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LAS NAVIDADES. Entrevista realizada a una familia portuguesa radicada en los Estados Unidos hace 25 años.
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Welcome to "This is America" in
VOA Special English. I’m Faith Lapidus. This week on our program we hear from
some Americans about Christmas past, present and future. |
we hear from: nos enteramos de, nos ponemos al día; |
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Sharing Christmas with family and friends is traditional. It is especially important to the Cerqueira family. Maria and Abel moved from Portugal twenty-five years ago and raised their two children in the United States. But they left much family behind in Portugal, and still feel a strong connection to their homeland. |
sharing: compartir; moved from: se mudaron desde; raised: criaron; left much family behind: dejaron atrás a muchos familiares; still feel: todavía sienten; a strong connection to: un estrecho vínculo con; homeland: terruño, tierra natal; |
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The Cerqueiras will spend Christmas in New Jersey with Maria's brother and his family. But they also plan to celebrate with family members in Portugal. How? With an Internet video call on Skype. |
will spend: pasarán; they also plan: ellos también tienen previsto; to celebrate: festejar, celebrar; family members: integrantes de la familia; video call: videollamada; on Skype: con las redes sociales, sitios web y medios de comunicación se utiliza la preposición ON = on Facebook, on OM Personal, on TV, on the radio, etc); |
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MARIA CERQUEIRA: “You talk
like you are together, you know? Even if you can’t touch, you can see the person.
It is very nice, you know?” |
like you are: como si estuvieras; even if you can touch: aunque no puedes tocarla; |
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The Cerqueiras say many Christmas
traditions are the same in Portugal and America. Many people have a tree, sing
songs and exchange gifts. Some people open their presents
on Christmas Eve, some
wait until Christmas morning. |
are the same in: son las mismas en; sing songs: cantan villancicos; exchange gifts: intercambian regalos; on Christmas Eve: en Nochebuena; some wait until: algunos esperan hasta; Christmas morning: la mañana de Navidad; |
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But one difference is the food.
Americans commonly eat ham or turkey
at Christmas. Maria Cerqueira describes a
traditional Christmas Eve meal in northern Portugal. |
difference: diferencia; the food: la comida; commonly: generalmente; ham or turkey: jamón o pavo; northern: en el norte de;
AT CHRISTMAS - ON CHRISTMAS: Una duda común para muchos hispanos que pasamos a aclarar: AT CHRISTMAS significa "at Christmastime", es decir, "las Navidades", o sea todo el período de fiestas a finales de diciembre; ON CHRISTMAS significa "on Christmas Day", es decir, "el 25 de diciembre". TIPS: Los británicos prefieren utilizar la frase "on Christmas Day" para referirse al 25 de diciembre. ("In Christmas" no es correcto). |
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MARIA CERQUEIRA: “It’s codfish,
with potatoes, carrots, kale. And we have octopus salad, also with vinegar and
olive oil and onion. We cook the octopus also. Also we boil it and then we cut
it in little pieces. We make a salad.” |
codfish: bacalao, abadejo; carrots: zanahorias; kale: col rizada, coliflor; octopus salad: ensalada de pulpo; vinegar: vinagre; olive oil: aceite de oliva; onion: cebolla; we boil it: lo hervimos; cut it: lo cortamos; in little pieces: en trozos; we make a salad: hacemos una ensalada ("we do a salad" no es correcto); |
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The codfish is also boiled and
salted and covered in olive oil. Abel Cerqueira says the Portuguese also have a
traditional drink at Christmastime. It starts with a red wine from northern
Portugal. |
boiled: hervido; salted: salado (se le agrega sal); covered in olive oil: cubierto por aceite de oliva; red wine: vino tinto; |
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ABEL CERQUEIRA: “In Portuguese
it’s called 'vinho verde.'” |
it's called: se lo llama; vinho verde (Portuguese): green wine; |
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Vinho verde – meaning green wine. A red wine called green wine? The green is more about the ripeness, or lack of ripeness, of the grapes used to make the wine. Vinho verde is not a sweet wine. But the Portuguese make it sweet on Christmas. Abel Cerqueira says they heat the wine on the stove. Then they mix in sugar. The wine is enjoyed during and after the meal. |
is more about: está más relacionado con; ripeness: madurez; lack of ripeness: falta de madurez; of the grapes used: de las uvas utilizadas; a sweet wine: un vino dulce; make it sweet: lo endulzan; they heat the wine: calientan el vino; on the stove: en la cocina (hornillo, estufa); they mix in sugar: lo mezclan con azúcar; enjoyed: disfrutado; during: durante; after the meal: después de la comida; |
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The Cerqueiras left some traditions behind when they left Portugal. For instance, Abel says gifts were never wrapped in paper when he was growing up. When you woke up Christmas morning, he says, you found your presents completely open under the tree – no boxes, bags or paper. |
left some traditions behind: dejaron atrás algunas costumbres; for instance: por ejemplo; were never wrapped: nunca se los envolvía; growing up: creciendo; when you woke up: cuando uno se despertaba; you found: encontrabas; your presents: tus regalos; completely open: totalmente abiertos; no boxes, bags or paper: no se usaban cajas, bolsas o papel; |
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Also, Abel and Maria say Portuguese children try to play a trick on Santa Claus. The night before Christmas, they place their oldest, poorest looking shoes near the chimney. They think that Santa will give children with poor shoes more presents and better presents. |
try to play a trick on: tratan de engañar a; their oldest (shoes): sus (zapatos) más viejos; poorest looking shoes: los zapatos de apariencia más humilde; near the chimney: cerca de la chimenea; will give children: les dará a los niños; |
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But not the two Cerqueira children. They leave their shoes in their rooms and receive their presents wrapped under the Christmas tree. The couple says they started doing that part of Christmas the way they saw their American friends do it. |
but not the two: pero eso no sucede con los dos; they leave their shoes: dejan sus zapatos; wrapped: envueltos; the couple says: el matrimonio (pareja) dice que; they started doing: empezaron a hacer; the way they saw: del modo en que observaban; their American friends do it: hacerlo a sus amigos norteamericanos; |
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Our program was written and produced by Caty Weaver. I’m Faith Lapidus. Join us again next week for "This is America" in VOA Special English. |
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