Portuguese Year 2: Listening: what the speaker wants and what goes in your notebook
Portuguese, Year 2 (Portugal): Work out if someone asks, tells, admires, orders or requests, and note only what you need.
Every sentence wants something
Every sentence wants something. A question wants an answer. A statement tells something. An exclamation shows that you like or admire something. An order tells someone to do it, and a request asks politely. Listen with a goal too: what do I need to know? Then note only that, with key words, a drawing or a list.
Answer the right thing, keep the right thing
Knowing what the other person wants helps you answer well: you answer a question, follow an order, and say yes or no to a request. Also, what you hear cannot be read again. If you pick the essentials and note them down, you do not lose them.
The teacher's announcement
The teacher says: «Sexta vamos à biblioteca. Que bom! Levem um livro. Sabem o que é uma biblioteca? Podem arrumar as mesas, por favor?» (On Friday we go to the library. How nice! Bring a book. Do you know what a library is? Can you tidy the tables, please?) Step 1: your goal is to know what to bring. Step 2: the five sentences, in order, are a statement, an exclamation (it shows she likes it), an order, a question and a request. Step 3: you note only «sexta · livro» (Friday · book), or draw a book.
Not every “?” is a question
If someone says «Podes fechar a janela?» (Can you close the window?), it has a “?”, but the person does not only want to know if you can: they want the window closed. It is a request. The mistake is to answer «posso» (I can) and stay in your seat. Before you answer, ask yourself: what does this person want?
Where you listen and note
You listen like this when the coach explains a game, when dad says what is missing from the shopping, when the loudspeaker announces a train or when you take a message on the phone. You can note with key words, a drawing, a list or a small table. Pick the one that is quickest for what you are hearing.
Test what you learned
Someone says «Que desenho tão bonito!» (What a lovely drawing!) What does the speaker want to do?
- a) Ask something
- b) Show that they like the drawing
- c) Give an order
Correct answer: b) Show that they like the drawing — Yes: it is an exclamation that shows admiration. The speaker likes the drawing.
Your teacher says: «Amanhã é o Dia da Fruta. Levem uma maçã ou uma pera. Não levem doces.» (Tomorrow is Fruit Day. Bring an apple or a pear. Do not bring sweets.) You only want to know what to bring. What do you note?
- a) «maçã · pera · sem doces» (apple · pear · no sweets)
- b) «Dia da Fruta» (Fruit Day)
- c) Every word of the three sentences, one by one
Correct answer: a) «maçã · pera · sem doces» (apple · pear · no sweets) — Yes: these key words answer your goal (what to bring) and also say what not to bring.
Your mum says «Podes ajudar-me com as compras?» (Can you help me with the shopping?) What does she really want?
- a) To know if you are able to help
- b) Only that you say «sim» (yes) and stay where you are
- c) For you to help her: it is a request
Correct answer: c) For you to help her: it is a request — Yes: a request can look like a question. What matters is what the person wants.
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