Hi Lucas, what's up? - Everything is alright.
So, where are we going to talk about today?
Today is the day of the coachsurfing meeting.
You know, often people ask me what coachsurfing is and sometimes I find it difficult to explain what it is.
Do you know what coachsurfing is?
Yes, I know. Do you want me to explain it to you?
Yes please.
Coachsurfing is a website where you can look for people where you can stay for a few days when you are traveling for example.
I know I guy in Sao Paulo, his name is Lucas, and he does it to in order to practice languages.
What about you Lucas, can you .... us...
I forgot...
Contar (to tell)
Can you tell us about how you learn languages and about your plans for Europe, this year.
Because you speak a lot of languages, more than 12.
How do you practice, what is your philosophy on learning languages?
Well, actually I started learning languages because....
When I was in the last year in high school I found a book about the mind and how we can improve our memory.
About what, ''a mente''?
Yes, about the mind and about improving our memory.
Could you type (in Skype) the words that I did not understand? ''Mente''?
'''Mente'' - mind. Mind, ok I got it.
I still remember very well that I had a lot of difficulties with English back when I was in the last year of high school.
I could not get good notes for English because I did not know how to learn English.
''Tirar notas'' - having good notes.
''to get'' a good note
I will put these words in my Anki. (an app to memorize words)
You helped me a lot learning Portuguese, maybe we could talk a bit about...
About how I learned Portuguese and how I think that we could improve the (learning) method.
For example, yesterday I taught you Dutch and you asked me what I...
''would do''
''Você me perguntou o que eu faria''
You asked me what I would do (different) the next time when I go to another country to learn the language.
When I stayed at your place in Sao Paulo I learned more and faster than before.
''do que'' - than
''Than before''
Because before I had never spoken in only Portuguese.
And after this week, because that week we only spoke...
So before you spoke only English?
Before I spoke (falava) English and Portuguese but when I stayed in your house in Sao paulo we only spoke Dutch and Portuguese, right?
No English.
Before that week I did not have the courage - [correction: eu nao tinha]
I did not think..
[correction: Eu não acreditava]
I did not think that it would be possible to speak Portuguese for an entire week without English.
So after that week I had more courage to talk with the people here in BH as well.
And in a week you will be going back to the Netherlands right?
Yes, I will go back on the 20th.
And do you already know which language you will learn next when you are back?
I know, I will learn Thai.
And later you will go to Thailand?
I think so, I don't have any plans yet but i will to there next year for sure.
I think that I would be better to learn a bit of the language before going to the country.
That doesn't mean that you shouldn't go to a country without having learned the language.
or that you should't start learning a language in the country where the language is spoken...
I think it would be better to ''decode'' the language before going to the country.
What, I did not understand the last word. [to decode?]
[decodificar] - to decode
You can compare it with going to the gym. I think that if you would go to a country, if you go to Thailand without understanding anything of the language..
It's like going to the gym...
to get overwhelmed?
Yes - How do you say that?
Let me see..
[sobrepeso] ''overweight''
It will be too much?
[Será de mais] - It will be too much
[peso maior do que a pessoa pode aguentar] a weight heavier than a person can handle
And what does ''aguentar mean? To handle?
To handle, exactly.
It's easier to learn the language in a country if you already know a bit of the language right?
Yes, this way you are already used to the language.
Ok, so I will make sure that I that I already know some Thai before I go there, to Thailand.
You want to say ''I will make sure'' huh?
In Portuguese it would be better if you say: [I will ''look for'' studying a little Thai before going to Thailand]
''Eu vou procurar'' and then?
[Eu vou procurar aprender um pouco tailandês antes de ir pra Tailândia.
Ok, thank you very much and we will see each other in [*na] Europe, ok?
See you later mate!