You picked up this book because you might have already watched a Brazilian movie, listened to a bossa nova song, or learned what capoeira means. Perhaps you already know that Brazilians love soccer and that they have won the World Cup five times. But you might still struggle with the Portuguese language, even if the Brazilian dialect sounds fascinating to you. Boas notícias! (Good news!). This will help you in your journey to become more fluent in this beautiful language.
There are 20 sections that cover everything from the origins of the Portuguese language to accent marks, formal greetings, various verb forms and conjugations, and Brazilian cinema, cuisine, and music. The sections on more discrete grammatical points are replete with practical, easy-to-follow exercises. The Answer Key is available so you can check your work and evaluate your progress as you move through the sections. There is no particular order in which you should read this, although grammar topics are introduced in an increasing level of difficulty. That said, the instructions are easy enough that any reader should be able to grasp the content without having to refer constantly to previous pages.
A very attractive part of the physical book is the CD that accompanies the text. You will hear a native speaker from Brazil reading important examples of vocabulary and pronunciation. Some of the book exercises require that you listen to the CD in order to complete them. This will boost your confidence and make this experience more enjoyable.
Learners face many challenges as they try to master a new language. The most important element to remember is motivation. Research into second language acquisition has shown time and again that motivation is a crucial part of learner success. And that the establishment of clear goals from the beginning will also contribute to your success. Once you have decided what you want to get from this experience, devise a clear game plan, and set out to get it! Don't forget that practice makes perfect, so study for shorter time periods but study often!
As the author of The Everything