A new, practical and easy method of learning the Portuguese language

1.

Exercises.

O pai. A mãi. O irmão. A irmãa. O pai he bom, e a mãi he boa. O bom pai, a boa mãi. O bom irmão, a boa irmãa. O irmão he bom, a irmãa he boa.

2.

• meu, minha, my
• alto, great
• pequeno, little.

The sister is good. The father and the good brother. The good mother and the little sister. The great brother. My brother is little. My little brother. My mother and my good sister. My father and my mother. My good mother and my little sister.

3.
Declension of the definite Article.

Declension of the indefinite Article.

4.
Vocabulary.

Exercises.

O pai he alto. A mãi he pequena. A moça he bonita. O cavallo do pai. A agulha da irmãa. A faca do irmão. O leão, o tigre e o leopardo são animaes ferozes. No estado miseravel em que elle está. Ella está na rua. Os garfos estão nas gavetas. Tenho lido isso nos livros do C. Passeio pelo campo. Elle entrou pela porta. Um boi. Uma vaca.

5.
Vocabulary.

The news is good. The horse is a very noble animal. The dogs bark. The roses are more beautiful than the tulips. The summers are hot and the winters severe. The birds sing. The eagle and the hawk are birds of prey. Ignorance is the mother of error, of superstition, and of prejudice. I left my hat in the carriage. The aunt is in bed. She had her child in her arms. He gave the letter into the hands of the secretary. He jumped out of (pela) the window. I see a man and a woman. A garden and a house.

Contractions of the Article with the Prepositions.

The Portuguese contract the Article and Preposition in the following way:

6.
On the Gender.

Masculine

The names of all masculine persons, animals, and the occupations of men.

Vocabulary.

O Imperador Paulo foi morto. El-Rei chegou hontem. Os jesuitas forão expulsados. O homem não ama senão a si mesmo. Carlos foi grande e Frederico ambicioso. O ferreiro he diligente e o alfaiate preguiçoso. O boi he muito gordo. O leão he muito feroz. O gallo he mais forte do que a gallinha.

7.
Vocabulary.

The Duke of Bragança was proclaimed king. The hereditary prince died. The joiner and the carpenter work. Lewis was brave, and Henry powerful. The bull was killed. The watchful dog. The beautiful horse. The tiger is very bloodthirsty. The husband of this woman is very ill. The uncle went out. The grandfather, the father, the cousin and the son took a walk.

8.
Feminine Substantive.

The names of all feminine persons, animals and the occupations of women are feminine.

Vocabulary.

A Imperatriz e a Rainha estavão na igreja. A duqueza está no banho. A alfaiata concerta um vestido. A mãi e a filha, a tia e a prima, a avó e a neta estão no jardim. A rapariga não he feia. A mulher he muito obsequiosa. A vaca dá leite. A gallinha está chocando.

9.
Vocabulary.

The abbess spoke with the nuns of the convent. The princess was on the point of departing. The countess was not at home. The needlewoman hems my pockethandkerchief. The wife of the merchant. The women are often very capricious. The servant sweeps the kitchen. The goat is a domestic animal. The cat plays with the young female dog. My cousin (fem.) and my sister were at the theatre. The lioness has no mane. This mare is more beautiful than that stallion. Mary is not so diligent as Maryanne. Elisabeth of England was a wise sovereign. The cook went to market.

In Portuguese some of the names of animals are occasionally masculine and feminine; to denote the gender the words macho, male, or femea, female, are used, as:

• elephante macho, the male elephant,
• elephante femea, the female elephant.

Those Substantives ending in a and ãa are feminine.

10.
Exercises.

Esta casa[1] tem uma boa[2] apparencia[3]. A rosa[4] he muito bella. A boca[5], a orelha[6], a cabeça[7], a testa[8] e a barba[9] são partes[10] do corpo[11] humano[12]. A janella[13] está aberta[14]. Esta agulha[15] he fina de mais[16]. Esta tinta não presta para nada. Quero aparar[17] uma penna[18]. Tenho[19] que escrever[20] uma carta[21]. Faça-me o favor[22] de-me emprestar[23] una folha de papel[24]. A garrafa[25] está na mesa[26]. Esta cerejeira[27] carrega[28] muito. Esta uva[29] está madura[30]. Esta vinha[31] está em optima[32] exposição[33].

11.

The butter[34] is fresh[35]. With your permission[36]. The cup[37] is not washed[38]. I have the honour[39]. The beer[40] is excellent[41]. The oyster[42] is fresh. Bring me[43] a wafer[44]. —We have a beautiful[45] morning[46]. The door[47] is locked[48]. Spring[49] is the most agreeable[50] time of the year[51]. The harvest[52] will be[53] abundant[54].

12.
Exceptions.

The following Substantives ending in a are masculine:

Those Nouns ending in e, are generally masculine, except:

Nouns ending in i, y, o, u as well as those ending in l, m, r, s and z are with few exceptions all masculine.

Those ending in ão, are both masculine and feminine.

13.
Formation of the Plural.

Nouns ending in a, e, i, y, o, u and ãa form their plural by adding an s to the singular. As:

• a rosa, as rosas;
• a arte, as artes;
• o filho, os filhos.

Examples.

As rosas são mais bellas que as tulipas. Os rios correm[55] por terras despovoadas[56]. As arvores são muito frondosas[57]. As villas são ornadas[58] de duas igrejas. Eu não vi os pentes[59]. Os habitantes[60] destas comarcas[61] são Indios[62]. Elles tem maçãas. Novos reis, novas leis. Deixei os bahús nos coches. Os ribeiros[63], algumas lagôas[64] e mesmo certos rios ficão em secco[65].

14.

These houses please me more than those edifices[66]. The villages[67] and towns in this district[68] are not very numerous[69]. The oxen[70], cows, goats, sheep[71] and cats[72] are domestic animals. There are[73] many wild boars[74], deer[75] and hares[76] in these forests[77]. The cranes[78] and storks[79] are birds of passage[80]. The huts[81] are made[82] of the trunks of trees[83].

15.

Substantives ending in ão, form their plural in ões, as:

a condição, condition, as condições.

Exceptions are:

• Allemão, the German, Allemães
• Catalão, the Catalonian, Catalães
• cão, dog, cães
• pão, bread, pães
• capitão, captain, capitães
• tabellião, notary, tabelliães.

The following only add an s in the Plural:

16.

Examples.

Elle abrio[84] communições entre as cidades e os sertões[85]. Os serões[86] são cumpridos. O districto he proprio[87] para todas as producções agricolas[88]. As terras são plantadas[89] e semeadas[90] de feijões[91] e melões[92]. Os Allemães fizerão[93] muitas invenções[94] uteis[95]. Os capitães não querem obedecer[96] ao general. Aqui[97] estão tres pães[98]. Os Cortezãos lisonjão[99] ao principe[100]. Os primeiros orgãos forão construidos[101] por um Allemão em 1312. Eis aqui[102] os dous[103] villãos. As casas são ornadas de balcões[104] de ferro. Aos orphãos mandase[105] aprender[106] um officio[107].

17.

The passions[108] of women are often very violent[109]. The navigation[110] extended[111], at the beginning[112], only along the coast. Many revolutions[113] have broken out[114] in Europe in recent times[115]. The conditions[116] were rejected[117]. These places[118] are situated in the interior of the country[119]. The hunters[120] took[121] the dogs to the chase[122]. The Catalonians inhabit an important[123] province of Spain[124]. The notaries[125] protest[126] the bills of exchange[127]. His brothers were not at home[128]. The first Christians were much persecuted[129]. The heathens are still very numerous[130]. The radishes are very dear.

18.