A2 — Elementary·10 min read·Romance·life choices

A Decisão da Inês

A Inês tem uma proposta de emprego em Lisboa, mas o coração fica na sua cidade natal de Braga — e com o Diogo.

Theme verbficar—to stay / to become / to be left

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Story opening — Portuguese with English Translation

A Inês trabalhava numa livraria no centro de Braga há três anos. Gostava do seu trabalho — conhecia todos os clientes pelo nome, sabia que livros eles preferiam, e sentia que a livraria era quase como a sua casa. Mas em fevereiro chegou um e-mail que mudou tudo: uma grande editora em Lisboa queria contratá-la como editora assistente.

Inês had been working in a bookshop in the centre of Braga for three years. She liked her work — she knew all the customers by name, knew which books they preferred, and felt that the bookshop was almost like her home. But in February an email arrived that changed everything: a large publishing house in Lisbon wanted to hire her as an assistant editor.

A Inês ficou muito agitada quando leu o e-mail. Era uma oportunidade incrível — um emprego melhor pago, numa editora conhecida, na capital. A sua amiga Joana, que trabalhava com ela na livraria, ficou entusiasmada. — Inês! Tens de aceitar! Lisboa é fantástica. Eu ficaria louca de contente no teu lugar!

Inês became very agitated when she read the email. It was an incredible opportunity — a better-paid job, in a well-known publishing house, in the capital. Her friend Joana, who worked with her at the bookshop, was enthusiastic. — Inês! You have to accept! Lisbon is fantastic. I would be over the moon in your place!

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Vocabulary Glossary

WordMeaning
ficarto stay / to become / to be left
ficar aliviado/ato feel relieved
ficar acordado/ato stay awake / to lie awake
ficar em silêncioto fall silent / to stay quiet
ficar em pazto be at peace / to feel peaceful
namorarto date / to be in a relationship
editorapublishing house / publisher
livrariabookshop
proposta de trabalhojob offer
bicaespresso coffee (Portugal)
emprego fixosteady job / permanent position
a distâncialong distance (as in relationship)
ao fim de semanaat the weekend
quarto arrendadorented room / rented flat
agitado/aagitated / unsettled
do costumeusual / the usual one
louca de contenteover the moon / extremely happy
migalhabreadcrumb
pombopigeon
carrinho de bebépram / pushchair
orgulhoso/aproud
dúvidadoubt / uncertainty
motivoreason / motive
praçasquare / plaza
ter a certezato be sure / to be certain
perceberto realise / to understand
engenheiro/aengineer
entusiasmado/aenthusiastic / excited
mercado municipalmunicipal market
em pazat peace / peaceful
trabalhavaworked / used to work (past imperfect of trabalhar)
trabalharto work
clientescustomers / clients
pelo nomeby name
preferiampreferred (3rd person plural past imperfect of preferir)
preferirto prefer
quasealmost / nearly
fevereiroFebruary
chegouarrived (past of chegar)
mudouchanged (past of mudar)
mudarto change
editora assistenteassistant editor
contratarto hire / to employ
contratá-lato hire her
oportunidadeopportunity / chance
incrívelincredible / amazing
melhor pagobetter paid
conhecidawell-known / known (feminine)
capitalcapital (city)
JoanaJoana (female name)
aceitarto accept
fantásticafantastic / great (feminine)
ficariawould stay / would become (conditional of ficar)
no teu lugarin your place / if I were you
não tinha certezawas not sure / was uncertain
ruasstreets
antigasold / ancient (feminine plural)
mercado municipalmunicipal market / covered market
tomavaused to have / was having (past imperfect of tomar)
manhãsmornings (plural)
namoravamwere dating (3rd person plural past imperfect of namorar)
um ano e meioa year and a half
engenheiroengineer (masculine)
nemnor / not even
essa tardethat afternoon
encontrou-semet (past of encontrar-se)
encontrar-seto meet (each other)
junto à janelaby the window
pastéispastries (plural)
pensavathought / was thinking (past imperfect of pensar)
acontecehappens (3rd person singular present of acontecer)
acontecerto happen
preocupadosworried (masculine plural)
tentarto try
podemoswe can (1st person plural present of poder)
decisãodecision
queroI want (1st person singular present of querer)
acordadaawake (feminine)
pensarto think
camabed
escurodark / darkness
imaginouimagined (past of imaginar)
imaginarto imagine
versõesversions (plural)
arrendadorented (masculine)
viasaw / used to see (past imperfect of ver)
dúvidadoubt
ligoucalled (past of ligar)
aparecemappear / come along (3rd person plural present of aparecer)
desaparecemdisappear (3rd person plural present of desaparecer)
pergunta-teask yourself
ganhasyou earn (2nd person singular present of ganhar)
dinheiromoney
sábadoSaturday
pediuordered / asked for (past of pedir)
ficou a olharstood / sat looking (stayed looking)
observarto watch / to observe
idosaelderly (feminine)
davagave / was giving (past imperfect of dar)
rapazesboys / young men (plural)
jogavamwere playing (past imperfect of jogar)
à bolafootball (playing ball)
empurravawas pushing (past imperfect of empurrar)
empurrarto push
respondeureplied (past of responder)
agradeceuthanked (past of agradecer)
agradecerto thank / to express gratitude
motivos pessoaispersonal reasons
profissionaisprofessional (plural)
enviousent (past of enviar)
aliviadarelieved (feminine)
tristesad
surpreendidosurprised (masculine)
tens a certezaare you sure?
penseiI thought (1st person singular past of pensar)
percebiI realised (1st person singular past of perceber)
emboraalthough / even though
sorrisosmile (noun)
verdadeirogenuine / true (masculine)
pegou na mãoheld her hand (took her hand)
prometoI promise (1st person singular present of prometer)
prometerto promise
criarto create / to build
orgulhosaproud (feminine)
certaright / correct (feminine)

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