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The words are tripping over each other in this one as well. It is very difficult to hear if they are saying "o" or "um."
Portuguese audios are indeed awful, but the difference between o and um is very subtle for non-natives. We don't say the m as English says in I am. We just nasalise the u, even if the next word begins with a vowel (there is no liaison as in French). To nasalise, try to say /mmm lanche/ but doing the u shape with your mouth.
Listen for the nasalization. It's the only marker between the two. I agree, though; it is a tad trifling, to say the least.
I cannot stand the machineness of it. It drives me nuts. I can barely understand it, and I can understand it in other situations.
Is "trifling" the word you mean here? Petty, insignificant, of no importance, minor, trivial?
Yes, I meant to say that it is minor, but it certainly is not insignificant. Perhaps there is a better word that better encapsulates that idea, lol
Yeah, tad trifling sounds dismissive which from what I have seen of your other comments seemed a bit out of character. =]
But indeed, it seems they have changed the computer voice about a year ago so the issue is no longer an issue, being much improved (though still machine-like and often different between the fast and slow versions). :)
Yes, at the beginning of the lesson I chose "lanche" to translate 'lunch'. Never imagined that "lanche" is 'snack'.
What makes it even more confusing is the kinds of foods that are considered 'snack' versus 'meal'. In the U.S., when I think of 'snack', I think of something light, like cookies and other sweets, chips, nuts, and things like that. To me, sandwich, pizza, and hamburger are a meal, not a snack; they contain meat and need to be prepared before eating. But in Brazil they are considered 'lanche', not 'almoc,o' or 'jantar'. So I tend to think of 'lanche' as a snack or light meal, and I have to remind myself that 'lanche' does not mean 'lunch/almoc,o'. I wonder if a native speaker can explain the difference between the American concept of 'snack', and the Brazilian 'lanche'.
Basically, you are right. Different regions have some differences, but, in general, lanche is either a light/quick meal that isn't a "huge meal" or cookies/chips/sweets/Cheetos/desserts/that kind of thing.
I think it is easier to understand if you have a clear image of what I mean by huge meal.
I say that because from what I see on TV shows and from the time I lived in Canada, usually people have sandwiches or salads or fast food or that kind of thing - really light food and not so much food at all - for lunch. Then, for dinner, it's some more "heavy" stuff, like rice, pasta, meat, beans, potatoes etc - all "together" in one huge meal.
In Brazil, it's pretty common to have for both lunch and dinner that "heavy" stuff - so most people have 2 huge meals every day.
So, whenever you're having a meal that is NOT that heavy stuff, we usually label it lanche (even if it is our lunch/dinner for that day).
What I am trying to say is that, more often than not, lanche is the "meal" rather than the "food", you know what I mean? I could have pizza de janta (for dinner) but I could also have pizza de lanche ("for a snack").
Often, we wouldn't say Almocei um hamburger, but rather Lanchei um hamburguer - even if it was indeed our lunch.
That being said, lanche is still used to mean those snack foods, just like in English, but I'd say that happens a lot less often, at least around where I live!
Hope this helps.
Again, there's a lot of regional differences in play here, so... C:
Hey! native speakers out there! I am wondering how would you normally offer a snack to a guest at home or a friend at work for instance. Thanks in advance for your help! Bless!!!
We normally use: "Você aceita um lanche?" Or we just offer the thing we have to offer, like "Você quer um sanduíche?" "Você quer Coca-Cola?" "Você quer batata (chips)?" "Você quer pizza?" "Aceita pipoca?"
we can alse use " quer um pouco?", "quer?" , "quer um pedaço" or less common "quer um teco".
"Quer um teco", "quer um pouco", "quer" ou "quer um pedaço" can only be used referring to "snack" if you're offering a piece of whatever you're eating. If you'll bring something to your friend, say "aceita um lanche?" or some of the other exemples tuppencee_ gave us. "Aceita...complete with anything you want to offer" (or "quer...complete with anything you want to offer).
Also, be extra careful with "um teco". Outside the context of offering a piece of what you're already eating, it's similar to a sentence used to offer someone a line of cocain: "quer dar um teco?". I think it's better to avoid.
i got it wrong because it's being read incorrectly. I swear I could hear it say "o um lanche".
Well, it can never be both types of articles at the same time. Next time, just guess! :D Listen for the nasality. If you still get it wrong, report the audio.
Eles devem ter consertado, então. Essa frase "o lanche", especificamente, acho que está bem fiel à pronúncia brasileira.
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Even slow it sounds like she is saying "vlante"., definitely another sound before the L
Yes, but apparently «uma merenda» in Portuguese is something more of like a snack schoolchildren eat. I know my family in Portugal always eats «o lanche» (like a Nutella sandwich or something of the sort) between lunch and dinner.
It often has that connotation in Spain: The snack after school to hold kids over until dinner around 9:00 PM. It's completely different from the American concept of snacking, which often is anytime of the day.
How many meals in Portugal? En España, hay cuatro o cinco: desayuno, segundo desayuno , apertivos, comida, merienda, cena. creo que hay uno más pero no recuerdo? Despues de cena?
Em Portugal, come-se o pequeno almoço, o almoço, o lanche, e o jantar. But, of course, you have to go to the café after at least one of the meals of the day, usually after lunch, for a «bica». Then, of course, there can be «petiscos» (snack appetizers like cheese or shrimp) before dinner, and after lunch and dinner comes fruit and «a sobremesa». También comemos mucho en Portugal. =D
Im really good with spellings and accents since I speak fluent spanish but when it comes to actually saying the words out loud i have trouble sounding "authentic". I know im a beginner but any native speakers have any tips with pronunciation? Please and thanks.
I'm not a native speaker, but I am a linguist, and I also spoke fluent Spanish before studying Portuguese. The Portuguese vowel sounds are more complicated than Spanish vowels. Notice how the vowel sounds change depending on if the syllable is accented, if it is followed by a consonant, or if it is followed by m or n or has a ~ over it. If it is a nasal vowel, try to lower the back of your mouth and send the air through your nose. For a word that ends in m or n, like 'bom', don't say the 'm', just nasalize the vowel. And practice the difference between open and closed vowels. One more thing, in Spanish the tongue is forward in the mouth; the tip of the tongue touches your teeth when you say 't' and 'd'. In Portuguese the tongue is further back, more like in English. Unfortunately, after a few years in Brazil, now they say I speak Spanish with a Portuguese accent. Guess now I need to focus on regaining better Spanish pronunciation :-)
^ right, it's like the back of tongue is almost pressed against roof of mouth. For nasalized vowels like those in words followed by 'm' or 'n' a tip: pretend like you're about to say the vowel with 'ng' but then stop at the vowel. For example say 'sing', then say it again without the 'ng' and it'll sound close to "sim" etc..
Ah, yes! That's a good way. Also, if you say the word "seen" without pronouncing the "n," you will get an excellent approximation of «sim». If you said «sim» and "seen" without the "n," I might not be able to tell which one is the Portuguese word just from listening.
Obrigado / Obrigada, ZuMako8_Momo and Glenna Sollenberger. My little brain is still confused by strawberries, lunch, soup, and farms having a gender, and I am disappointed there is no magic formula to help me understand. When I feel frustrated, I will do as you suggest: go with the flow and try to memorize. Thanks again. :-)
Definitely trips over each word! Sounded like "o glanchir" even when slowed down! Don't think that word exists
It never does. «A sandes» or «a sanduíche» means "the sandwich," although it is true that, for «o lanche» a common thing to eat is «uma sandes». «O lanche» does not mean "sandwich" though, any more than «o jantar» means «bacalhau à brás» or «a sobremesa» means «pastéis de nata».
Even though you say that, I couldn't tell you have many times if have a Brazilian say "lance" while specifically referring to a sandwich.
Really? I wouldn't know about in Brazil, but the word itself in the Portuguese language does not mean "sandwich." LOL, it is very popular to eat a sandwich «no lanche», and I myself could go for a Nutella or a «marmelada» sandwich right now! :P
We do say that here in Brazil! It's very common to say things like "Vamos lanchar/pegar um lanche no McDonalds?" instead of "sanduíche/burguer" C:
Yes, it's a false cognate. I think of lunch as a light meal and dinner as a heavier midday meal. (We call the evening meal supper.) So that helps me remember that 'lanche' is lighter than 'almoço', so it should be translated as snack.
Nunca ouvir falar isso.... "The sandwich" é mesmo uma coisa específica: «um(a) sanduíche» enquanto há muitas outras coisas que se possa comer sem ser sanduíches como, por exemplo, pasteis, cereal ou um simples copo de chá. :) Nunca ouvi a palavra "sandwich" ser usada por uma refeição(zinha).
WHY would a lunch be "masculine, not feminine?" Why would it be EITHER? What is the magic formula that determines whether a lunch, a potato, a bicycle or a cake is masculine or feminine. I never met a boy potato before, nor a girl cake. I am very, very confused!
There is no formula. It is just grammatical gender and has nothing do with actual gender. That is how Portuguese and other languages work. In German, you have a third neuter gender as well. English used to have genders, but they sort of faded away. Just roll with the flow. :)
Yes, it does get confusing for English speakers. Some are predictable, but for most of them there is no rhyme or reason. That's why nouns are always introduced with the article to show if it's masculine or feminine in gender. You just have to memorize them. When you hear them often enough, they'll start to sink in, and you'll find that they "feel right" or "sound right" when you use the correct gender.
Hi Julia,
As ZuMako8 and Glenna stated, there are some rules but full of exceptions. The best way is to learn by everyday practice instead of folowing these rules. Soon you will make it.
I am native in Portuguese and the same happens to me when I am studying French or Spanish as each language has its own rules.
For example, in French cockroach is masculine (le cafard) while in Portuguese it is feminine (a barata). In French room is feminine (la chambre) while in Portuguese it is masculine (o quarto).
In Spanish water is masculine (el agua) while in Portuguese it is feminine (a água). In Spanish salt is feminine (la sal) while in Portuguese it is masculine (o sal).
