The conversation went something like this...
Diane: "Quiero compro uma futebol..., umm, ball" (a mix of Spanish, Portuguese and English).
Sales lady: (States something in Portuguese)
Diane: "Nao fala Portuguese."
Sales lady: (Laughs and goes to get another salesperson who doesn't speak English either)
Diane: "Futebol..., umm, ball...muito barata" (I am trying to say, "Soccer ball, very cheap").
Sales lady: (Stares at me with a look of pure confusion)
Diane: (I create an imaginary spherical shape with my hands and I repeat slower and more confidently this time)..."Fute-bol, mu-ito barata."
Sales lady: (Now officially thinks I am nuts)
Diane: (I then take 50 reais out of my pocket and point to a soccer ball on the wall)
Sales lady: "Ahhh, bola de futbol por cinquenta reais!"
Later in the day I discovered "baratO" means cheap, and "baratA" actually means "cockroach."
I was, in fact, stating, "Soccer, very cockroach!" No wonder they thought I was insane...
Money certainly talks!!!
ReplyDeletelol!! thats soo funny!!!!! i could never do that!!! i can just imagine what u looked like..i think of the city when someone is asking me where something is and they dont speak english..im like what a idiot! lol...are the people as nasty as new yorkers?
ReplyDeleteNot at all. At first they just speak louder and assume I am deaf, or perhaps just dumb. But once I tell them I don't speak English, they typically think it is hysterical.
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