I'm a very active American hobbyist/monger...I visited Brazil 18 months ago - 1day in Rio, visited L'Huoma (sp?) terma and then caught a plane to SP where I stayed for 5 days - only had a change to play one evening and spent it at Big Ben.....

I speak only english...I had some 6 years of French in HS and college. Before I went to Brazil I found a translation web site that would allow me to put in phrases or sentences and get the Brazilian tranlation back immendiately -- I'm certain that it was only the "proper" language, but it help me a lot.....I created sentances/phrases scripts on 3x5 cards with the English on one side and Bport on the other....and then I experimented with them while in Brazil....

Some garotas thought it was cute that I went to so much trouble....some, it was obvious, didn't need any translator, some were unapproachable because my approach was pretty much a "one-way" conversation.....

My laptop was stolen 1 year ago and I lst ALL my stufff...and you guessed it - I'm coming back to Brazil soon......Jan 29-Feb 5.

So I have a few requests....

1. If I post a monger vocab table, will someone review/correct/add to it?

2. I lost the url fo rht etranslation web site - i think it was an altavista site....does anyone know of any free online translation web sites for BPortugese?

I know some of you are saying...look, if you wanna do this, don't be lazy, get some tapes...but the fact is I just don't have the "free time" away form family to do much of that and YES i am a bit lazy.....

3. I "role-played" some conversations to have with people in diff situations

4. If I want to use and escort service - again, laziness - do may have english speaking phone attendents? If not, is it possible/advisable to get someone from my hotel to help me out? Don't know where I'm stayting yet.....

Anyway, if any/all of this is off-base, sorry....but for those mongerers of us that remain BP-challanged, I thought the Monger Vocab table would help.

let me know on the board or you can email me at volfan2000@hotmail.com

TIA

1. No need to ask, post the table, I'm sure someone will help
2. Click on Links at the top of the screen, then browse "*Utilities" and you'll see some links to online translators.

Don't worry about your postings, most of us are friendly here.

Here is the Alta Vista URL

http://world.altavista.com/


-w

Another web translation service:

InterTran

Wilma: this is the best English/Portuguese site I've come across (and Brazilian Portuguese at that!).
Much thanks.

For all those who would like to supplement their Portuguese lessons while they are here in Rio.

I now have a Portuguese language teacher that has been teaching Portuguese to foreigners both Conversation and Business courses, for the last 2 years in one of the best schools in Rio on my payroll. She will be available in the afternoons from 12 noon until 2 PM every weekday.. Cost is 100reais for one (1) hour a day for 5 days.

Well not a Portuguese language website but a radio station list web site. Listening to Portuguese radio is a good way to learn some Portuguese and accept life's hardships away from Brazil.
http://www.saopaulofm.com/

I'd recommend this website highly for any love letters that any of you might be sending to any of your brazilian friends.

http://www.freetranslations.com/

YT's site looks like a pretty good place to translate documents.

CP- careful of the letter translation..I ran a letter thru it 6 months ago and it translated it kind of backwards from the intent...someone on this site fluent caught it...dont want you to get in trouble with the honey

Thanks.

None of these translation programs translate long complicated things well. The one that I mentioned does better than most though. It also does a very good job with simple sentences. I guess we'll have to learn portuguese afterall.

One's best bet for email etc with Brazilian girlfriends is find a friend that speaks Portuguese & is willing to help you out on translating emails.