simpático [seen ’pah tchee koo]: 1. agreeable; 2. a person who is fun to be with and pleasant to deal with; synonymous with Cariocas.
sunga [’soon gah]: Speedo-tvpe bathing suit worn by Carioca men, whether they have the physique for it or not.
surfista [suh ’feesh tah]: 1. a person who is or looks like a surfer; 2. a person who rides waves or train tops.
Tá mal [tah ’mow]: a not-so-negative way of saying no. (As in «Vamu ao cinema?» «Ta mal»: «Let’s go to the movies?» «Nah.»)
Tá na boa [tah nah ’bowah]: It’s cool.
tanga [’tun gah]: tiny triangular pieces of material usually held together by strings. Worn by Carioca women as a bikini on the beach.
Te ligo [tchee ’lee goo]: I’ll call you. (Phrase used when ending a Carioca social encounter, it really means, «I won’t be calling you.»)
transar [trun ’zah]: 1. have sex; 2. make a deal.
trocadinho [trroh kah ’geen yoo]: amount of money demanded by beggars from people on the street or in their cars.
Ué [oo ’eh]: Hmmm… (As in «Ué, cadé meu sapato e minha meia?»: «Hmmm, where are my shoes and socks?»)
uma estupidamente gelada [oo mah eh ’shtoo pee dah ’mayn tche jeh ’lah dah]: an extremely cold beer.
uma gelada [oo mah jeh ’lah dah]: 1. an ice cold beer; 2. a dilemma.
uma lourinha [oo mah loy ’rree nvah]: 1. a cute blonde; 2. a beer. (As in uma lourinha sem colarinho: a beer without foam).
Valeu [vah ’leyoo]: Thanks.
Varnu nessa [’vuh moo ’neh sah]: Let’s go.
viado [vee ’yah doo]: males of a gentler persuasion.
Viu? [veeoo]: See? Get it? Understand? (As in «Vou ao cinema. Viu?»: «I’m going to the movies. Get it?»)
Zona Sul [zoh nah ’sool]: the southern part of the city of Rio, and probably where you will be (unless you are at a samba school rehearsal or being fitted for your Carnival parade costume).
Speaking carioca остановилась
It’s easy to sound like a Carioca. Just follow these simple rules, apply them with gusto, and you’ll never be mistaken for a gringo in Rio — or anywhere else in Brazil, for that matter. By the way, most of the following phonetic sounds do not exist in English. Therefore, you might need the help of an authentic Carioca in order to master them correctly.
Rule 1. When a word has an «r» apply a guttural «h» sound (as if you were trying to clear your throat)
A. if «r» is the first letter in the word:
As in rato [’hhha too] = rat
ridículo [hhhee ’gee koo loo] = ridiculous
B. if «r» is the last letter in a syllable:
As in carta [’ca hhh tah] = letter
sorte [’so hhh tche] = luck
C. whenever you find two «r» together:
As in carro [’ca hhh hoo] = car
torrada [toh ’hhhah dah] = toast
D. if the «r» is the last letter in the word:
As in amor [ah ’mo hhh] = love
beber [beh ’be hhh] = to drink
Rule 2. Roll your «r» (as if you were freezing — «brrrrrrrr» — or perhaps imitating a galloping horse — «darrarrum, darrarrum, darrarrum dum dum…»)
A. when the «r» follows a consonant:
As in trânsito [’t rrrun zee too] = traffic
Brasil [B rrrah ’zeel]
B. if «r» is the first letter of any syllable (except for the first syllable):
As in barata [bah ’rrrah tah] = cockroach
caro [’kah rrroo] = expensive
Rule 3. When a word has an «s» apply the «sh» sound (as if wanting to quiet someone with a «shhhhhh!»)
A. when it precedes a consonant (except for «c»):
As in gostosa [go shh ’taw zah] = delicious
especial [shhpeh see ’vahl] = special
B. when pluralizing:
As in galinhas [gah leen ’ya shh] = chickens
motéis [moh ’tey shh] = motels
Rule 4. When a word has a «t» use the «tch» sound (as in «chit chat»)
A. if the «t» precedes an «e» in the last syllable of the word:
As in dente [’den tche] = tooth
assaltante [ah sahl ’tun tche] = thief
B. when there is a «ti», or «te» sounds like «ti»:
As in tititi [tchee tchee ’tchee] = gossip
Timóteo [tchee ’moh tchew] = Timothy
Rule 5. When a word has a «d» apply the «gee» sound (as in «gee whiz»)
A. if the «d» precedes an «i»:
As in difícil [gee ’fee seeyoo] = difficult
dinheiro [geen ’yay rroo] = money
B. if the «d» precedes an «e» in the last syllable:
As in cidade [see ’dah gee] = city
liberdade [lee behr ’dah gee] = freedom
Now practice your Carioca accent by repeating the following sentence:
Vou passar um dia chocante na praia.
[voh pah ’sahhh oon ’gee yah shho ’kun tche nah ’prrra yah]
= I’m going to spend an awesome day at the beach.
Lesson 5
Carioca Body Language
If your pronunciation is leaving you feeling a bit insecure, don’t despair. Words are only a part of a Carioca’s language. Incapable of speaking without continuous gesturing, the Carioca will use his arms, head, eyebrows, eyes, or entire body to make a point or to ensure he has your full attention. Hands should always be in motion.
The following are a few examples of handy words and phrases with their accompanying gestures. Matching the words with the gestures isn’t that important, as most gestures are interchangeable. Just keep those hands moving, and you will never be at a loss for words. (Refer to Lesson 4 for the correct pronunciations.)