So I still can't SPEAK Portuguese. BUT, I am beginning to understand Portuguese. Thanks to my six weeks of hearing it everywhere, reading it (in meetings, TV subtitles, menus, you name it) and now some early efforts with my new tutor to actually formally study it, I am beginning to know enough to be dangerous.
Let me specify here, that other than my boss and myself, the entire team I work with are all men. And let's just say the business culture here involves using colourful language and graphic expressions with each other, partners, customers. Whomever really. (Evidenced also in my earlier post on sexual content in meetings). A few of my friends that are colleagues have had the foresight to teach me a few salient words and expressions. Weeks ago, this was just funny. Now, I am beginning to really HEAR. Are they really yelling that?!?!? Since Portuguese is such an expressive language it really brings home the emphasis what they are telling each other to do... with what... and where to put it.
AND, as I wrote this, someone (I won't name names) just yelled "porra" across the entire department at full volume. This expletive is used in place of 'f'ing this and 'f'ing that but, has a... uh much more graphic meaning. I'll let the more industrious of you google translate it (link provided for you curious types). http://translate.google.com/#pt|en|porra
Shout out to Hoki, the first but not the last to teach me how to curse in Portuguese.
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