If you’re planning a visit to Moçambique (which you all should) or just want to have a bit of Portuguese in your back pocket in case of emergencies, this is the cabula (cheatsheet) you want to bring along (plus I've included pictures from recent adventures!):
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| My first safari! |
Sim – Yes
Não- No
Olá – Hello
Bom dia/boa tarde/boa noite – Good morning/good afternoon/good evening
Como está? – How are you?
Estou bem – I’m good
Tudo bem – (both a question and an answer) How is everything?/Everything is fine
Por favor – Please
Obrigado/a – Thank you (changes with gender of speaker)
De nada – Your welcome
Licensa – Pardon me
Desculpa – Excuse me
Como se chama? – What is your name?
Chamo-me _________ - My name is _________
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| Coming down the mountains to Dombe |
Onde está a casa de banho? – Where is the bathroom?
Estou a pedir _______ - I would like _______
Tem agua/refrescos gelados? – Do you can cold water/sodas?
Tem coke light? – Do you have diet Coke?
Quanto? – How much? (you can simply point to something and ask)
Onde está o parragem? – Where is the bus stop?
Tenho fome/sede – I’m hungry/thirsty
Estou com sono – I’m sleepy
Pode ajudar me? – Can you help me?
Estou a vir – I’m on my way (this could mean ‘I am right around the corner’ or ‘I’ll be there in two hours’ and should be taken with a grain of salt)
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| The river in Dombe |
Quero uma Manica grande – I want a big Manica (type of beer)
Quero um meio frango com salada e batatas – I want half a chicken with salad and french fries
Tem piri-piri? – Do you have hot sauce?
Estes vegetais são limpos? Não quero cólera – Are these vegetables clean? I don’t want cholera
Onde posso encontrar chocolate? – Where can I find chocolate?
Há espacio para meu cabrito em baixo da cadera? – Is there room for my goat under the seat?
Por que há uma galinha aqui? – Why is there a chicken here?
Esta galinha é de quem? – Who’s chicken is this?
Não sou muzungu. Chamo-me _________ - I’m not “muzungu” (a dialect term for white person or foreigner). My name is ________
A que hora é o jogo de futbol? – What time is the soccer game?
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| a bushbuck in Gorongosa National Park |
Deixa-me! – Leave me alone!
Barulho! – Quiet down!
Sai! – Leave!
Liga-me! – Call me!
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| the floodplain in GNP |
Obrigado, mas tenho um(a) namorado(a). Não quero um outro. – Thanks but I have a boy/girlfriend. I don’t want another.
Mas precisa um namorado Moçambicano – But you need a Moçambiquen boyfriend
Um é bom para mim – One is good for me
Voce é casado? – Are you married?
Sim, tenho um marido e dois filhos em casa – Yes, I have a husband and two kids at home
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| Warthog! |
P.S. I got a puppy this weekend in case you need more motivation to visit. She's ridiculously adorable.
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| The puppies! Panda is the lighter one in the middle with her head on mom's side |
