Skip to content
fluentbyear
🇧🇷 Brazilian Portuguese · Advanced Level 2

PART 2 · LESSON 19 OF 30 · 33 MINUTES

For Now, the Answer Is No

Friday the first of August, twenty thirty-one, eleven in the morning, the kitchen table in Botafogo, and a video call to Sao Paulo that Alice's mother makes herself. She negotiates the way she negotiated for Daniel in December, one week a month and not two, her director says two is the minimum, and the answer is a no with the door left open. Daniel hears every word from the yellow room, and at midnight an email from Fernanda, two lines long, holds a city he has never seen. Say "one week a month in Sao Paulo, not two", "two weeks is the minimum, the job is the job", "for now, the answer is no", "unless the company changes its mind", "I heard every word, from the yellow room", "it's not a no, it's a for now" and "Gilmar has recommended us to a client in Manaus".

Audio instruction: English

Report a problem with this lesson

This lesson needs a subscription.

The first 2 lessons of each level are free. One subscription unlocks every other lesson, in the app and on the website.

See the plans

Already subscribed? Sign in. Or listen to lesson 1 for free.

THE STORY

Friday the first of August, twenty thirty-one, eleven in the morning, the kitchen table in Botafogo, the laptop open and no headphones today. Regina, in Sao Paulo, has waited since June for an answer, and Alice's mother has one. Daniel is in the yellow room with Alice and the dog, the door open a hand's width. At midnight, the same table, an email from Fernanda, two lines long. This is the conversation you'll be able to say by the end of the lesson.

Flashcards

The words and phrases of this lesson, one card each. Best after you’ve listened.

Create your account.

Create a free account and confirm your email to keep the cards you like and the decks you make.

Already have an account? Sign in

Words and phrases

The lesson is for your ears. Open this afterwards, to see what you learned.
Uma semana por mês em São Paulo. Não duas.OO-mah seh-MAH-nah poor mays ayng sowng POW-loo. nowng DOO-ahsOne week a month in Sao Paulo. Not two.
o mínimooo MEE-nee-moothe minimum
Duas semanas é o mínimo. A chefia é a chefia.DOO-ahs seh-MAH-nahs eh oo MEE-nee-moo. ah sheh-FEE-ah eh ah sheh-FEE-ahTwo weeks is the minimum. The job is the job.
por enquantopoor ayng-KWAHN-toofor now
Por enquanto, a resposta é não.poor ayng-KWAHN-too, ah hehs-PAWS-tah eh nowngFor now, the answer is no.
a não ser queah nowng sehr keeunless, word for word if not to be that
mude de ideiaMOO-djee djee ee-DAY-ahchanges its mind, in the subjunctive, word for word changes of idea
A não ser que a empresa mude de ideia.ah nowng sehr kee ah ayng-PRAY-zah MOO-djee djee ee-DAY-ahUnless the company changes its mind.
Então, por enquanto. A chefe fica até dezembro. E a pergunta também.ayn-TOWNG, poor ayng-KWAHN-too. ah SHEH-fee FEE-kah ah-TEH deh-ZAYM-broo. ee ah pehr-GOON-tah tahng-BAYNGThen, for now. The head stays until December. And so does the question.
o quarto amarelooo KWAR-too ah-mah-REH-loothe yellow room

9 more cards in this lesson. Subscribe to see and study them all. See the plans. Already subscribed? Sign in.