Portuguese · Intermediate (B1) · Chapter 8 of 12
Work and careers
Trabalho e carreira
Handle a job interview in Portuguese: describe your experience with venho trabalhando, use the personal infinitive (para todos saberem) and formal phrases.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Describe your experience: faz oito anos que trabalho com eventos
- Say what you've been doing with venho + gerund
- Use the personal infinitive: para todos saberem, antes de tomarmos
- Understand and use formal phrases in an interview
Listen
In São Paulo, Paulo Henrique Souza has a job interview with Denise Carvalho, head of human resources at an events company. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Denise
Bom dia, Paulo Henrique. Obrigada por ter vindo. Pode se sentar.
Good morning, Paulo Henrique. Thank you for coming. Please have a seat.
Paulo
Bom dia. Obrigado pelo convite.
Good morning. Thank you for inviting me.
Denise
Eu li o seu currículo. Poderia me falar um pouco sobre a sua experiência?
I've read your CV. Could you tell me a little about your experience?
Paulo
Claro. Faz oito anos que trabalho com eventos. Nos últimos três anos, venho coordenando feiras e congressos numa empresa em Campinas.
Of course. I've been working in events for eight years. For the last three years, I've been coordinating trade fairs and conferences at a company in Campinas.
Denise
E por que você se interessou por esta vaga?
And why were you interested in this position?
Paulo
Porque eu gostaria de trabalhar com eventos maiores e liderar uma equipe. Hoje eu coordeno uma equipe pequena, de quatro pessoas.
Because I'd like to work on bigger events and lead a team. At the moment I coordinate a small team of four people.
Denise
Aqui o cargo é de coordenador, com uma equipe de doze pessoas. Os prazos são curtos e às vezes os fornecedores atrasam. Como você resolve esse tipo de problema?
Here the post is coordinator, with a team of twelve. Deadlines are tight and sometimes suppliers are late. How do you deal with that kind of problem?
Paulo
Eu faço uma reunião curta toda segunda para todos saberem o que precisa ser feito. E sempre tenho um plano B, para o evento não parar se um fornecedor falhar.
I hold a short meeting every Monday so that everyone knows what needs to be done. And I always have a plan B, so the event doesn't stop if a supplier lets us down.
Denise
Muito bem. Uma última pergunta: você tem alguma dúvida sobre o salário ou os benefícios?
Very good. One last question: do you have any questions about the salary or the benefits?
Paulo
Tenho. Gostaria de saber se a empresa oferece plano de saúde.
Yes. I'd like to know if the company offers health insurance.
Denise
Oferece, sim, e vale-refeição também. Antes de tomarmos uma decisão, vamos conversar com mais dois candidatos. Entraremos em contato até sexta-feira.
Yes, it does, and meal vouchers too. Before we make a decision, we're going to talk to two more candidates. We'll be in touch by Friday.
Paulo
Perfeito. Muito obrigado pela oportunidade. Fico no aguardo.
Perfect. Thank you very much for the opportunity. I look forward to hearing from you.
Understand
The personal infinitive: para todos saberem
Portuguese has a special form of the infinitive that shows who does the action: the “personal infinitive” (). You add -mos for and -em for / ; the other persons look like the normal infinitive. There are no irregular forms: → ; → .
Use it after prepositions like when the subject is different from the main one or needs to be clear: (I hold a meeting so that everyone knows what to do). It's the everyday alternative to + subjunctive, which sounds more formal: .
| Person | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| (He called me so I'd know.) | ||
| / / / | (It's important for you to know this.) | |
| (Before we know the result…) | ||
| / / | (so that everyone knows) |
Faz oito anos que… and venho trabalhando
To say how long you've been doing something that is still true, use or + time + + present: (I've been working in events for eight years). Or put the time at the end: .
in the present + gerund () means “I've been doing it (and I still am)”, with a sense of a process that started in the past and continues. It's common in interviews and at work: (The company has been growing).
Formal phrases at work
Brazilians normally use at job interviews, but the language is careful: the conditional (A2, B1 ch 5), polite questions and the simple future in the company's promises.
| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| Thank you for coming. | |
| Could you tell me about…? | |
| I'd like to know if… | |
| We'll be in touch. | |
| I look forward to hearing from you. | |
| Thank you for the opportunity. |
More in the grammar: Estar + gerund and other verb phrases · The personal infinitive
New words
- o currículoCV, résumé
- coordenarto coordinate, to manage · / : coordinator
- a feiratrade fair; street market · : trade fairs and conferences
- a vagavacancy, position; parking space
- liderarto lead
- a equipeteam · Portugal:
- o cargopost, position (job title)
- o prazodeadline; period of time · : tight deadlines
- o fornecedorsupplier
- atrasarto be late; to delay · : suppliers are late; : late
- resolverto solve, to sort out, to deal with
- a dúvidaquestion; doubt · : Do you have any questions?; a question you ask is also
- os benefícios(job) benefits · e.g. (health insurance), (meal vouchers)
- entrar em contatoto get in touch · : we'll be in touch
Practise
1.Complete: “Antes de vocês …, leiam o contrato.” (sign)
2.Complete with the personal infinitive of : “so that everyone knows what needs to be done”
so that everyone knows what needs to be done
3.Complete with + gerund: “I've been coordinating trade fairs.”
I've been coordinating trade fairs.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I've been working in events for eight years.
5.Match the Portuguese with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.Complete: “Vamos esperar até eles … .” (arrive)
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Faz oito anos que trabalho com eventos.
I've been working in events for eight years.
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.