CCSP English Minute 5

CCSP English Minute

Aulas curtas de inglês, duas vezes por semana (2ªs e 5ªs), exclusivamente no Clubeonline

Aula desta quinta-feira, 20 de março: False Friends

Have you ever noticed that English speakers in Brazil sometimes push on a door when they should be pulling?

The opposite happens when Brazilians go abroad: they pull when they should be pushing!

The confusion, of course, is caused by two verbs that look and sound alike, but in fact have opposite meanings.

Today’s CCSP English Minute looks at “false friends”: words in English that look and sound like words in Portuguese, but have different meanings.

ACTUAL (verdadeiro)

The Portuguese adjective “atual” is “current” in English. And “atualmente” is “nowadays”. On the other hand, “actual” in English is “verdadeiro” in Portuguese. And “actually” is “na verdade”.

Here are some examples:

A) Sarah is the current VP of the ad agency.

B) Actually, you’re wrong. John is the current VP.

A) Nowadays, people spend more time on the internet than watching TV.

B) Is that an actual fact or are you making it up?

TO ASSIST (ajudar)

This verb looks and sounds like “assistir”, but it normally means something else.

Consider these examples:

Spectators watch a soccer game.

Committee members attend a meeting.

Interns (estagiários) assist full-time employees.

COLLEGE (faculdade)

In the USA, students go to high school (colégio) first. Then they go to college.

TO DISCUSS (debater, questionar)

The verb “discutir” usually means “to argue.” So if your boss wants to discuss something with you, there is no need to yell!

EDUCATED (instruído)

This adjective refers to a person’s academic training and not to the fact that he or she is “polite”.

EVENTUALLY (finalmente, por fim)

“Eventualmente” means “occasionally,” while “eventually” refers to something that happens over time.

Consider this example:

When Jack was young, he liked beer. Occassionally, he ordered whiskey. Eventually, he gave up drinking.

Quando jovem, Jack gostava de cerveja. Eventualmente, pedia uísque. Por fim, parou de beber.

EXCITING (empolgante)

In Brazil the word “excitante” often has a sexual connotation. This normally isn’t the case in the USA. For example, it wouldn’t be offensive for a man to tell a woman that she has “exciting ideas”.

TO PRETEND (fingir)

This is probably the most commonly misused verb by Brazilians. The Portuguese verb “pretender” is “to intend” in English.

For instance:

When do you intend to stop pretending?

Quando você pretende parar de fingir?

TO REALIZE (dar-se conta, perceber)

The creative team didn’t realize their latest project would be a Grand Prix winner at Cannes.

Click on the “Radio” link out right to hear an audio recording of this lesson.

Confira a aula anterior aqui.