Ajudar o Vizinho
Sofia ajuda a sua vizinha idosa com as compras e descobre uma amizade inesperada.
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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.
The remaining 9 paragraphs are in the reader, with audio for every sentence and tap-to-translate on every word.
Vocabulary Glossary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ajudar | to help |
| vizinha | neighbour (f) |
| vizinho | neighbour (m) |
| mora | lives (3rd p. sing. pres. of morar) |
| morar | to live, to reside |
| prédio | building (residential) |
| antigo | old, ancient |
| centro | centre |
| Lisboa | Lisbon |
| terceiro | third |
| andar | floor / to walk |
| vive | lives (3rd p. sing. pres. of viver) |
| viver | to live |
| dona | Mrs, lady (title of respect) |
| senhora | lady, woman |
| oitenta | eighty |
| anos | years |
| tem | has (3rd p. sing. pres. of ter) |
| ter | to have |
| dificuldade | difficulty |
| toda | every, all (f) |
| semana | week |
| ajuda | helps (3rd p. sing. pres. of ajudar) |
| descer | to go down, to descend |
| escadas | stairs |
| ir | to go |
| mercado | market |
| rotina | routine |
| simples | simple |
| muito | very, much |
| importante | important |
| duas | two (f) |
| manhã | morning |
| outubro | October |
| bateu | knocked (3rd p. sing. past of bater) |
| bater | to knock, to hit |
| porta | door |
| idosa | elderly (f) |
| demorou | took long (3rd p. sing. past of demorar) |
| demorar | to take long, to delay |
| responder | to answer, to reply |
| abriu | opened (3rd p. sing. past of abrir) |
| abrir | to open |
| parecia | seemed (3rd p. sing. imperfect of parecer) |
| parecer | to seem, to appear |
| cansada | tired (f) |
| dor | pain |
| bom | good (m) |
| dia | day |
| bem | well, alright |
| perguntou | asked (3rd p. sing. past of perguntar) |
| perguntar | to ask |
| preocupação | concern, worry |
| filha | daughter; dear (term of endearment) |
| hoje | today |
| pernas | legs |
| nada | nothing, not at all |
| respondeu | replied (3rd p. sing. past of responder) |
| sorriso | smile |
| triste | sad |
| ajudam | help (3rd p. pl. pres. of ajudar) |
| entrou | entered (3rd p. sing. past of entrar) |
| entrar | to enter |
| apartamento | apartment, flat |
| ajudou | helped (3rd p. sing. past of ajudar) |
| sentar-se | to sit down |
| cadeira | chair |
| sala | living room, room |
| espaço | space |
| pequeno | small |
| cheio | full |
| plantas | plants |
| fotografias | photographs |
| antigas | old, ancient (f pl) |
| gostava | liked (3rd p. sing. imperfect of gostar) |
| gostar | to like |
| ver | to see |
| aquelas | those (f pl) |
| fotos | photos |
| quem | who |
| esta | this (f) |
| bonita | beautiful, pretty (f) |
| apontando | pointing (gerund of apontar) |
| apontar | to point |
| retrato | portrait, photo |
| preto | black |
| branco | white |
| a preto e branco | in black and white |
| essa | that (f, near you) |
| sou | am (1st p. sing. pres. of ser) |
| ser | to be |
| tinha | had (1st/3rd p. sing. imperfect of ter) |
| vinte | twenty |
| cinco | five |
| Coimbra | Coimbra (city in Portugal) |
| olhos | eyes |
| brilhar | to shine, to sparkle |
| começou | started (3rd p. sing. past of começar) |
| começar | to start, to begin |
| contar | to tell, to count |
| histórias | stories |
| juventude | youth |
| ajudava | helped / used to help (imperfect of ajudar) |
| pai | father |
| mercearia | grocery store |
| família | family |
| estudava | studied (3rd p. sing. imperfect of estudar) |
| estudar | to study |
| noite | night |
| ouviu | heard, listened (3rd p. sing. past of ouvir) |
| ouvir | to hear, to listen |
| tudo | everything, all |
| atenção | attention |
| sentiu | felt (3rd p. sing. past of sentir) |
| sentir | to feel |
| grande | big, great |
| respeito | respect |
| mais tarde | later |
| foi | went (3rd p. sing. past of ir) / was (past of ser) |
| supermercado | supermarket |
| comprar | to buy |
| produtos | products, groceries |
| lista | list |
| leite | milk |
| pão | bread |
| fruta | fruit |
| arroz | rice |
| azeite | olive oil |
| também | also, too |
| escolher | to choose |
| bolo | cake |
| laranja | orange |
| favorito | favourite (m) |
| fila | queue, line |
| caixa | checkout, cashier; box |
| encontrou | met, found (3rd p. sing. past of encontrar) |
| encontrar | to find, to meet |
| amiga | friend (f) |
| ainda | still, yet |
| ajudas | help (2nd p. sing. pres. of ajudar) |
| surpresa | surprised (f); surprise |
| claro | of course, clearly |
| sozinha | alone (f) |
| precisa | needs (3rd p. sing. pres. of precisar) |
| precisar | to need |
| apoio | support |
| disse | said (3rd p. sing. past of dizer) |
| dizer | to say, to tell |
| boa | good (f) |
| pessoa | person |
| bondade | kindness, goodness |
| simplesmente | simply |
| explicou | explained (3rd p. sing. past of explicar) |
| explicar | to explain |
| naturalidade | naturalness |
| voltou | returned (3rd p. sing. past of voltar) |
| voltar | to return, to go back |
| compras | shopping, groceries |
| guardar | to store, to put away |
| frigorífico | fridge |
| armários | cupboards, cabinets |
| depois | after, then |
| preparou | prepared (3rd p. sing. past of preparar) |
| preparar | to prepare |
| chávena | cup (of tea/coffee) |
| chávenas | cups (of tea/coffee) |
| chá | tea |
| sentou-se | sat down (3rd p. sing. past of sentar-se) |
| mesa | table |
| tarde | afternoon |
| passou | passed (3rd p. sing. past of passar) |
| passar | to pass, to spend (time) |
| depressa | quickly, fast |
| entre | between, among |
| conversas | conversations |
| risos | laughs, laughter |
| biscoitos | biscuits, cookies |
| caseiros | homemade (m pl) |
| antes | before |
| sair | to leave, to go out |
| segurou | held (3rd p. sing. past of segurar) |
| segurar | to hold |
| mão | hand |
| com força | tightly / with strength |
| obrigada | thank you (said by a woman) |
| querida | dear (f) |
| sei | know (1st p. sing. pres. of saber) |
| saber | to know |
| fazia | did / would do (1st/3rd p. sing. imperfect of fazer) |
| fazer | to do, to make |
| sem | without |
| ti | you (prepositional form of tu) |
| fico | stay / am (1st p. sing. pres. of ficar) |
| ficar | to stay, to become |
| feliz | happy |
| genuinamente | genuinely |
| saiu | left (3rd p. sing. past of sair) |
| coração | heart |
| outros | others |
| coisas | things |
| mais | more, most |
| satisfazia | satisfied (imperfect of satisfazer) |
| vida | life |
| seguinte | following, next |
| veio | came (3rd p. sing. past of vir) |
| vir | to come |
| Braga | Braga (city in Portugal) |
| visitar | to visit |
| mãe | mother |
| ficou | became / stayed (3rd p. sing. past of ficar) |
| emocionada | moved, emotional (f) |
| regularmente | regularly |
| fala | talks, speaks (3rd p. sing. pres. of falar) |
| falar | to speak, to talk |
| si | you (formal prepositional form) |
| mim | me (prepositional form) |
| sinceridade | sincerity |
| tempo | time |
| tornaram-se | became (3rd p. pl. past of tornar-se) |
| tornar-se | to become |
| verdadeiras | true, real (f pl) |
| amigas | friends (f pl) |
| casa | house, home |
| ensinava | taught (3rd p. sing. imperfect of ensinar) |
| ensinar | to teach |
| cozinhar | to cook |
| receitas | recipes |
| tradicionais | traditional (pl) |
| portuguesas | Portuguese (f pl) |
| troca | exchange |
| bonita | beautiful, pretty (f) |
| apenas | only, just |
| dar | to give |
| receber | to receive |
| gratidão | gratitude |
| percebeu | realised (3rd p. sing. past of perceber) |
| perceber | to realise, to understand |
| custava | cost (3rd p. sing. imperfect of custar) |
| custar | to cost |
| valia | was worth (3rd p. sing. imperfect of valer) |
| valer | to be worth |
| imensamente | immensely |
| hora | hour |
| podia | could (3rd p. sing. imperfect of poder) |
| poder | to be able to, can |
| mudar | to change |
| alguém | someone |
| começou | started (3rd p. sing. past of começar) |
| pessoas | people |
| bairro | neighbourhood |
| própria | own (f) |
| rica | rich (f) |
| significado | meaning |
| jovem | young |
| era | was (1st/3rd p. sing. imperfect of ser) |
| sempre | always |
| colegas | colleagues |
| novos | young, new (m pl) |
| escola | school |
| podemos | can (1st p. pl. pres. of poder) |
| dificuldade | difficulty |
| ontem | yesterday |
| avó | grandmother |
| bebé | baby |
| adormecer | to fall asleep |
| arranjar | to fix, to repair |
| carro | car |
| organização | organisation |
| festa | party |
| ajudo | help (1st p. sing. pres. of ajudar) |
| ajudei | helped (1st p. sing. past of ajudar) |
| ajudaste | helped (2nd p. sing. past of ajudar) |
| ajudámos | helped (1st p. pl. past of ajudar) |
| ajudaram | helped (3rd p. pl. past of ajudar) |
| ajudaremos | will help (1st p. pl. future of ajudar) |
| dar uma mão | to lend a hand |
| ficar bem | to be alright / to feel well |
| fazer falta | to be missed / to be needed |
| ao longo do tempo | over time |
| ajuda | help (noun) |
| chegar | to arrive |
| viveu | lived (3rd p. sing. past of viver) |
| escolheu | chose (3rd p. sing. past of escolher) |
| descreveu | described (3rd p. sing. past of descrever) |
| descrever | to describe |
| papel | role |
| junto | next to, beside |
| final | end |
| história | story |
| assim | like this, so |
| então | then, so |
| agora | now |
| só | only, just |
| já | already |
| lá | there |
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