Palavras da Madeira20
Twenty words heard on the island and nowhere else, from levada to poncha.
- levadaAn open irrigation channel carrying water from the wet northern slopes to the crops of the south. The word is never translated.
- poioA cultivation terrace held by a dry-stone wall, cut into the slope. The island's farmed landscape is made of them.
- fajãA flat shelf at the foot of a cliff, formed by a landslide or a lava flow, very fertile and long reachable only on foot.
- sítioA named place within a parish. Madeiran addresses are often written 'Sítio de…'.
- veredaA mountain path, as opposed to a levada that follows a channel. Several classified routes carry this name.
- bolo do cacoA flat bread baked on a stone slab, served hot with garlic butter. It goes with the espetada.
- espetadaBeef skewered on a bay branch and grilled over wood.
- lapasLimpets grilled with butter and lemon, served in the shell. Paul do Mar gives them a feast in July.
- peixe-espada pretoA black deep-water fish, caught at night, served as a fillet, often with banana. Câmara de Lobos gives it a feast in August.
- paneloA stew of vegetables and cured meats from Chão da Ribeira, cooked and shared in January at the Festa do Panelo.
- gaiadoSkipjack, dried then grilled. Caniçal gives it a festival along with tuna and seafood.
- ponchaA drink of cane spirit, honey and citrus, beaten with the mexelhote, the wooden muddler. It is drunk in one go, with a dentinho to go with it.
- arraialA village street party, with music, grilled food and lights, around the patron saint. The Madeiran summer runs on them.
- missa do partoA novena of early-morning masses before Christmas, followed by a sharing of regional food outside the church.
- xavelhaThe coloured fishing boat of Câmara de Lobos, hauled up on the pebbles of the bay.
- ilhéuA rocky islet off the coast. The word is not translated in place names: Ilhéu Mole, Ilhéus da Ribeira da Janela.
- carreiro do MonteThe Monte wicker-sledge driver, in white with a straw hat, who brakes with his boots on the cobbled descent.
- casa de SantanaThe triangular thatched house of the municipality of Santana, now one of the archipelago's emblems.
- bordado da MadeiraMadeira embroidery, protected by a guarantee seal; a dozen firms and about a thousand embroiderers according to the regional portal.
- vimeCamacha wickerwork, made into baskets and furniture; one of the island's identifying crafts.
Politeness20
- Bom diaGood morningis said /bonn DI-a/
- Boa tardeGood afternoonis said /bo-a TARD/
- Boa noiteGood evening, good nightis said /bo-a NOÏT/
- OláHellois said /o-LA/
- AdeusGoodbyeis said /a-DÉOUCH/
- Até logoSee you lateris said /a-TÉ LO-gou/
- Por favorPleaseis said /pour fa-VOR/
- Obrigado / ObrigadaThank you (said by a man / by a woman)is said /o-bri-GA-dou / o-bri-GA-da/
- De nadaYou're welcomeis said /de NA-da/
- DesculpeSorry, excuse meis said /dech-KOULP/
- Com licençaExcuse me (to get past)is said /kon li-SEN-sa/
- Sim / NãoYes / Nois said /sin / NAON/
- Como está?How are you?is said /KO-mou ech-TA/
- Muito prazerPleased to meet youis said /MOUÏN-tou pra-ZÈR/
- Não perceboI don't understandis said /naon per-SÉ-bou/
- Fala francês?Do you speak French?is said /FA-la fran-SÉCH/
- Fala inglês?Do you speak English?is said /FA-la in-GLÉCH/
- Pode falar mais devagar?Could you speak more slowly?is said /POD fa-LAR maïch de-va-GAR/
- Não seiI don't knowis said /naon SÉÏ/
- Pode ajudar-me?Can you help me?is said /POD a-jou-DAR-me/
Directions10
- Onde é...?Where is..?is said /ONND é/
- Onde fica a paragem?Where is the bus stop?is said /ONND FI-ka a pa-RA-jenn/
- Quanto tempo demora?How long does it take?is said /KOUAN-tou TEN-pou de-MO-ra/
- É longe?Is it far?is said /é LONN-je/
- É possível ir a pé?Can you get there on foot?is said /é pou-SI-vel ir a PÉ/
- À esquerda / à direitaLeft / rightis said /a ech-KÈR-da / a di-RÉÏ-ta/
- Sempre em frenteStraight onis said /SEN-pre en FRENNT/
- Tem um mapa?Do you have a map?is said /tenn oun MA-pa/
- Estou perdido / perdidaI am lostis said /ech-TÔ per-DI-dou / per-DI-da/
- A estrada está fechada?Is the road closed?is said /a ech-TRA-da ech-TA fe-CHA-da/
At the restaurant12
- Uma mesa para dois, por favorA table for two, pleaseis said /OU-ma MÉ-za PA-ra DOÏCH/
- A ementa, por favorThe menu, pleaseis said /a i-MENN-ta/
- O que recomenda?What do you recommend?is said /ou ke re-kou-MENN-da/
- Qual é o prato do dia?What is today's dish?is said /koual é ou PRA-tou dou DI-a/
- Sou vegetariano / vegetarianaI am vegetarianis said /sô ve-je-ta-ri-A-nou / A-na/
- Tenho alergia a...I am allergic to..is said /TÉ-gnou a-ler-JI-a a/
- Água sem gás / com gásStill / sparkling wateris said /A-goua senn GACH / kon GACH/
- A conta, por favorThe bill, pleaseis said /a KONN-ta/
- Aceitam multibanco?Do you take cards?is said /a-SÉÏ-taon moul-ti-BAN-kou/
- Estava muito bomIt was very goodis said /ech-TA-va MOUÏN-tou BONN/
- Um café, por favorAn espresso, pleaseis said /oun ka-FÉ/
- Mais pão, por favorMore bread, pleaseis said /maïch PAON/
Money6
- Quanto custa?How much is it?is said /KOUAN-tou KOUCH-ta/
- É muito caroIt is too expensiveis said /é MOUÏN-tou KA-rou/
- Levo esteI'll take this oneis said /LÉ-vou ÉCHT/
- Só estou a ver, obrigadoI'm just looking, thank youis said /so ech-TÔ a VÈR/
- Pode dar-me o recibo?Could I have the receipt?is said /POD DAR-me ou re-SI-bou/
- Tem troco?Do you have change?is said /tenn TRO-kou/
Transport7
- Um bilhete, por favorOne ticket, pleaseis said /oun bi-LYÉT/
- Ida e voltaReturn ticketis said /I-da i VOL-ta/
- A que horas parte?What time does it leave?is said /a ke O-rach PART/
- Este autocarro vai para...?Does this bus go to..?is said /ÉCHT aou-tou-KA-rrou vaï PA-ra/
- Pode chamar um táxi?Could you call a taxi?is said /POD cha-MAR oun TAK-si/
- Onde posso estacionar?Where can I park?is said /ONND PO-sou ech-ta-siou-NAR/
- Onde há uma bomba de gasolina?Where is there a petrol station?is said /ONND a OU-ma BONN-ba de ga-zou-LI-na/
Trails7
- O percurso está aberto?Is the trail open?is said /ou per-KOUR-sou ech-TA a-BÈR-tou/
- É difícil?Is it hard?is said /é di-FI-sil/
- Quantos quilómetros são?How many kilometres is it?is said /KOUAN-touch ki-LO-me-trouch SAON/
- Vai chover?Is it going to rain?is said /vaï chou-VÈR/
- Há nevoeiro na serra?Is there fog on the mountain?is said /a ne-vou-ÉÏ-rou na SÈ-rra/
- A água é potável?Is the water drinkable?is said /a A-goua é pou-TA-vel/
- Cuidado!Careful!is said /kouï-DA-dou/
Health6
- Preciso de ajudaI need helpis said /pre-SI-zou de a-JOU-da/
- Preciso de um médicoI need a doctoris said /pre-SI-zou de oun MÉ-di-kou/
- Onde é a farmácia?Where is the chemist?is said /ONND é a far-MA-si-a/
- Dói-me aquiIt hurts hereis said /DOÏ-me a-KI/
- Chame o 112Call 112is said /CHA-me ou senn i DO-je/
- Onde é o hospital?Where is the hospital?is said /ONND é ou och-pi-TAL/
Stay5
- Tenho uma reservaI have a bookingis said /TÉ-gnou OU-ma re-ZÈR-va/
- Qual é a senha do wi-fi?What is the wi-fi password?is said /koual é a SÉ-gna dou ouaï-faï/
- A que horas é o pequeno-almoço?What time is breakfast?is said /a ke O-rach é ou pe-KÉ-nou al-MÔ-sou/
- Posso deixar a bagagem?May I leave my luggage?is said /PO-sou déï-CHAR a ba-GA-jenn/
- Pode trazer uma toalha?Could you bring a towel?is said /POD tra-ZÈR OU-ma tou-A-lya/
Numbers5
- um, dois, três, quatro, cincoone, two, three, four, fiveis said /oun, doïch, trêch, KOUA-trou, SINN-kou/
- seis, sete, oito, nove, dezsix, seven, eight, nine, tenis said /séïch, SÉT, OÏ-tou, NOV, DÉCH/
- hoje / amanhã / ontemtoday / tomorrow / yesterdayis said /OJ / a-ma-GNAN / ONN-tenn/
- Que horas são?What time is it?is said /ke O-rach SAON/
- aberto / fechadoopen / closedis said /a-BÈR-tou / fe-CHA-dou/
The voice is your browser's (European Portuguese when available); without a voice, the written pronunciation remains.