Improved Google translate

[Eric Menchen]

Google translate used to just list "Portuguese" as a language, but it was in fact Brazilian Portuguese. Today I noticed they branched out. I have no idea how good it is, but hey.

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[Glenn E.]

That's awesome!

Now that I've "finished" the Duolingo course in Protuguese (Brazil), I need to both keep practicing and also start refining my knowledge of the differences so that I can adapt on the fly.

[Al B.]

I've also been learning Portuguese, but have found the Memrise app to be better than Duolingo for learning European Portuguese. This was also the app recommended by our teacher (I'm learning in a class of three).

It's pretty good with just the sections of the app which are free of charge, but the free app does demonstrate how good the app is and I was convinced enough to buy the lifetime subscription for USD125 - which gives me access to all 200+ languages and all the AI Bots which help you practice.

So now when I have 5 minutes I have the Bots nagging me to practice my verb conjugations or creating (or translating) sentences, or practicing grammar, or role playing scenarios - and the role play is impressive since I can type my answers or speak them and check my pronunciation by watching what the Bot types as it captures my Portuguese speech and converts it into Portuguese text.

I have a long way to go yet!

[Eric Menchen]

I've also been learning Portuguese, but have found the Memrise app to be better than Duolingo for learning European Portuguese. This was also the app recommended by our teacher (I'm learning in a class of three).

I've done the Pimsleur (European), and started with Rosetta Stone (Brazilian) a while back before COVID. I'll have to give Memrise a look. Obrigado.

[Roy Hersh]

Alex,

I take private classes 3x a week. Do you find that your ability to understand the language when reading, hearing or speaking is easiest? I'd be very interested in your experience with the language. TIA.

[Glenn E.]

Reading is the easiest for me, because I can take my time and understand each word.

Speaking and writing are about the same, because in both cases I have to formulate the sentence and then speak it or write it. Once I've formulated what I need to communicate, it doesn't really matter whether I write it or speak it. I think my spelling is pretty good, too.

Hearing is by far the hardest for me, especially with European Portuguese. So much is slurred together in EP that I constantly miss words that are important for the context. BP is a little bit better, but they speak so fast that I just can't keep up. BP also doesn't have quite so many linguistic quirks like verbs that end in 'r' sounding like they end in 'rsh'.

[Eric Menchen]

What Glenn said.

My reading is also enhanced by some limited knowledge of Spanish and French. My spelling is probably terrible because just about all my learning has been oral.

[Al B.]

I’ve found learning in a small group (we’re now four) very helpful as it gives us the chance to compare experiences and share our existing vocabulary. Each of us has frequent exposure to the language (although not as much as you, Roy!) and each is motivated to learn.

I’m pretty capable with the written language, writing and reading, provided it’s future, present or past perfect.

All four of us find speaking harder for the reasons Glenn says - it’s the way we should be blurring words into each other or missing them out completely that catches us out. But now we are spending more time speaking and coming to lessons prepared to ask each other about what we did last weekend or plans for next week.

Oh yes, and prepositions — por vs para vs a. Damn them.

[Glenn E.]

I swear that 'a' is at least 7 different words...

[Eric Menchen]

I swear that 'a' is at least 7 different words...

I have long noticed the lost 'l' from Spanish to Portuguese
salud -> saud
salida -> saida
But only more recently did I make the connection for 'a'
la -> a
las -> as
los -> os
I didn't put "lo" on there, but you perhaps could.

[Glenn E.]

I swear that 'a' is at least 7 different words...

I have long noticed the lost 'l' from Spanish to Portuguese
salud -> saud
salida -> saida
But only more recently did I make the connection for 'a'
la -> a
las -> as
los -> os
I didn't put "lo" on there, but you perhaps could.

Yeah, I've caught onto those as well. I keep surprising myself with how much Spanish I can read.

But I meant more along these lines:

a menina == the girl.
vire à direita == turn to the right. Where 'à' is a contraction of 'a' and 'a'. Yes, 2 different versions of 'a' contracted together.
eu vou a ajudar == I will help her, but can also mean I will help you where "you" is female. So 'a' can serve as 2 different reflexive female pronouns.

There are more, I just can't come up with them off the top of my head.