Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.
Preparation
Transcript
Robert: Hello again, Jessie. Well, I've finally got it together to start Portuguese lessons – amazing! If I'm ever going to get to Brazil, live the dream, you know, then I have to learn the language. Learning the lyrics of a few Brazilian songs just isn't going to be enough. My teacher is called Milton and we had our first class yesterday ...
Milton: Oi!
Robert: Oi. Um, hello.
Milton: Dá-me o seu casaco. Your coat – o seu casaco. Let me take your coat.
Robert: Oh, thanks, yes, of course! This is a nice flat. A good area too.
Milton: Yes, it's a great place to live. Did you find it OK?
Robert: Yes, the journey was easy.
Milton: You said you work in a hotel?
Robert: Yes, that's right. I'm training to be a manager at the moment, and I really want to go to work in Brazil in a few months' time.
Milton: Good choice. Do you know Brazil?
Robert: No, no, I've never been. I used to know a Brazilian boy a long time ago. He talked about it a lot.
Milton: Where was he from?
Robert: Not from anywhere, really … It's a long story.
Milton: Well, shall we get started? You can tell me the story in Portuguese soon.
Robert: Ha ha.
Milton: Let's go and sit at the dining table.
Robert: And then the nightmare began. Aw, Jessie, it's really difficult. I can't get any of the pronunciation right at all. Milton said phrases and I had to repeat them again and again because I couldn't get them right.
Milton: So 'How are you?' is 'Como vai você?' You say it.
Robert: Como vai você?
Milton: No. Listen. Como vai você?
Robert: Como vai você?
Milton: Como vai você?
Robert: Como vai você? It's not easy, is it?
Milton: Well ...
Robert: And so on, for what seemed like forever. Hours and hours. Days. Trying to say 'How are you?' and 'I'm fine, thanks' and 'See you later'. And then remember them! Aaargh.
Milton: So, if I say 'Como vai você?', what do you say?
Robert: 'Muito bem e você?' Is that right?
Milton: Very good, Robert. Perhaps we could do the numbers one to ten now.
Robert: Nooo! No more new things. My brain is full. Can we stop now?
Milton: It's only seven o'clock. We've still got half an hour.
Robert: Really, Milton. I can't do any more. Let's have a drink or something.
Milton: Well, OK, it's your lesson. Shall I make a cup of tea?
Robert: I think I need something stronger. I saw a pub on the corner. Have you got time for a quick beer before you have to go to your next lesson?
Milton: Next lesson?
Robert: You've got another lesson at half past seven, haven't you?
Milton: Oh, yes, of course. Um, OK. Yes, just a small beer. Can't go to my next lesson smelling of alcohol, ha ha.
Robert: Come on then. It's on me.
Robert: So, we had half a pint in the local pub and chatted a bit. He's really very nice, very friendly and extremely patient with me. And he's very interesting – he did theatre studies at Newcastle University, so we talked about the theatre a lot. And films. He's a big science fiction fan too, so we've got a lot in common. Anyway, how are the boys? I hope Callum's not going to ...
I haven't ever had private lessons. I love self-studying. in my opinion, this is the best method to learn things, especially languages.
I like the way you create these podcasts. The podcasts are short, easy to understand for B1 students, and have enough new words.
I had private lessons with an Italian teacher but now I don`t have because I don`t learn Italian
I have private lessons with an English teacher because I want to learn English very well.
Yes, I had private lessons when I was a teenager and was finishing high school, I took some private lessons to study Physics because I use to was a bit lazy at the classes during the course and didn't do enough to save it and avoid the exam.
Thaks for the episode!
Great site!
I haven't ever had private lessons English face to face, but I had private lessons through internet. I had hardly pronunciation English first time too, but now I think it has become better. When I was starting to learn English, my tutor recorded my pronunciation and when I was finishing, he recorded my pronunciation again. Then, he compared records and said what my pronunciation has become better. I was so happy when he said me about it. At this time I don't have money on the tutor and I try to learn English myself.
Best regards, Nick!