CELPE-Bras: what is it?

I have taken the rather bold step of wanting to get an official Brazilian Portuguese qualification before my wife and I and our kids head out of Brazil by the end of August. Basically, I wanted something on my CV which showed I had some competency in the languae. After a bit of work online, and talking to people in the know, I’ve decided to go for the CELPE-Bras test.

CELPE-Bras is the official Brazilian Portuguese test for foreigners. It’s put together by the Brazilian Ministry of Education and can be taken at test centres around Brazil and in many major cities around the world too. I like the test because it’s a modern integrated test. That is to say, its not multiple grammar-heavy, technical, concerned with translation or gap filling. It has quite a lot in common with the English test TOEFL in which the four skills (reading, wrting, speaking, listening) are tested simultaneously which far better reflects the reality of life. For example, when you’re on the phone writing down a message for someone you’re exercising listening, speaking and writing skills at the same time.

So, in part 1 of the test we read an article and write a response (in a certain style and register) about what we read. Likewise, we listen to or watch a piece of news and write about that. In part 2 of the paper we are given a short article and asked to speak about it and answer open questions with an examiner.

Whatever your level of Portuguese, everyone takes the same test and then is graded as being either Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, Advanced or Upper Advanced. In order to obtain an Advanced level, for example, your results for BOTH part 1 and part 2 need to be Advanced or over.

Subscriptions are open for the next round of testing (which will be at the end of April). The test can be taken every six months so the next batch will be in October/November time. The website with more information about it all is here: http://portal.mec.gov.br/sesu/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=595&Itemid=303

There is a cost, but I don’t yet know what it is!

Alanis in Brazil

I’m not a huge Alanis fan, but my wife is. We “nearly” got to see her live as she on tour in Brazil right now but it didnt work out for us this time. Here is an acoustic song from Alanis with subtitles in Portuguese. There are many more in YouTube with Portuguese subtitles – but I liked the lyrics in this one. Great for vocab!

Back again in 2009

Hello everyone,

Sorry for being offline for a while. Anyway, the internet is working and I’m back again. I’ll still be updating this blog sporadically but based on the way hits have worked out over the last 6 months since I started, I’m going to concentrate less on making this a unified resource of Brazilian Portuguese – rather, it will be more like a blog. Anything I find that may be of use I’ll put it on here.

OK, now to write a post.
DM

Best Brazil Blogs 2008

Hello folks, here we are back again after the Christmas and New Year break. Feliz Ano Novo!

Just saw this and thought it was worth passing on. The website bestbrazilblog has selected the best blogs for 2008 in various categories – ranging from religion to cartoons, sport to politics with lots inbetween.

Here is the list. You might find something you really like and want to read this year: http://bestblogsbrazil.com/2008/node/21

Madonna

Madonna performed to 70,000 people at the Maracana last night. Apparently, it rained for some of the show prompting Madge to reach for an umbrella at one point. Click here for a bunch of the news reports and pictures about it.

Two videos with subtitles of Madonna here. Just search “Madonna legendado” for a whole lot more including some interviews.