a friend um amigo oom[ng] ameegu – a male friend

uma amiga oom[ng]a ameega – a female friend

Do you speak English? Fala Inglês? Fahla Ingle[a]ysh? – Although the ‘ê’ sometimes sounds more open (‘ay’), the circumflex still denotes that it should be a close pronunciation. Listen carefully to a native speaker – the sound is like a cross between the ‘ea’ of ‘ear’ and the ‘ai’ of ‘air’. The same is true of the words ‘Inglesa’; ‘Português’; and ‘Portuguesa’.

I am learning to speak Portuguese Eu aprendo a falar Português Ayoo aprendu a falar Portooge[a]ysh

I am English Sou Inglês Soh Ingle[a]ysh – only said by males

Sou Inglesa Soh Ingle[a]yza – only said by females

I am Portuguese Sou Português Soh Portooge[a]ysh – only said by males

Sou Portuguesa Soh Portooge[a]yza – only said by females

I am from England Sou da Inglaterra Soh da Inglaterrrra – lit. “I am from the England”

I am from Portugal Sou de Portugal Soh de Portugal – they don’t say ‘from the Portugal’ (like they do with England), just ‘from Portugal’ (like we do). Most other countries of the world require ‘from the’ (‘do’ or ‘da’ depending on the gender of the country – see section on nouns below)