A2 — Elementary·10 min read·Everyday Life·social

Ajudar o Vizinho

Sofia ajuda a sua vizinha idosa com as compras e descobre uma amizade inesperada.

Theme verbajudar—to help

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Story opening — Portuguese with English Translation

Sofia mora num prédio antigo no centro de Lisboa. No terceiro andar vive a dona Lurdes, uma senhora de oitenta anos que tem dificuldade em andar. Toda a semana Sofia ajuda a vizinha a descer as escadas e a ir ao mercado. É uma rotina simples, mas muito importante para as duas.

Sofia lives in an old building in the centre of Lisbon. On the third floor lives Dona Lurdes, an eighty-year-old lady who has difficulty walking. Every week Sofia helps her neighbour down the stairs and to the market. It is a simple routine, but very important for both of them.

Uma manhã de outubro, Sofia bateu à porta da dona Lurdes. A idosa demorou a responder. Quando abriu a porta, parecia cansada e com dor. — Bom dia, dona Lurdes. Está bem? — perguntou Sofia com preocupação. — Ai, filha, hoje as pernas não me ajudam nada — respondeu a vizinha com um sorriso triste.

"Good morning, Dona Lurdes. Are you alright?" asked Sofia with concern. "Oh dear, today my legs are not helping me at all," replied the neighbour with a sad smile.

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Vocabulary Glossary

WordMeaning
ajudarto help
vizinhaneighbour (f)
vizinhoneighbour (m)
moralives (3rd p. sing. pres. of morar)
morarto live, to reside
prédiobuilding (residential)
antigoold, ancient
centrocentre
LisboaLisbon
terceirothird
andarfloor / to walk
vivelives (3rd p. sing. pres. of viver)
viverto live
donaMrs, lady (title of respect)
senhoralady, woman
oitentaeighty
anosyears
temhas (3rd p. sing. pres. of ter)
terto have
dificuldadedifficulty
todaevery, all (f)
semanaweek
ajudahelps (3rd p. sing. pres. of ajudar)
descerto go down, to descend
escadasstairs
irto go
mercadomarket
rotinaroutine
simplessimple
muitovery, much
importanteimportant
duastwo (f)
manhãmorning
outubroOctober
bateuknocked (3rd p. sing. past of bater)
baterto knock, to hit
portadoor
idosaelderly (f)
demoroutook long (3rd p. sing. past of demorar)
demorarto take long, to delay
responderto answer, to reply
abriuopened (3rd p. sing. past of abrir)
abrirto open
pareciaseemed (3rd p. sing. imperfect of parecer)
parecerto seem, to appear
cansadatired (f)
dorpain
bomgood (m)
diaday
bemwell, alright
perguntouasked (3rd p. sing. past of perguntar)
perguntarto ask
preocupaçãoconcern, worry
filhadaughter; dear (term of endearment)
hojetoday
pernaslegs
nadanothing, not at all
respondeureplied (3rd p. sing. past of responder)
sorrisosmile
tristesad
ajudamhelp (3rd p. pl. pres. of ajudar)
entrouentered (3rd p. sing. past of entrar)
entrarto enter
apartamentoapartment, flat
ajudouhelped (3rd p. sing. past of ajudar)
sentar-seto sit down
cadeirachair
salaliving room, room
espaçospace
pequenosmall
cheiofull
plantasplants
fotografiasphotographs
antigasold, ancient (f pl)
gostavaliked (3rd p. sing. imperfect of gostar)
gostarto like
verto see
aquelasthose (f pl)
fotosphotos
quemwho
estathis (f)
bonitabeautiful, pretty (f)
apontandopointing (gerund of apontar)
apontarto point
retratoportrait, photo
pretoblack
brancowhite
a preto e brancoin black and white
essathat (f, near you)
souam (1st p. sing. pres. of ser)
serto be
tinhahad (1st/3rd p. sing. imperfect of ter)
vintetwenty
cincofive
CoimbraCoimbra (city in Portugal)
olhoseyes
brilharto shine, to sparkle
começoustarted (3rd p. sing. past of começar)
começarto start, to begin
contarto tell, to count
históriasstories
juventudeyouth
ajudavahelped / used to help (imperfect of ajudar)
paifather
merceariagrocery store
famíliafamily
estudavastudied (3rd p. sing. imperfect of estudar)
estudarto study
noitenight
ouviuheard, listened (3rd p. sing. past of ouvir)
ouvirto hear, to listen
tudoeverything, all
atençãoattention
sentiufelt (3rd p. sing. past of sentir)
sentirto feel
grandebig, great
respeitorespect
mais tardelater
foiwent (3rd p. sing. past of ir) / was (past of ser)
supermercadosupermarket
comprarto buy
produtosproducts, groceries
listalist
leitemilk
pãobread
frutafruit
arrozrice
azeiteolive oil
tambémalso, too
escolherto choose
bolocake
laranjaorange
favoritofavourite (m)
filaqueue, line
caixacheckout, cashier; box
encontroumet, found (3rd p. sing. past of encontrar)
encontrarto find, to meet
amigafriend (f)
aindastill, yet
ajudashelp (2nd p. sing. pres. of ajudar)
surpresasurprised (f); surprise
claroof course, clearly
sozinhaalone (f)
precisaneeds (3rd p. sing. pres. of precisar)
precisarto need
apoiosupport
dissesaid (3rd p. sing. past of dizer)
dizerto say, to tell
boagood (f)
pessoaperson
bondadekindness, goodness
simplesmentesimply
explicouexplained (3rd p. sing. past of explicar)
explicarto explain
naturalidadenaturalness
voltoureturned (3rd p. sing. past of voltar)
voltarto return, to go back
comprasshopping, groceries
guardarto store, to put away
frigoríficofridge
armárioscupboards, cabinets
depoisafter, then
preparouprepared (3rd p. sing. past of preparar)
prepararto prepare
chávenacup (of tea/coffee)
chávenascups (of tea/coffee)
chátea
sentou-sesat down (3rd p. sing. past of sentar-se)
mesatable
tardeafternoon
passoupassed (3rd p. sing. past of passar)
passarto pass, to spend (time)
depressaquickly, fast
entrebetween, among
conversasconversations
risoslaughs, laughter
biscoitosbiscuits, cookies
caseiroshomemade (m pl)
antesbefore
sairto leave, to go out
segurouheld (3rd p. sing. past of segurar)
segurarto hold
mãohand
com forçatightly / with strength
obrigadathank you (said by a woman)
queridadear (f)
seiknow (1st p. sing. pres. of saber)
saberto know
faziadid / would do (1st/3rd p. sing. imperfect of fazer)
fazerto do, to make
semwithout
tiyou (prepositional form of tu)
ficostay / am (1st p. sing. pres. of ficar)
ficarto stay, to become
felizhappy
genuinamentegenuinely
saiuleft (3rd p. sing. past of sair)
coraçãoheart
outrosothers
coisasthings
maismore, most
satisfaziasatisfied (imperfect of satisfazer)
vidalife
seguintefollowing, next
veiocame (3rd p. sing. past of vir)
virto come
BragaBraga (city in Portugal)
visitarto visit
mãemother
ficoubecame / stayed (3rd p. sing. past of ficar)
emocionadamoved, emotional (f)
regularmenteregularly
falatalks, speaks (3rd p. sing. pres. of falar)
falarto speak, to talk
siyou (formal prepositional form)
mimme (prepositional form)
sinceridadesincerity
tempotime
tornaram-sebecame (3rd p. pl. past of tornar-se)
tornar-seto become
verdadeirastrue, real (f pl)
amigasfriends (f pl)
casahouse, home
ensinavataught (3rd p. sing. imperfect of ensinar)
ensinarto teach
cozinharto cook
receitasrecipes
tradicionaistraditional (pl)
portuguesasPortuguese (f pl)
trocaexchange
bonitabeautiful, pretty (f)
apenasonly, just
darto give
receberto receive
gratidãogratitude
percebeurealised (3rd p. sing. past of perceber)
perceberto realise, to understand
custavacost (3rd p. sing. imperfect of custar)
custarto cost
valiawas worth (3rd p. sing. imperfect of valer)
valerto be worth
imensamenteimmensely
horahour
podiacould (3rd p. sing. imperfect of poder)
poderto be able to, can
mudarto change
alguémsomeone
começoustarted (3rd p. sing. past of começar)
pessoaspeople
bairroneighbourhood
própriaown (f)
ricarich (f)
significadomeaning
jovemyoung
erawas (1st/3rd p. sing. imperfect of ser)
semprealways
colegascolleagues
novosyoung, new (m pl)
escolaschool
podemoscan (1st p. pl. pres. of poder)
dificuldadedifficulty
ontemyesterday
avógrandmother
bebébaby
adormecerto fall asleep
arranjarto fix, to repair
carrocar
organizaçãoorganisation
festaparty
ajudohelp (1st p. sing. pres. of ajudar)
ajudeihelped (1st p. sing. past of ajudar)
ajudastehelped (2nd p. sing. past of ajudar)
ajudámoshelped (1st p. pl. past of ajudar)
ajudaramhelped (3rd p. pl. past of ajudar)
ajudaremoswill help (1st p. pl. future of ajudar)
dar uma mãoto lend a hand
ficar bemto be alright / to feel well
fazer faltato be missed / to be needed
ao longo do tempoover time
ajudahelp (noun)
chegarto arrive
viveulived (3rd p. sing. past of viver)
escolheuchose (3rd p. sing. past of escolher)
descreveudescribed (3rd p. sing. past of descrever)
descreverto describe
papelrole
juntonext to, beside
finalend
históriastory
assimlike this, so
entãothen, so
agoranow
sóonly, just
jáalready
láthere

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