So for today’s interactive feature, the question is: what is your favorite Brazilian drink?

This is a very difficult question, since there are so many spectacular fruit juices, and I’m always surprised to find ones made from fruits I’ve never even heard of. I’m a big fan of suco de melão (melon juice) and vitaminas (smoothies made with fruit, sugar, and milk). I also like caipifrutas, caiprinhas made with different tropical fruits instead of limes.

What about you?

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The Brazilian government recently reduced taxes on automobiles, which lowered the price of GM cars and led to a large increase in sales. The Brazilian part of GM is not owned by the US government, nor will the Brazilian-produced cars use American parts. Also, funding for the new project will be split between the company and Brazil-based loans. Though car sales in the US are lagging, June was the best-selling month ever for cars in Brazil, and auto companies are expecting high sales for the rest of the year.

The company plans to create new small and mid-sized cars at the Gravatai plant in Rio Grande do Sul, and production will begin in 2012. Though the majority of the cars will be for domestic sales, they may also export them to Mercosur countries and possibly other developing countries.

The investment is the largest GM has ever made in Brazil, as the company seeks to expand in growing markets. In 2008, GM sold 580,000 cars in Brazil, and company executives expect to sell 600,000 in 2009.

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something = algo

Você tem algo nos dentes. You have something in your teeth.

Ela queria algo mais barato. She wants something cheaper.

some = algum/alguma

Eles compraram algum tipo de madeira, mas não sei qual. They bought some type of wood, but I don’t know which.

Você tem algumas fotas da festa, não tem? You have some pictures from the party, right?

someone = alguém

Alguém pode me emprestar cinco reais? Can someone lend me five reais?

Por favor, conte a piada para alguém que acha graça. Please tell the joke to someone who thinks it’s funny.

no one = ninguém

Ninguém consegiu subir a montanha. Nobody was able to climb the mountain.

Vi ninguém na sala. I didn’t see anyone in the room.

nothing = nada*

*In English, we sometimes translate nada as anything. See the examples below.

Ele não queria comer nada porque estava passando mal. He didn’t want to eat anything because he felt sick.

Pare de me olhar–eu falei nada! Stop looking at me–I didn’t say anything!

Temos nada à dizer. We have nothing to say.

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The artists spend twelve hours a day in the room, eating, reading and sleeping, as well as chatting with and entertaining passersby. The wall also doubles as a climbing wall, and the two artists use climbing equipment when they are on the wall.

The exhibit is adjacent to an art gallery that features outdoor exhibits four times a year.

Check out this video of the wacky exhibition!

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Click here to visit their site, and click here to listen to more songs.

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The signatures included those of “Edmílson, Gomes, Lúcio, Vágner Love, Daniel Carvalho, Gilberto Silva, Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Elano, Robinho, Júlio Baptista, Alex and Dida.”

President Lula also teased President Obama about the US team’s 3-2 loss to Brazil last week, chanting “Yes, we can” several times. Obama joked about the game and took the teasing lightly, making a sad face while holding up the shirt to show his disappointment in the US loss. Lula also gave the same signed shirts to members of the G-5 earlier in the week.

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For today’s interactive feature, the question is: who is your favorite Brazilian athlete?

Though there are many soccer players to chose from, my favorite athlete of the moment is swimmer César Cielo Filho, who won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics and has excelled at other international events. He’s only 21, and trains in the United States. His emotional win in Beijing–Brazil’s first gold medal ever in swimming–was one of my favorite moments of the last Olympics.

What about you?

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This word is fairly easy to pronounce: em - pray- gah-dah.

The most common meaning of this word is maid, as in a female servant who cleans and/or cooks for clients. The complete term is empregada doméstica, to indicate that the maid works in a home. This is because empregada can also be a female employee.

As a verb in the past participle, empregada means employ (in the sense to use) as well as in the sense to hire.

Let’s look at examples of all of the meanings.

Noun 1

A nossa empregada vem todo dia para limpar a casa. Our maid comes every day to clean the house.

Noun 2

Aquela mulher é empregada da empresa. That woman is an employee of the company.

Verb 1

A palavra “combinar” é empregada para marcar um evento ou encontro. The word “combinar” is used to schedule an event or a date.

Verb 2

Ela foi empregada pela Texaco no ano 1992. She was hired by Texaco in 1992.

Don’t forget to check out the other Transparent words of the day in 12 other languages!

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Basically, you mix tapioca and sugar in a bowl, and pour hot water or milk on top to form a paste. Then you add shredded coconut and set the mixture to cool.

Check out some recipes to learn how to make cuscuz!

Tudo Gostoso (Portuguese)

Nestle (Portuguese)

Cybercook (Portuguese)

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Check her out on Youtube and Myspace. You can also download her new album on the Brazilian music blog, Musicoteca.

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