Practice your Portuguese by listening to and translating songs from Portuguese to your native language. This song is called “É Sexta-Feira“, by Boss AC. Although hip-hop is fast, it’s a great way to incorporate more informal Portuguese into your learning. There are also a lot of conversational and colloquial phrases that are crucial to get into the Portuguese mindset.
I’ve translated the song into English after the lyrics below. (the music video is not mine nor was it produced by me).
If you’re here from the 30-Day Free Portuguese Challenge for your daily goal, the task for today is to listen to the song a few times and try to follow along with the lyrics in Portuguese. At the end of the task, try to rate yourself and include the date. This is so you can later come back to this exercise and see how you have improved over time. Let’s jump in. (You don’t need to be a part of the challenge to do these suggested exercises 😉 )
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Tasks for the 30-Day Portuguese Challenge
- Beginners: Actively listen to how the words are being pronounced. Before looking at the translation, underline the words you know and circle the ones you don’t. Write the words you don’t know into a list on your paper and save them for later. The main goal is to listen to the sounds of the language and be introduced to new vocabulary. If you’d like to take a step further, look up words in the online dictionary. Are they used in other contexts?
- Intermediates: After listening and looking at the lyrics – BUT NOT the translation yet – analyse the words more closely. Write down a summary of what you think the song is about. Then compare that to the translation. Then separate the words into different categories, such as which ones are verbs (actions). Which ones are nouns (names of things and people or animals) and which ones are adjectives (descriptions)? You can go a step further and indicate what tense the verbs are in. The main goal is to see how your comprehension is progressing and what you need to work on more.
- Advanced: After listening to and looking at the Portuguese lyrics, your task is to translate the lyrics without any help. If you come across a word you’ve never seen, try an educated guess before looking it up in the dictionary. It doesn’t always have to make perfect sense. Sometimes artists will use a word or pronounce it uncommonly, so it fits with the rhyme. Then compare it to the translation and see how you did. If you have the opportunity to go a little further, write a composition stating your opinion on the song. This can be anything you like: the lyrics, the melody, the voice, the feelings. How would you change it if you didn’t like it? You name it. Try to include compound tenses and the subjunctive mood in your composition.
É Sexta-Feira (“It’s Friday”) by Boss AC
Tantos anos a estudar para acabar desempregado
Ou num emprego da treta, mal pago
E receber uma gorjeta que chamam salário
Eu não tirei o Curso Superior de Otário
…não é por falta de empenho
Querem que aperte o cinto mas nem calças tenho
Ainda o mês vai a meio já eu ‘tou aflito
Oh mãe fazias-me era rico em vez de bonito
É sexta-feira
Suei a semana inteira
No bolso não trago um tostão
Alguém me arranje emprego bom bom bom bom
Já já já
Eles enterram o País o povo aguenta
Mas qualquer dia a bolha rebenta
De boca em boca nas redes sociais
Ouvem-se verdades que não vêm nos jornais
Ter carro é impossível
Tive que o vender para ter combustível
Tenho o passe da Carris mas hoje estão em greve
Preciso de boleia, alguém que me leve
É sexta-feira
Suei a semana inteira
No bolso não trago um tostão
Alguém me arranje emprego bom bom bom bom
Já já já
É sexta-feira
Quero ir para a brincadeira mas eu não tenho um tostão
Alguém me arranje emprego bom bom bom bom
Já já já
Basta ser honesto e eu aceito propostas
Os cotas já me querem ver pelas costas
Onde vou arranjar dinheiro para uma renda?
Não tenho condições nem pa alugar uma tenda
Os bancos só emprestam a quem não precisa
A mim nem me emprestam pa mudar de camisa
Vou jogar Euromilhões a ver se acaba o enguiço
Hoje é sexta-feira vou já tratar disso
Translation
So many years studying to end up unemployed
Or in a crappy, poorly paid job
and getting a tip they call a salary
I didn’t didn’t take the Sucker’s Degree
…no It’s for lack of commitment
They want me to tighten my belt, but I don’t even have pants/trousers
The month is only halfway through and I’m already suffering
Oh mom you should make me rich instead of handsome
É Friday
I’ve sweated all week
I don’t have a penny/cent in my pocket
Somebody get me a job
good good good good
Now Now Now
They bury the country and the people will put up with it
But someday the bubble will burst
By word of mouth on social networks
We hear truths that aren’t in the papers
Having a car is impossible
I had to I had to sell it to get fuel
I have the Carris pass but today they’re on strike
I need a ride, (is there) someone that can take me
É Friday
I’ve sweated all week
I don’t have a penny/cent in my pocket
Somebody get me a (good) job
good good good good
Now Now Now
It’s Friday
I want to to play but I don’t have a penny
Somebody get me a (good) job
good good good good
Now Now Now
Just be be honest and I’ll accept offers
They already want to see my back
Where will I get money for rent?
No I can’t even afford to rent a tent
The banks only lend to those who don’t need it
Not even for a shirt change will they leand me any
I’m going to play the Euromillions to see if it will end my curse
Today is Friday, I’ll get on it right away
For more songs in Portuguese, click here. To learn more about the 30-Day Portuguese Challenge, sign up below.