Instant Brazilian Portuguese Vocabulary Builder [With CD] (Portuguese Edition) [Audiobook] [Paperback]

Tom Means (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0781811384 | ISBN-13: 978-0781811385 | Publication Date: April 2006

Apart from their endings, many words in Brazilian Portuguese are similar to their English counterparts. This unique book identifies the 24 most common and word-ending patterns between these languages and provides over 4,000 words that follow them. Perfect as a classroom supplement or for self-study, this handy reference is appropriate for all ages and levels of experience.

Product Details

• Paperback: 213 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books (April 2006)
• Language: Portuguese
• ISBN-10: 0781811384
• ISBN-13: 978-0781811385
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,131,887 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Limited value for learners, June 16, 2008

By 

Gwilym - See all my reviews

This review is from: Instant Brazilian Portuguese Vocabulary Builder [With CD] (Portuguese Edition) (Paperback)

While a book to help learners learn Portuguese words is welcome, this book is not helpful. Needless to say, any good vocabulary builder for learners should focus on the most common words - the words you use in everyday speech. This book instead focus on words that are similar to English words. I can see at least two major reasons why this is a bad idea:

1. The words that are very similar to English are precisely the ones we DON'T need much help with. I guess that Portuguese words like 'central', 'crucial' or 'global' don't present much of a problem for an English speaker to understand or remember. Words like 'olhar', 'fechado' or 'verão' might be harder to learn

2. Since much of the scientific vocabulary of English derives from Latin and French, these are the kind of words that are similar in English and Portuguese. So right from the start you will learn Portuguese words like 'inaugural', 'latitudinal', 'gastrointestinal' or 'adverbial'. Call me old-fashioned, but I've found the Portuguese words for 'hi' (oi), 'how are you?' (tudo bem?), 'day' (dia) or 'and' (e) to be just a bit more helpful... ;-)

I can see what the author has been trying to do, list the words that are similar in both languages, but I find it misleading to call it an instant vocabulary builder and market it to learners who will have very limited use of it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This book is only half a loaf and the back half, June 12, 2009

By 

Peter B. Lijoi, Esq - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Instant Brazilian Portuguese Vocabulary Builder [With CD] (Portuguese Edition) (Paperback)

As an English as first language speaker who is fluent in Portuguese this book does little to aid in the day to day building of a common Brazilian Portuguese vocabulary. Much of day to day spoken Portuguese is composed of verbs and nouns that don't have an associational word in english (near exact cognates) thus they are harder to retain. The Vocabulary List in Cronicas Brasileiras by Richard A. Preto-Rodas, Alfred Hower and Charles A. Perrone comes a lot closer and is a better investment. Your money would be better spent here if you are willing to put the time in reading the cronicas and doing the exercises. O livro é muito agradável tambem. Boa sorte e boas aulas com a idioma brasileira.