water, please?

Poderia trazer-me água, se faz favor?Could you bring me some water, please?

We Portuguese tend to shorten words whenever we can. So don’t be confused if instead of se faz favor you hear ´faz favor in fast, informal speech.

Thank You

The Portuguese expression is:

Obrigado Thank you, Obliged male speaker

Obrigada Thank you, Obliged female speaker

It’s said to be a leftover from an expression that went more or less like, “I am obliged (obrigado) to return your favour”. In fact, the English expression “much obliged” has the exact same meaning and would also be an accurate translation of Muito obrigado Thank you very much

Because you are the one who feels obliged to return the favour, your thank you must