Portuguese · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 3 of 12
News and current events
Notícias e atualidades
Understand simple local news in Portuguese: the passive with ser, impersonal vão reformar and vende-se, and reporting what someone said.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Understand the passive: o mercado foi construído
- Recognise impersonal forms: vão reformar, disseram que, vende-se
- Report what someone said with diz que and disse que
- Talk about local news and changes in your neighbourhood
Listen
In São Luís, a retired couple, Carlos and Vera, read the local paper at breakfast. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Vera
Carlos, olha só essa notícia no jornal. Vão reformar o mercado antigo.
Carlos, look at this news story in the paper. They're going to renovate the old market.
Carlos
Até que enfim. O que diz aí?
At last. What does it say?
Vera
Diz que a obra vai começar em março e que vai durar um ano.
It says the work will start in March and that it will last a year.
Carlos
Um ano? E quem vai pagar a reforma?
A year? And who's going to pay for the renovation?
Vera
Segundo o jornal, a obra vai ser paga pela prefeitura e por uma empresa privada.
According to the paper, the work will be paid for by the city council and a private company.
Carlos
Esse mercado foi construído há mais de cem anos, não foi?
That market was built over a hundred years ago, wasn't it?
Vera
Foi. E a prefeita diz que o prédio antigo vai ser conservado.
It was. And the mayor says the old building will be preserved.
Carlos
Que bom. Ontem o nosso vizinho, o Raimundo, disse que iam construir um prédio novo no lugar.
Good. Yesterday our neighbour, Raimundo, said they were going to build a new block of flats there instead.
Vera
Não, isso não é verdade. A prefeita disse que o mercado não ia mudar de lugar.
No, that's not true. The mayor said the market wasn't going to move.
Carlos
E as pessoas que trabalham no mercado? Onde elas vão vender durante a obra?
And the people who work in the market? Where are they going to sell during the work?
Vera
Aqui diz que elas vão ficar na praça ao lado até o fim da obra.
It says here they'll be in the square next door until the work is finished.
Carlos
Bom, então eu fico contente. Vou contar para o Raimundo.
Well, then I'm happy. I'll tell Raimundo.
Understand
The passive: foi construído
The passive puts the thing that something happens to at the start of the sentence: (The market was built a hundred years ago). It's made with in any tense plus the past participle, which agrees with the subject like an adjective: .
To say who does it, use , which joins with the article: (by the city council), (by the government). The passive is common in news and writing; in conversation people usually prefer an active sentence or .
| Tense of | Example |
|---|---|
| preterite | (The market was built in 1920.) |
| preterite, plural | (The houses were sold.) |
| future with | (The work will be paid for by the council.) |
| present | (The paper is read by lots of people.) |
Vão reformar, vende-se: when “they” means nobody in particular
When it doesn't matter who does something, Brazilians often use the verb in the form with no subject: (They're going to renovate the market), (They said it's going to rain). English does the same with “they”.
On signs and in adverts you'll see after the verb: (For sale), (To let), (Salesperson wanted). This is the written style; in speech people say or .
- Disseram que vai chover amanhã.They said it's going to rain tomorrow.
- Aluga-se apartamento.Flat to let.
- Estão vendendo aquela casa.That house is for sale. (literally: They're selling that house.)
Reporting what someone said
To report what someone says now, use + the same tense: . To report what someone said, use and move the verb one step back: the present becomes the imperfect and + infinitive becomes + infinitive.
| What they said | Reported |
|---|---|
More in the grammar: Reported speech · The passive and se
New words
- o jornalnewspaper; the news (on TV)
- Até que enfim!At last! Finally!
- reformarto renovate, to refurbish · not “to reform”: : to redo the kitchen; the noun is
- o mercadomarket · in Brazil also a small supermarket
- antigo / antigaold (buildings, things); former
- a obrabuilding work, construction; work (of art) · : to be under construction
- durarto last · : it will last a year
- segundoaccording to · : according to the paper; also “second”
- a empresacompany, firm
- construirto build · participle
- conservarto preserve, to keep
- o vizinho / a vizinhaneighbour
- o prédiobuilding; block of flats
- o lugarplace · : in its place, instead; : to move (somewhere else)
Practise
1.Complete: “As casas antigas foram … no ano passado.” (sold)
2.Complete the passive: “The market was built a hundred years ago.”
The market was built a hundred years ago.
3.Report it: “The mayor said the market wasn't going to move.”
The mayor said the market wasn't going to move.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.The work will be paid for by the city council.
5.Match the Portuguese with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.You see on a car window. What does it mean?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
O que diz aí?
What does it say?
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.