Colloquial English (Come again?)

Come again?

-como é?

-dá para repetir?

-como é mesmo?

“What happened to your family ?

I killed them.

Uh-Uh, come again ?”

 (O que aconteceu com sua família?

 E os matei.

Hum, como é mesmo?)

Word of the day: Stumble

Stumble: erro, ato impróprio, lapso, deslize, falta, tropeço, passo falso, tropeçar, cambalear, falar ou agir de modo hesitante

Synonyms: slip, fall, topple, trip, tumble

“The horse stumbled and almost fell.”

“I heard him stumble over the unfamiliar words.” (www.merriam-webster.com)

A skeleton in the cupboard

A skeleton in the cupboard /closet: ter um segredo que possa ser comprometedor ou que possa prejudicar a reputação, ter algo a esconder.

“Before we give you the job, we need to know if you have any skeletons in the cupboard which the press could find out about. Things like a criminal record or drug or alcohol problems in the past.”

“Politicians can't afford to have any skeletons in the closet these days. Their enemies are sure to find them.”

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How to Pronounce Contractions

How to Pronounce Contractions (Rachels)

Word of the day: Crumple

Crumple: ruga, prega, dobra, amarrotar, amassar, cair, colapso,  ruína, desfalecer, desanimar, perder a força

Synonyms: crinkle, rumple, scrunch, wrinkle, rumple

“The car's fender was crumpled in the accident.”

“At the sight of blood, he crumpled to the floor.”(www.merriam-webster.com)

(slang)Tipsy

(slang)Tipsy: ligeiramente bêbado

“The ladies at the golf club sometimes get a little tipsy if they have a couple of drinks in the clubhouse after a game.”(www.englishclub.com)

Keep your friends close and...

Saying ( about your enemies)

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer – Mantenha seus amigos perto de você e seus inimigos mais perto ainda

Word of the day: Cahoots

Cahoots:  sociedade, companhia, liga, coligação, parceria ( to go cahoots:  agir em sociedade, em parceria)

Synonyms: partnership, league

“Police suspect that the burglar was in cahoots with the bartender.”(www.merriam-webster.com)

What’s up?

 What’s up?

-o que há de novo?

-o que acontece?

“All right. So, what's up?

This and that.

This and that? - Yeah.

Sandra said you wanted to see me.”

(Muito bem. Então, o que há de novo?

Isso e  aquilo

Isso e aquilo?

Sandra disse que você queria me ver.)

(Breaking All the Rules / “Quebrando as Regras“)

Get real

Get real

-cair na real

 “Come on, man. Let's get real. What you did with your boss was honorable, impressive...”

(Vamos lá, cara. Vamos cair na real. O que você fez com seu chefe foi digno, impressionante…)

(Guess Who / “A Família da Noiva”)

Word of the day: Abet

Abet: encorajar, incitar, estimular, instigar alguém a fazer algo errado

Synonyms: incite, brew, ferment, foment, instigate, pick, provoke, raise, stir

“Charles G. Taylor, the former warlord and president of Liberia, was convicted on Thursday of abetting militias that committed war crimes in Sierra Leone in the 1990s.” (www.nytimes.com, April 26, 2012)

SERGIO MENDES - Look Of Love

SERGIO MENDES - Look Of Love

Fonte: http://www.lyrics007.com

The look of love

Is in your eyes

A look your smile can't

disguise

The look of love

Is saying so much more than

Just words could every say

And what my heart has heard

Well it takes my breath away

I can hardly wait to hold you

Feel my arms around you

How long I have waited

Waited just to love you

Now that I have found you

You've got the look of love

It's on your face

A look that time can't erase

Baby be mine, tonight

Let this be just the start of

So many nights like this

Let's take a lovers vow

And seal it with a kiss

Don't ever go

Don't ever go

I love you so

The look of love

Let this be just the start of

So many nights like this

Let's take a lover's vow

And baby we'll seal it with a kiss

Ups and downs

Ups and downs: altos e baixos, bons e maus momentos

 “He's successful now, but he experienced many ups and downs early in his career.” (www.englishclub.com)

SLANG: Airhead

SLANG: Airhead : uma pessoa idiota, imbecil, tonta

( a silly, stupid person)

“Joel says only airheads watch the shopping channel.”(www.englishclub.com)

head start

(give or  have ) a head start: sair na frente, começar  adiante dos outros

“Marylin's beauty and natural grace gave her a big head start in the modelling and acting business.” (www.englishclub.com)

Word of the day: Dispel

Dispel:  dispersar-se, dissipar-se, espalhar-se, afastar, expelir, banir, afastar cuidados ou medo.

Synonyms: clear out, disband, scatter, disperse, dissipate, squander

“…Rupert Murdoch, said Wednesday he wished to dispel some “myths,” a day after newly released e-mails pointed to ties between his media empire and the British government.” (www.nytimes.com)

retail x retalho

retail  -  (varejo, comércio varejista)

(Port.) retalho -  (scrap, shred, remnant, patchwork)

Obs.: colcha de retalhos: patchwork quilt

Big stores always offer better retail prices.= Grandes lojas sempre oferecem melhores preços de varejo.

A good  part of the retail market is offering incredible discounts.= Uma boa parte do mercado de varejo está oferecendo descontos incríveis.

Retail sales grew more than 20% during  2008. = As vendas no varejo cresceram mais de 20% durante 2008.

Havia uma pequena loja na esquina de nossa rua que costumava vender retalhos de tecido a preços incrivelmente baixos.  =  There was a small shop at the corner of our street which used to sell remnants of cloth at incredibly low prices.

Pequeno Dicionário de Dicas e Dificuldades

Questions vs. Statements: American English Pronunciation

Questions vs. Statements: American English Pronunciation

Don’t worry about

Don’t worry about…

-não se preocupe com

“Can you handle things tonight alone? I'm really sorry, man.

Don't worry about it. I got it under control, man.”

(Você pode cuidar das coisas sozinho hoje à noite? Sinto muito, cara.

Não se preocupe. Tenho tudo sob controle, cara.)

(Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind / “Brilho Eterno de uma Mente Sem Lembranças”)

Here we go

Here we go

-aqui vamos nós

-lá vai

“ Well, you're old enough, I suppose. You should know the story.OK, here we go.It was  1832  .On a night much like this.”

(Bem, você tem idade suficiente, eu suponho.Você deveria conhecer a história. Ok, aqui vamos nós. Numa noite muito parecida com esta...)

(National Treasure / “A Lenda do Tesouro Perdido” )

Would you mind?

Would you mind?

-você se importaria?

“Would you mind if we talked for a moment?”

(Você se importaria se nós falássemos por um mmento?)

(Hide and Seek / “O Amigo Oculto”)

Extraído do autor deste blog: Conversação em Inglês:Frases e Expressões Úteis (Flávio Cruz)

on (one’s) toes

on (one’s) toes 

(alerta)

She was on her toes because of the fight between her neighbors.  =  Ela estava em alerta por causa da briga entre seus vizinhos.

Our boss used to come to our office all the time to keep us on our toes.  = …Nosso chefe vinha ao nosso escritório o tempo todo para nos manter em alerta.

Paragon:  modelo de perfeição, protótipo, padrão (a paragon of virtue : um modelo de virtude), diamante de mais de 100 quilates

Synonyms:  eidolon, exemplar, idea, model, nonesuch, nonpareil

“The Los Angeles Community College District would become a paragon of clean energy.”(www.latimes.com)

Word of the day: Rash

Rash: precipitado, sem pensar, apressado

Synonyms:  cursory, drive-by, flying, headlong, helter-skelter, hurried, overhasty, pell-mell, precipitous

“He often doesn't think before he speaks, and this is not the first time he has had to apologize for his rash comments.” (www.merriam-webster.com)

compromise

compromise  -  (acordo, entrar em acordo / colocar em risco,

                               comprometer)

(Port.) compromisso  -  (commitment)

A palavra “compromise” envolve uma concessão de ambas as partes, cada um cedendo em partes iguais. Daí vem a também a ideia de “comprometer” no sentido de “baixar as expectativas, baixar o nível, colocar em risco”)

I think a compromise will be reached during the next meeting. = Acho que um acordo vai ser alcançado durante a próxima reunião.

The compromise between the employees and the business owner was good for both sides. = O acordo entre os empregados e o dono do negócio foi bom para ambos os lados.

The deal they made could compromise the excellent level of their relationship. = O negócio que eles fizeram poderia comprometer o excelente nível de relacionamento dos mesmos.

A palavra “compromisso” no sentido de “obrigação”, “comprometimento” se traduz por “commitment”:

Nós poderíamos considerar suas palavras um compromisso com seus amigos. = We could consider his words a commitment to his friends

make the most of

make the most of (something)

(levar o máximo de vantagem em relacão a algo, conseguir o máximo de algo)

We’ll be here just for one day. Let’s make the most of it.  =  Nós vamos ficar aqui apenas um dia. Vamos aproveitar ao máximo.

I know you’re going to make the most of your brother’s presence here.  =  Eu sei que você vai aproveitar ao máximo a presença de seu irmão por aqui.

Pequeno Dicionário de Dicas e Dificuldades

Way to go

Way to go: (usado como exclamação): exclamação incentivando um bom desempenho ou um bom trabalho que está em andamento : bom trabalho!  / "é isso aí" /
Synonyms: good job!  well done! 

Word of the Day: Rant

Rant:discurso extravagante, violento, bombastic, fanfarrice, tirada, linguagem oca e empolada, declamar com extravagância, usar linguagem bombástica, arengar, divertir-se ruidosamente

Synonyms / definitions: bluster, fulminate, huff, rave, spout / to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner, to scold vehemently

He ranted that they were out to get him. (www.merriam-webster.com)

“Writer releases tape of Mel Gibson's profanity-laced rant.” (www.latimes.com, April 19, 2012)

fish for (something)

fish for (something) 

(tentar obter informação a respeito de algo, tentar descobrir algo)

I could tell the manager was fishing for something, just by the way he asked me those questions, =  ...eu poderia dizer que o gerente estava tentando descobrir algo  só  pela maneira que…

He’s a lawyer who is always trying to fish for more information. =  Ele é um advogado

que está sempre tentando obter mais  informações.

Pequeno Dicionário de Dicas e Dificuldades

See...(cont.)

see the color of (someone’s) money - constatar se alguém realmente tem dinheiro para algo

see the error of (one’s) way - admitir que se fez algo errado ( You need to see the error of your ways…)

see through - compreender o verdadeiro significado de algo

see to it (that something is done) - assegurar-se de que algo aconteça ou seja feito, tomar responsbilidade no sentido de que algo seja feito, providenciar (Will you please see to it that this machine is repaired.) 

Word of the Day: Upheaval

Upheaval:  motim, levante, revolta, sublevação, mudança drástica que causa preocupação, elevação da superfície da Terra

Synonyms: bouleversement, cataclysm, earthquake, paroxysm, storm, tempest, tumult, convulsion, uproar

“The civil rights movement marked a period of socialupheaval in the U.S.”

“The island was created by an upheaval of the ocean floor.”(www.merriam-webster.com)

Engelbert Humperdinck - The Last Waltz

Vídeo: Engelbert Humperdinck - The Last Waltz

Fonte: www.lyrics007.com

I wondered should I go or should I stay
The band had only one more song to play
And then I saw you out the corner of my eyes
A little girl alone and so shy
I had the last waltz with you
Two lonely people together
I fell in love with you
The last waltz should last forever
But the love we had was goin' strong
Through the good and bad we'd get along
And then the flame of love died in your eye
My heart was broke in two when you said goodbye
I had the last waltz with you
Two lonely people together
I fell in love with you
The last waltz should last forever
It's all over now 
Nothing left to say
Just my tears and the orchestra playing
La la la la la la la la la la,
La la la la la la la la la la. 
I had the last waltz with you
Two lonely people together
I fell in love with you
The last waltz should last forever

Catch... ( mais)

catch (someone) red-handed - pegar alguém fazendo algo errado, pegar alguém " no flagra"

catch sight of - ver algo ou alguém de relance

catch up on (something) - atualizar-se em relação a algo, retomar contato, envolver-se com (My brother said he would catch up on his soccer training.)

catch up with (someone or something) - alcançar alguém, voltar a ficar no mesmo nível com alguém  (I need to catch up with my classmates. Sometimes I don’t even know what the teacher is talking about.) 

MINI DICIONÁRIO de idioms, phrasal verbs e mais

Dead...(expressões)

dead as doornail = completamente morto

dead to the world = dormindo profundamente

dead wrong =  completamente errado

Pequeno Dicionário de Dicas e Dificuldades

Word of the Day: Rant

Rant:discurso extravagante, violento, bombastic, fanfarrice, tirada, linguagem oca e empolada, declamar com extravagância, usar linguagem bombástica, arengar, divertir-se ruidosamente

Synonyms / definitions: bluster, fulminate, huff, rave, spout / to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner, to scold vehemently

He ranted that they were out to get him. (www.merriam-webster.com)

“Writer releases tape of Mel Gibson's profanity-laced rant.” (www.latimes.com, April 19, 2012)

Excuse my French / Pardon my French

Excuse my French / Pardon my French

-me desculpe(m) pela linguagem

-“desculpe(m) meu francês”

“Pardon my French, but I don’t give a shit.”

(Me desculpe a linguagem, mas eu não dou a mínima.)

As you mentioned

As you mentioned

-como você disse

-como você mesmo falou

“As you mentioned, there’s a lot to be fixed around here.”

(Como você disse, há muita  coisa que precisa ser consertada por aqui.)     

Call...(c0nt.)

call the shots - estar no comando, dar as ordens, mandar (Now he’s the one calling the shots in that place.)

call up - trazer à lembrança / intimar / mandar subir / exigir pagamento de

call up (someone) - telefonar (He said he’s going to call up all his friends to ask for help./ Call her up.) 

MINI DICIONÁRIO de idioms, phrasal verbs e mais

Word of the Day: Nebbish

Nebbish:  coitado, desgraçado,” pobrezinho”

Synomyms / definitions: a timid, meek, or ineffectual person, squirt, dud, softy, dummy, small potatoes

As a teenager, Lyle was a nebbish who could never stand up to the bullies who gave him such a hard time.”( www.merriam-webster.com)

get to the bottom of

get to the bottom of: descobrir a real causa de algo, ir até o fundo de alguma coisa, saber a verdadeira história por trás de algo

“The police don't know who did the robbery yet, but they promised to get to the bottom of it. “(www.englishclub.com)

“I'm not sure how a mistake like this could happen, but I'm determined to get to the bottom of it and make sure it never happens again.”(www.englishclub.com)

get off on the wrong foot

get off on the wrong foot: começar algo da maneira errada, começar com o “pé esquerdo”

“I got off on the wrong foot in my new job when I forgot to pass on an important message to the boss.” (www.englishclub.com)

Vídeo: Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song

Vídeo: Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song

Struming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
killing me softy with his song
telling my whole life
with his words
killing me softly with his song

I heard he sang a good song
I heard he had a style
and so i came to see
and listen for a while

and there he was this younge boy
a stranger to my eyes
Struming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
killing me softly with his song
telling my whole life
with his words
killing me softly with his song

I felt all flushed with fever
Embarrassed by the crowd
I felt he found my letter
and read eachone out loud
I prayed that he would finish
but he just kept right on
Struming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
killing me softly with his song
telling my whole life
with his words
killing me softly with his song

he sang as if he knew me
In all my darkness fair
and then he looked right through me
as if i wasn't there
and he kept on singing
singing clear and strong
Struming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
killing me softy with his song
telling my whole life
with his words
killing me softly with his song

ohhhhhhhhhhh oohhhhhhh...lalalal..ohhhh lalaaaaaaa

Struming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
killing me softy with his song
telling my whole life
with his words
killing me (softly)

he was strumming my pain
yeah he was seing my life
killing me softly with his song
killing em softly with his song

Word of the Day: Stun

Stun:  atordoamento, aturdimento, atordoar, deixar sem sentidos, ensurdecer,estupefazer, pasmar, chocar, surpreender, espantar

Synonyms / definitions:  daze, rock/ to make senseless or dizzy by a blow

“Weapons that can stun people temporarily.”

“The angry criticism stunned them.”( www.merriam-webster.com)

stupid

stupid

As palavras “stupid”e “estúpido” nas duas línguas têm o significado de “sem inteligência, ignorante, idiota”. Em Português, no entanto, usamos também a palavra ”estúpido” para significar “rude, sem educação” , o que não se faz em Inglês. Neste caso vamos usar, em Inglês, as palavras “rude, ill-mannered”, etc.

The lawyer didn’t want to look stupid, so he asked for a break.  =  O advogado não queria parecer idiota, de forma que pediu um intervalo.

He was a very stupid person. He couldn’t take a bus without help. = Ele era uma pessoa muito ignorante. Não podia pegar um ônibus sem ajuda.

José, não seja estúpido com sua irmã!  = Jose, don’t be rude to you sister!

Peter, Paul & Mary - Lemon Tree

Peter, Paul and Mary - Lemon Tree

I'm sitting here in the boring room

It's just another rainy Sunday afternoon

I'm wasting my time

I got nothing to do

I'm hanging around

I'm waiting for you

But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I'm driving around in my car

I'm driving too fast

I'm driving too far

I'd like to change my point of view

I feel so lonely

I'm waiting for you

But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I wonder how

I wonder why

Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky

And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree

I'm turning my head up and down

I'm turning turning turning turning turning around

And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree

I'm sitting here

I miss the power

I'd like to go out taking a shower

But there's a heavy cloud inside my head

I feel so tired

Put myself into bed

While nothing ever happens and I wonder

Isolation is not good for me

Isolation I don't want to sit on the lemon-tree

I'm steppin' around in the desert of joy

Baby anyhow I'll get another toy

And everything will happen and you wonder

I wonder how

I wonder why

Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky

And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree

I'm turning my head up and down

I'm turning turning turning turning turning around

And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree

And I wonder, wonder

I wonder how

I wonder why

Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky

And all that I can see, and all that I can see, and all that I can see

Is just a yellow lemon-tree

Word of the Day:Contempt

Contempt: desprezo, desdém, menosprezo, desrespeito, desobediência

Synonyms: contemptuousness, despisement, despite, despitefulness, disdain, misprision, scorn

“She has displayed a profound contempt for her opponents.”(www.merriam-webster.com)

"No one who has shown this guy's level of contempt for American law should be practicing law," (www.latimes.com,April,  16,2012))

JUMP...

jump all over (someone) = criticar, ralhar, culpar alguém

jump at = agarrar com vontade a oportunidade para se fazer algo

jump bail = não comparecer ao julgamento depois de pagar fiança e perder a mesma

jump on = ralhar, criticar ou culpar alguém logo após o fato

jump the gun = começar antes da hora devida

Carry ( mais expressões)

carry the ball - ser responsável por

carry the day - ter êxito, vencer

carry the torch - demonstrar lealdade para alguém ou por alguma causa

carry through - completar, terminar algo com sucesso / ajudar, ser útil em uma situação difícil

carry through with - colocar um plano em ação

MINI DICIONÁRIO de idioms, phrasal verbs e mais

Carole King: You`ve got a friend

Carole King: You`ve got a friend

Fonte: http://www.sing365.com

When you're down and troubled

And you need some loving care

And nothin', nothin' is goin' right

Close your eyes and think of me

And soon I will be there

To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am

I'll come runnin' to see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there

You've got a friend

If the sky above you

Grows dark and full of clouds

And that old north wind begins to blow

Keep your head together

And call my name out loud

Soon you'll hear me knockin' at your door

You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am

I'll come runnin', runnin, yeah, yeah,

to see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there, yes I will

Now ain't it good to know

that you've got a friend

When people can be so cold

They'll hurt you, yes, and desert you

And take your soul if you let them

Oh, but don't you let them.

You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am

I'll come runnin, runnin', yeah, yeah, yeah

to see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there, yes I will

You've got a friend,

you've got a friend,

ain't it good to know,

you've got a friend,

ain't it good to know,

ain't it good to know,

ain't it good to know,

you've got a friend,

oh yeah now, you've got a friend,

yeah baby, you've got a friend,

oh yeah, you've got a friend.