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UCL Centre for Languages & International Education (CLIE)

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Portuguese Level 3

Prerequisite for entry

Successful completion of Portuguese syllabus level 2+ at UCL Language Centre or a high GCSE/low O-level grade (or equivalent).

Term duration

10 x 2-hour classes.

Aims and objectives

The aim of the course is to enable students with a good basic knowledge of basic Portuguese to develop the four skills (speaking, understanding, reading and writing) to an intermediate level. Students should be able to communicate in Portuguese in most common situations. Cultural awareness will be developed. Language learning skills, including autonomous learning and how to approach authentic material will be enhanced.

Functions

  • Expressing wishes, doubts and feelings; exchanging information; defining clearly the location of an object
  • Expressing affection/disaffection/necessity/possibility/convenience/preferences; inviting; stimulating an action
  • Expressing purpose, concession, opposition, condition; giving suggestions
  • Giving opinion; expressing indifference/distrust/indecision/trust; making assumptions

Course content

Main topics/themes to be covered: 

  • School and university; profession’s choice; careers
  • The weather/climate and temperature, its influence on activities; phenomena of nature and landscapes
  • Money and financial stability; banking services; money’s administration
  • Superstitions; myth and legends; Portuguese and Brazilian popular beliefs

Phonetics

Difficult sounds in Portuguese

Grammar and linguistic structures

  • Present of subjunctive (1): regular and irregular forms, words that express: wish, doubt and feeling + que; demonstrative pronouns + adverbs of location
  • Present of subjunctive (2): impersonal expressions + que
  • Present of subjunctive (3): certain conjunctions (para que, embora, etc…); Present of subjunctive (4) indefinite words + relative pronouns
  • Imperfect of subjunctive; conditional tense (se + imperfect of subjunctive)

Learning resources

Books

  • Main textbook:  Novo Avenida Brasil 3 Curso Básico de Português para Estrangeiros
  • The tutor will be using different books and handouts for extra exercises.