Friday, 9 August 2013

Lost in translation

I have Bill Murray moments on a daily basis here. My Portuguese is relatively good now. I can hold an entire dinner conversation, talk on the phone, deal with bureaucracy, watch novelas and joke around with my Brazilian friends for the most part. 


Last week I was getting my manicure done with another friend, and they offered us a coffee and asked how I wanted it. So I said "Preto e forte como meu homem", and then it was just awkward because I had to explain (only after I remembered I'm supposed to say "Negro" and not "Preto" / stop with the direct translation!!). My friend almost died laughing watching the looks on their faces which I was trying to explain that I like my coffee like my man, though my husband is more "Branco e fraco"... still no laughter. 

Today it was trying to explain what a "guilty pleasure" is. I have just taught my Brazilian assistant that it's a "prazer" to be "culpada". Does this only happen to me??


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